Focus on Houseplants: Aeschynanthus 'Twister'

I love this plant! Aeschynanthus hybrida 'Twister', commonly known as Lipstick plant, is one of easiest houseplants I've ever grown. I found it a couple of years ago in a big box store and fell in love with its curly foliage. Though it wasn't blooming at the time, I knew these plants had some interesting blooms.

There are several different types of Aeschynanthus known as Lipstick plants and many have brilliant red blooms, which is where they get their common name. From what I've read, 'Twister', hybridized by the same Dutch grower that brought us 'Rasta', is supposed to have those brilliant red flowers emerging from its burgundy tubes that form in clusters at its growth tips. Mine simply has the burgundy tubes. As a zone 11 tropical, it needs heat day and night to flower, so perhaps there isn't enough heat for it flower all the way.

The foliage is unique enough though, in that it is curled both across its breadth as well as along its length, giving it a corkscrew appearance. Even if it never bloomed, I'd love this plant.

When I say it's easy to grow, I mean that it survives sporadic watering by me and doesn't need high light in order to grow well or flower. (Mine is five feet away from an east window.)  I don't mean to neglect it, but it happens and this plant just keeps on going as if I pampered it.