形态特征
为附生性常绿蔓生藤本植物. 叶对生，叶片卵形、椭圆形或倒卵形，革质而稍带肉质，长4.5cm,宽3cm，全缘，中脉明显，侧脉隐藏不显，叶面浓绿色，背浅绿色. 花腋生或顶生成簇，花冠红色至红橙色，长约6.5cm. 花萼筒状，黑紫色被绒毛，待长至约2cm时，花冠才从萼口长出，筒状，鲜艳红色，如同口红一般故名.
喜明亮光照的半阴环境，每天最多只能接受2～3小时的直射阳光. 在室内栽培最适悬挂在朝南窗口. 生长适温为21～26℃，较耐寒，但喜高温环境. 喜排水良好的土壤.
多年生藤本植物. 植株蔓生，枝条下垂，茎绿色. 叶对生，长卵形，全缘，叶面浓绿色，叶背浅绿色. 花序多腋生或顶生，花萼筒状，黑紫色披绒毛，花冠筒状，红色至红橙色，从花萼中伸出. 花期主要在夏季.
繁殖方法
扦插法繁殖，在20℃至30℃的条件下全年均可进行. 春季扦插繁殖易活. 剪取枝顶部10～15cm长的枝条作插穗，插在洁净的河沙或蛭石中，保持土壤、空气湿润，避免烈日暴晒，保持一般室温，约一个月可发根. 发根后去袋，保持盆土微湿，约1～2星期即可移植. 每盆可植数株. 栽植时保持土壤湿润即可，浇水不能过多，否则容易腐烂或引起落叶. 夏季可直接扦插于盆土中. 生长旺盛时，可适当摘心，促进分枝.
栽培管理
口红花性喜温暖而明亮光照的半阴环境. 光照不足，容易造成枝条徒长且不易开花；光照过强，叶片会变成红褐色. 家庭莳养的口红花，最适宜吊挂在距南窗1米左右的地方.
盆栽用土以微酸性为好，可用泥炭土、砂和蛭石配制成的盆栽培养土，并加入适量过磷酸钙. 也可用腐叶土8份掺粗砂2份；还可用腐熟的牛粪、马粪掺入30％的粗煤炉灰渣栽培.
炎夏，可将其置于室外荫棚下或树荫下通风处，遮光度在50%左右；住楼房的人家，可把盆挂在阳台的棚架下，其上用竹帘遮荫，或把盆吊挂在向南的门窗里侧散射光照充足处. 口红花在平时需肥量较少，每隔两周施些腐熟的液肥，宁稀勿浓. 上盆时可加入适量牲畜蹄角片和碎骨块作基肥，可使其生长良好. 口红花在生长旺盛期，可15～20天施一次腐熟的有机肥液，过夏以后多施磷钾肥，如磷酸二氢钾0.1％的溶液以及腐熟的鱼内脏水、骨头水等20倍的溶液均可，促进秋花的开放. 上盆后要保持盆土湿润，不宜过湿，尤其是盆上通气不良时，根系容易腐烂或引起落叶经常向叶片上喷水雾，保持空气湿度80％左右. 忌风吹枝蔓，以免下垂的茎被花盆盆沿磨断. 秋季天气逐渐凉冷，要逐渐减少浇水量和施肥量. 冬季盆土宜稍干燥，除在孕蕾开花前适当施些含磷稍多的肥液以外，一般情况下应少施肥或不施肥.
温度
口红花生长温度为18-30℃，最适温度在25℃左右，耐寒性较差，越冬温度一般应在12℃以上，冬天需入室越冬. 如果发现口红花叶片变红，主要是由于室温过低或光照过强等原因所引起，这时应及时提高室温，若室温过低还会引起叶片脱落、枝条干枯的现象.
口红花不耐寒，冬天需入室越冬. 口红花对空气湿度要求不严，室内空气不过于干燥即可适应. 其生长适温应在25℃左右，越冬温度应在12℃以上. 如发现口红花叶片变红，若不是光照过强、就是室温过低，这时应及时提高室温，若室温过低会引起叶片脱落、枝条干枯的现象. 若室温适宜，口红花的花期会集中在12月至翌年的2月，这时应少施氮肥，提高室内光照的强度，控制较低的室温，对口红花的开花有促进作用. 冬季花期过后，应及时剪除开过花的残茎，可节省自身体内养分的消耗和促发新枝，使其多孕蕾开花.
栽培基质
盆栽基质以疏松肥沃的的微酸性腐质土较佳，可用泥炭土、砂和蛭石配制成的盆栽培养土，并加入适量过磷酸钙做基肥. 也可用腐叶土8份掺粗砂2份做基质；还可用腐熟的牛粪、马粪掺入30％的粗煤炉灰渣栽培. 口红花在生长过程中需肥量较少，上盆时可加入适量牲畜蹄角片和碎骨块作基肥，可使其生长良好.
浇水和施肥
栽培口红花盆土宜经常保持湿润状态，但切忌盆内积水，尤其是盆上通气不良时，以免引起根系腐烂，冬季盆土宜稍干燥. 夏季时应经常在叶面上喷洒雾水，增加叶面与周围环境的湿度以利其生长.
红花在平时需肥量较少，每隔两周施些腐熟的液肥，宁稀勿浓. 上盆时可加入适量牲畜蹄角片和碎骨块作基肥. 口红花在生长旺盛期，可15～20天施一次腐熟的有机肥液，过夏以后多施磷钾肥，如用磷酸二氢钾0.1％的溶液以及腐熟的鱼内脏水、骨头水等20倍的溶液能促进其秋花的开放. 秋季天气逐渐凉冷时，要逐渐减少浇水量和施肥量. 除在孕蕾开花前适当施些含磷稍多的液肥以外，一般情况下应少施肥或不施肥. 口红花在室温适宜等条件下，花期会集中在12月至翌年的2月，这时应少施氮肥.
修剪和繁殖
冬季花期过后，应及时剪除开过花的残茎并将过长的下垂枝条修剪一次，可节省自身体内养分的消耗和促发新枝，来年开出更多的花朵. 将剪下来的枝条剪成8－10厘米，去掉下部部分叶片，斜插入素沙中，保持阴凉湿润，一个月左右生根，形成一棵新的植株.
病虫害防治
口红花的病虫害较少，但夏季栽培时，由于天气湿热等原因，口红花易患炭疽病. 植株发病时，常在叶片上产生小斑点，并逐渐扩大形成黄褐色的圆斑，病害严重时，大半叶子枯黑死亡，有时还在茎上也产生病斑. 栽培场保持良好的通风，降低空气湿度，减少氮肥用量能预防此病的发生.
病原 Corynespora cassiicola (Berk. et Curt) Wei称棒孢菌，病菌孢子多生叶面，背面也可产生，但较少. 分生孢子梗多数单生，细生，不分枝.
初发病时，也可用50%多菌灵500倍液或65%代森锌500倍液防. 另外，口红花在栽培过程中，如果缺少钙肥. 顶芽会坏死，所以在栽培过程中应补充过磷酸钙等.
另外，在购买口红花时，应挑选枝条生长均匀、枝叶繁茂、花多而密者. 通常口红花是吊于空中而售，买后要将下垂的枝叶卷起向上，裹于报纸或袋子中，否则会导致垂下的枝条和花朵碰伤受损，影响观赏效果.
养护要点
作为热带花卉，它具有喜温暖潮湿的习性，忌强烈的阳光直射，在半阴和通风良好的窗前屋檐下生长繁茂. 口红花全年的生长适温在20℃－30℃之间，耐寒性弱，家庭在养护过程中，若温度低于15℃，应及时移至温暖避风的室内，否则叶片易受冻而枯黄. 口红花较耐旱，忌湿怕涝，炎炎夏日应经常在叶面上喷洒雾水，增加叶面与周围环境的湿度，由于花期较长，夏秋开花，所以肥水供应要充足，栽培时最好在基部埋入腐熟的有机肥，生长期间一个月追施一次花肥.
置于室内摆设或吊挂观赏的口红花，一般开花期在1－2个月后就会结束，花朵随即凋谢，此时可将过长的下垂枝条修剪一次，以促使基部的新枝生长和萌发，来年开出更多的花朵. 同时可配合花后修剪进行繁殖，将剪下来的枝条剪成8－10厘米，去掉下部部分叶片，斜插入素沙中，保持阴凉湿润，一个月左右生根，形成一棵新的植株.
温室栽培插穗长度可缩短至2-3公分，1对叶片即可，保持室温20-25摄氏度，湿度50%以上，10-15天左右即可大量生根成活，十个月左右枝条长度30公分以上，就可现蕾开花了.
Botanical Name: Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Crispa’ (syn.: Aeschynanthus javanicus, Aeschynanthus lobbianus, Trichosporum javanicum/lobbianum/ovatum/radicans)
Plant type: Ornamental perennial plant, native to Features: Aeschynanthus radicans is one of 185 species in the genus Aeschynanthus, a member of the Gesneriad family with about 160 genera and an estimated 3,240 species.
In the wild, this species grows as a trailing epiphyte on branches of trees in the tropical rainforests. In cultivation, it is popularly grown for its ornamental beauty in hanging baskets/pots, displaying long pendulous stems with dark green foliage and crowned with clusters of exotic flowers and buds in brilliant contrast.
The cascading stems will grow to 90 cm in length or more if untrimmed, with opposite or whorled leaves that are small, ovate to lanceolate, up to 5 cm long, colored dark green and are thick, succulent and waxy.
Clusters of 5-7.5 cm long tubular-shaped flowers (corolla), usually colored scarlet to crimson-red or bright red and held in dark maroon or green tubular calyxes are borne upright at terminal stems. Lipstick Plant blooms intermittently through the year.
It is the brilliant red buds growing out of these fairly large calyxes, resembling colored lipsticks emerging from their tubes that led to the common name, Lipstick Plant. Thus, it is this variable species, Aeschynanthus radicans, that the common name aptly describes, though that name has been commonly applied to all Aeschynanthus even though some do not bear any resemblance.
This plant can also be grown on mossy rocks like a lithophyte or trained as a vine-like climber on fences, trellis or wire frame by tying manually for support.
Culture (Care): Aeschynanthus radicans grows with ease outdoors or as a houseplant indoors as it is tolerant of conditions in the home.
Light: Bright indirect sunlight to partial shade. It requires plenty of light (though not direct sunlight as its leaves scorch easily), warmth and humidity to promote flowering. Insufficient light inhibits flowering.
Moisture: Water regularly and allow soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Water sparingly in cooler conditions. It is quite tolerant of drought once established.
Soil: Evenly moist, fertile and well-drained soil. Light sandy soil with a mix of peat/humus is preferred.
Others: Prune regularly after flowering to make plant fuller, encouraging new growth and flowering. It can take hard pruning, so trim leggy stems back to less than 10 cm above the soil for an eventual fuller and prettier display. Color of leaves can get tarnished with prolonged exposure to bright sunlight, so relocate if necessary. Being pot bound encourages it to flower. Repot every 2-3 years when pot is full of roots to rejuvenate growth. Feed fortnightly with a flowering houseplant fertilizer. No serious pests or diseases, though occasionally bothered by mealy bugs, white flies and aphids.
For subtropical regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 10 to higher. Water sparingly in winter and keep ideal temperatures above 60 degrees at night but 10-20 degrees higher during the day. Feed with a flowering houseplant fertilizer every two weeks in summer and monthly during winter. More at Michigan State Univ. Extension page.
Propagation: Easily propagated from stem cuttings with bottom heat. Best to take 12 cm-long tip cuttings from healthy, non-flowering shoots, cutting just below the leaf joint in spring or early summer. Remove the lower leaves, leaving behind 6 top leaves and plant 3-4 cuttings in a shallow 5-inch pot. Place the pot in a bright, warm location and wet the soil regularly to stimulate growth.
Alternatively, it can be propagated by simple layering. This technique basically consists of just bending a stem down and burying a section of its length into the soil and allowing roots to form on the buried part. Keep the stem well watered until rooted and sever from the parent plant for transplant.
Usage: Ideal as houseplants and for a conservatory or greenhouse. Perfect for hanging baskets/pots to best display their lovely cascading stems and attractive flowers or in containers placed on a pedestal or windowsill. A vine-like plant that can be trained as a climber on fences and wire-frames or grown on ground or allowed to creep on mossy rock surfaces.
