We have an old lipstick plant that is very unhappy. Last fall it started to lose leaves (a lot of leaves) so I repotted it and added fresh soil and trimmed off a few dead branches. More leaves and branches have shrivelled up this spring and summer and now it has about 25% of the leaves it had last year. It is getting bright indirect light all day and is watered about once a week. I have looked for the usual pests (aphids, whiteflies, scale, thrips, mites, etc.) but I can't find any sign of bugs or disease. The leaves just dry up and fall off and it's not growing any replacements.
DH is really attached to this plant so I hope I can save it. I appreciate any suggestions.
Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus pulcher) needs help
I have one and I found out not long ago that I was actually over watering mine. I also watered once a week. These like to dry out a little between waterings. Stick your finger down in the soil to see if it is still damp before you water. If it is, then wait. Someone else will chime in shortly to help you.
Connie
I agree with Connie on the watering.Also,you might try a little more light.It might benefit from a good root inspection and fresh soil.Take a stem cutting or two and root them in case the mother plant continues to decline.
Lynn
Well, I will let it get drier between waterings. In our climate things dry out pretty fast. I gave it new soil last fall when I transplanted it and it's already in one of the brightest spots in the house. The roots were not exactly plentiful last fall. I was expecting it to be root bound but the roots weren't even growing out to the edge of the pot.
I took eight cuttings last fall and so far only one is still alive and it's not really growing. It had a few roots when I moved it from water to soil but so far it hasn't changed in two months.
It's as if the whole plant is suffereing some sort of botanical malaise and has lost the will to live.
Katlian,
Make sure the pot you replanted it in is not too big. They will take longer to establish and if it wasn't root bound then you should stay with the same size pot. I always add perlite to my potting soil even if it is name brand and made just for houseplants. It will keep the soil lighter and you get better drainage. I had a hard time rooting mine and found out through experimenting that the side shoots off of the main lead will root in a heartbeat and take off. Here is a pic of 3 starts that I have rooted for a trade. If you will look on the right side, you will see a shoot coming up where a leaf has formed. That is where you need to make your cut. Go up two nodes from the cut, cutting the leaves off of those two nodes. Sitck it down in the soil and there you have it. The roots that you get from water rooting are different than soil rooting. It is probably trying to establish a new rooting system hince the plant itself appears not to be growing.
Good Luck!
Connie
Katlian,
If you can spare a few cuttings,try rooting them in half perlite,half vermiculite,domed.What kind of soil is it in?
Also, in your dry climate misting might help.
LOL....Connie we posted at the same time!!
LOL! Between the two of us, we will get her going again, Lynn :)
Just a foot note: Lynn is right on misting if you are in a dry area. There is a difference between "air" dry and "watering" dry. I set up a small humidifier that you can find anywhere and run it in the winter for my plants. Please keep us updated on this. We always like to know the outcome and I am sure yours will be a great one!
Connie
Thanks for the suggestions. We have a humidifier in the dining room, maybe I will move the plant out there and see if it perks up a bit.
I keep my aeschynanthus outside, so I know they love humidity. Also, I have found that 3 years of an original lipstick plant and they begin to get real woody looking. I am going to go one more year with mine and then take cuttings to start all over with her.
I couldn't find a picture of her in full bloom........Thai Pink
Good luck but I would really think about starting a whole lot of cuttings of yours...........
I'm worried about taking any more cuttings since there's not much left to the original plant.
DH has been washing all of the down comforters and pillows and sleeping bags today and has them draped over the furniture and shower curtain rods to dry. We agreed that it felt unusually humid in house today and checked the weather station. The indoor humidity topped out at 29%, which must be some sort of record for this house. No wonder the poor plant has such a hard time.
I have one that I must admit I neglect a bit. The old stems towards the top are bare, with no signs of new leaves. Still, it blooms like crazy. I would say it definitely dries out betw. waterings, sometimes for days.