So You Fancy Growing Twisted Lipstick ‘Rasta?’
The pretty little exotic plant that sprouts the daintiest flowers grows rather easily in a basket even under dry conditions and little light indoors or out. They cannot tolerate the harsh noon sun and shade would be necessary. Controlled watering would suffice since they endure dry environments. When the plants become too big for the basket, you need something larger of course. Repotting may be done after the flowering season comes to an end. Insects don’t bother them but excessive water may spoil the roots. The evergreen plant suits pots indoors. If you wish to collect the seeds, let the pods dry on the plant. Break the pods to collect the seeds that must be cleaned and dried. The scarlet flowered plant grows in Texas, California and Florida and elsewhere too. A large number of varieties do exist with differing characteristics of leaves and flowers, all with that inimitable flowery shape that resembles lipstick which is the origin of the name.
Do they look like dreadlocks?
Some found their appearance to resemble dreadlocks and the tropical Dutch plant does look intensively so. The plant need not hang if that is inconvenient. Bowls or vases would do just as well for decorative purposes on floor level too or the window perhaps. The flowering periods may continue for 5 or 6 weeks and provide quite an eyeful of the miniature flowers that set passions on edge, one of the cosmic wonders of the botanical world. You sure need that colorful effect somewhere around the residence whether in the living or dining room, maybe the bedroom or kitchen too.
Don’t forget to add fertilizer
A little pushing will do a lot of good. Add a general purpose houseplant fertilizer during the spring and summer months and the result would be plenty of those beloved flowers. Besides the gems of flowers that resemble tubes of lipstick with the little flowers peeking out, the leaves are glorious enough too.
Just like roses and orchids, several variations do exist and some are:
- Rasta Lipstick Plant with its deep red flowers and shining dark green leaves.
- Mini Variegated Lipstick Plant produces little red flowers and gold-yellow-green leaves.
- Purple Star Lipstick Plant brings violet red flowers and grand green leaves.
- Mona Lisa Lipstick Plant gives orange red flowers with dark green foliage.
- Krakau Lipstick Plant offers the richest red flowers and shining dark green foliage.
