leaf drop on Lipstick Plant
Quick answer
If your Lipstick Plant has leaf drop, the most likely cause is: Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) is a tropical Malaysian epiphyte whose cascading Aeschynanthus vines evolved under a humid forest canopy; when it is kept in low indoor light the foliage cannot sustain healthy leaf growth and the plant stops producing the pointed red, yellow, orange, or coral flowers it is grown for, leaving bare, thinning stems.
Start here:
- 1. Relocate the lipstick plant to a spot with bright indirect light — for example hanging the basket in a brightly lit bathroom or in front of a window filtered by a sheer curtain — so the Aeschynanthus vines receive the steady, diffused light they evolved to use.
- 2. Once moved, mist the foliage frequently and keep the plant away from drafts and radiators to support the warm, humid microclimate the lipstick plant needs to push out healthy new leaf growth along the long trailing stems.
Why Lipstick Plant gets leaf drop
Aeschynanthus radicans
Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus radicans) is a tropical Malaysian epiphyte whose cascading Aeschynanthus vines evolved under a humid forest canopy; when it is kept in low indoor light the foliage cannot sustain healthy leaf growth and the plant stops producing the pointed red, yellow, orange, or coral flowers it is grown for, leaving bare, thinning stems.
How to reverse leaf drop on Lipstick Plant
- 1
Relocate the lipstick plant to a spot with bright indirect light — for example hanging the basket in a brightly lit bathroom or in front of a window filtered by a sheer curtain — so the Aeschynanthus vines receive the steady, diffused light they evolved to use.
- 2
Once moved, mist the foliage frequently and keep the plant away from drafts and radiators to support the warm, humid microclimate the lipstick plant needs to push out healthy new leaf growth along the long trailing stems.
Keep leaf drop off this Lipstick Plant
Pick the lipstick plant's permanent spot on the basis of light first: bright indirect light all day, never direct sun and never a dim corner, and pair that placement with frequent misting so the warm, humid air around the Aeschynanthus keeps new foliage coming.