Aeschynanthus pulcher: a houseplant with bright red flowers

Aeschynanthus pulcher resembles aeschynanthus radicans in many respects. Both members of the Gesneriaceae family, they share the same nickname, the lipstick plant, and originate from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. What distinguishes them? A smooth ovary in the pulcher species and a hairy ovary in the radicans species.

Aeschynanthus pulcher is a creeping perennial herb, mostly epiphytic, sometimes lithophytic. It has a bushy, semi-erect habit andevergreen foliage. It grows up to a metre high and 50 centimetres wide.

Its long stems oscillate between dark purple and green. They bear fleshy, glossy-green leaves with smooth, elliptical or oval margins, arranged in opposite pairs.

The plant bears bright red tubular flowers surrounded at the base by a dark red to brown calyx. The outer surface of the calyx and corolla is covered with short, white hairs. The flowers are vertically oriented and clustered in small groups at the ends of the stems.

The fruit is a pod 20 to 40 centimetres long and two to four millimetres wide. It rarely grows indoors.

Aeschynanthus pulcher is non-toxic to humans and animals. It presents no risk on contact or if ingested.