The Aeschynanthus are coming!

Aeschynanthus 'Big Apple' from Gesneriad Reference

The Aeschynanthus are coming!

 

            Nobody knows what an Aeschynanthus is, but everybody knows about the ‘Lipstick Plant’.

 

                        Aeschynanthus are great foliage houseplants.  Many have shiny leaves, are trailing and rugged.  If you get an occasional flower, all the better.

 

            Most Aeschynanthus species are obscure with only hobbyists promoting their merits.  If we could make them flower on command, commercial growers would jump on them.

 

            It might happen.  My theory that ‘Big Apple’ is a day length sensitive plant could revolutionize this crop.  I’m expecting all of my ‘Big Apple’ stock plants to set bud by mid-April and flower all summer with long days.  I’ll be very disappointed if I’m wrong about this.

 

            If we can move the day length trait into other Aeschynanthus hybrids with selective hybridizing, then we’ve got something.

 

            Something amazing!

 

            Until then, watch for the many existing hybrids.  The plants are durable, and the flowers will surprise you.