Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Bolero Bicolour’

A Variegated Selection of Aeschynanthus radicans

‘Bolero Bicolour’ is a cultivated variegated selection of Aeschynanthus radicans. The wild species ranges from southern Myanmar through Thailand into western and central Malesia.

In wet tropical forest, A. radicans occurs on trees and rocks as an epiphyte or lithophyte. The cream-edged foliage belongs to the horticultural selection.

Care for the Cream-Edged Foliage

• Protect the pale margins from heat: Use bright indirect light and acclimate the plant before increasing sun exposure. Cream margins are easily marked by prolonged strong midday sun through glass.
• Judge watering from the pot: Let the upper part of the mix dry, then wet the root ball evenly and allow it to drain. Continuous dampness can damage the roots even when pale margins look dry.
• Keep feeding gentle: Apply a dilute complete fertiliser during active growth. Heavy feeding can leave salts in the mix, which is worth checking if pale margins begin to crisp.
• Maintain an open substrate: Replace compacted material before drainage slows markedly. Keep the plant warm and away from cold draughts or chilled window glass.

Protecting the Variegated Pattern

• A whole shoot produces only green leaves: Follow that shoot back towards the last clearly variegated node. If several consecutive leaves remain fully green, the shoot may be reverting. Cut it back with clean pruners if you want to maintain the bicoloured form.
• Cream margins develop tan or brown damage: Use the location and texture of the marks to narrow the cause. Window-facing scorch points to excessive sun or heat; widespread crisp edges after a dry spell point to moisture stress; visible crusts on the substrate support salt accumulation. The brown leaf tips guide covers these distinctions in more detail.
• New leaf pairs are much farther apart: Look at several consecutive pairs on the newest shoot. If each new gap is wider than the last, the position may be too dim. Shift the pot in stages to a brighter spot with softened sun.
• White cottony insects hide under leaves or at nodes: Move the pot away from neighbouring plants, then check leaf undersides, nodes and tender tips one by one. Remove visible mealybugs and repeat the check over the next several days; see the mealybug guide if insects persist.

Aeschynanthus radicans ‘Bolero Bicolour’ is non-toxic to people and pets

• This plant is non-toxic to people, cats and dogs.
• Chewing a large amount can still cause an upset stomach.
• If a large amount is eaten and symptoms continue, contact a veterinarian or medical professional.

When was Aeschynanthus radicans first published, and what does it mean?

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 established the genus Aeschynanthus in 1823 in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, volume 14, page 42.

William Jack first described Aeschynanthus radicans in 1823 in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, volume 14, page 43.