good job, it's been revived after a 2yr hiatus on the lipstick plant. mine's been suffering v badly this winter where it's leaves dropped off almost daily. it's sited next to a west-facing venetian-slatted window (that means in winter, it's fairly dim). i haven't sprayed it before, but last winter, it seemed pretty healthy. i'm not quite sure how it's got to this stage where my treatment of it has been the same. in the growing season, it's been fed weekly (i think) and watered regularly. this winter all my plants have been watered at least once a week, and they haven't been in any unnecessary heat (i didn't put my heating on this winter). do you think it was the lack of heat that's causing the leaf-drop? i'd say, the house got as cold as 5 deg. celsius (tho' that's a major estimate!) and the outdoors minus 10 deg. celsius. it's currently sitting upstairs in my east-facing bedroom, where there is more light and a tad warmer than the downstairs room. it's also had a major trim of all the dead bare stems and the unhealthy leaves taken off. anyone to help?

Imal, I bet your lipstick is beautiful..it's so big. Ironically, I had a lipstick kept right against a cold west window and that little plant bloomed all winter. So, you'd be surprised what a little cold air could do. You mention misshapen leaevs..Have you checked for insects like mites, mealy? That's the first thing I'd do. Bugs can cause misshapened and dry foliage. Look for webbing and white cottony patches..these are the 2 common insects Lipsticks attract. Red leaves could mean sunburn, but is it sunny this time of yr in MO? Which direction is the window your plants in? One other thing..You mention keeping soil moist but not wet..I'd let the soil dry a little between waterings so it doesn't stay constantly moist. Toni

Oh my God, those blooms are something else. Truly amazing. GH

I don't know this name, but it seems I know this plant. So, now I know the name of the Lipstick I bought without a name last winter. My plant just came back into flower after its initial heavy flowering. It was loaded with buds when I bought it. Now, my plant is flowering but lightly, about like yours, maybe a little better. I have it in my greenhouse where it is getting good light. I think with lipsticks it is a combination of even watering, feeding and good light that gets a good flower show. Speaking of Flower Shows, today I am entering this plant in the County Fair--so your post has been very timely, providing me with a cultivar name. Your plant is probably adequately lighted, though you could try to get more light to it somehow--maybe by lowering it a little or moving it or something. But, I think you have it in a decent location. Just have patience and see if it doesn't flower better at its nex go-round. I believe this one and some others are new hybrids coming from Europe (Holland??) where they are being mass propagated and sold all over the world. It seems to be an improvement on the older Lipsticks like lobbianus, radicans, 'Pullobia' etc. I use "Lipsticks" only for the aeschynanthus in this group which have large lipstick tube-like calyxes. Thanks for posting the photo. Jon