Aeschynanthus buxifolius

Aeschynanthus buxifolius is a rare, evergreen, dwarf shrub native to Southern China and Vietnam. The growth is very evocative of boxwood, however, this plant is so much more! The leaping, scarlet-orange flowers are the real star here. As the branches mature and get tall, they tend to arch over. Display this plant in a hanging basket to brilliantly exhibit the gorgeous blooms. Adapt as a houseplant in partial sun to bright, indirect light, or use as an outdoor container plant. Overwintering your Box-Leaf Lipstick Vine indoors in essential in cooler areas. Prefers a well-drained soil, ideally a compost with bark, perlite, vermiculite, and charcoal. Avoid over-fertilizing to keep the plant more compact and increase its blooming power.

Pendulous evergreen perennial related to African Violets. The small, firm leaves are lanceolate in shape and a deep glossy green hanging in pairs on the pendant branches. The deep orange-red flowers are curved in shape and produced in abundance in the early autumn. Best in a hanging basket or on an old stump (in milder regions). Can also be used as a houseplant. Grown from seed collected in the wild. This has been the hardiest in the genus for me so far.

A collection from northern Vietnam of this rare gesneriad by intrepid plant hunter Steve Hootman. This has vertical branches on a small shrub clad in dark green ranked leaves evocative of boxwood but that similarity is quickly dispelled when the tubular flame red flowers appear. The flowers are followed by interesting narrow and thin almost bean pod-like seed capsules dangling from wiry pedicels. Best grown frost-free, this likes an acid, free-draining soil as it is often epiphytic on trees or rocks. Excellent container plant which can be moved inside for the winter or simply kept as a houseplant as this is the same genus as the familiar Lipstick Vine. Steve, in addition to his mandated world-class expertise in Ericaceae, has in recent years developed an unprofitable but deeply personally rewarding interest - some might say obsession - in the Gesneriaceae and we are happy beneficiaries of his collecting prowess and now the trickle down effect has trickled further to you.