Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Bolero Bicolour’

A Variegated Form of Aeschynanthus radicans

Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Bolero Bicolour’ is a cultivated variegated selection. The species is native from southern Myanmar through Thailand to western and central Malesia.

Wild Aeschynanthus radicans grows on tree trunks, branches and rocks in humid forest. Its roots occupy airy organic material above the ground, and its stems extend into filtered light.

Care for Cream-Edged Foliage

• Light: Bright filtered light supports compact growth and strong colour contrast. Direct hot sun can scorch the pale margins.
• Water: Water after the surface begins to dry, then empty excess water from the outer pot.
• Humidity and airflow: Moderate humidity reduces dry edges. Air movement helps water evaporate from the paired leaves.
• Temperature: Keep above 15 °C and protect pale growth from cold glass.
• Substrate: Use an open bark-based mix that drains freely and retains limited moisture.
• Feeding: Apply diluted balanced fertiliser during active growth; strong doses can burn pale margins.
• Pruning: Remove shoots that remain entirely green at their point of origin and shorten bare trails to a variegated leafy node.
• Propagation: Root cuttings only from clearly variegated stems if the new plant is intended to retain the cultivar pattern.

Changes in the Pale Leaf Margins

• Dry brown edges: Direct sun, fertiliser salts, repeated drying or rubbing can damage the cream tissue.
• Predominantly green new leaves: Confirm whether the whole shoot is reverting. Remove shoots that remain entirely green; light does not change the plant’s underlying variegation.
• Soft yellow leaves: Inspect the roots for excess moisture and poor drainage.
• Long spaces between pairs: Light is too weak for compact growth.
• Pests: Mealybugs, aphids and mites can hide at nodes and beneath the variegated leaves. Isolate the plant, rinse or wipe away visible insects, then treat the affected stems and leaf undersides with a product labelled for ornamental plants. Repeat as directed on the label and keep checking new growth.

Pet safety

• Generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.
• Plant material is not intended for consumption, and swallowing it may still cause digestive upset.

Species name and original publication

Botanical and cultivar name: Aeschynanthus radicans Jack ‘Bolero Bicolour’

Aeschynanthus combines the Greek aischyne, meaning shame or embarrassment, with anthos, flower. The epithet radicans means rooting or producing roots and refers to stems that can root at their nodes.

William Jack published Aeschynanthus radicans in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, volume 14, page 43, in 1823. Its natural range extends from southern Myanmar through Thailand into western and central Malesia.