Aeschynanthus ‘Swing’

A Cultivated Trailing Lipstick Plant

‘Swing’ is a horticultural Aeschynanthus cultivar. The cultivar itself has no wild range.

The genus is native across tropical and subtropical Asia, and many wild species root on bark or exposed rock in humid forest.

Care for the Curled Growth of ‘Swing’

• Light: Place it in strong filtered daylight. If new leaf pairs begin forming farther apart, increase the light in stages; screen prolonged midday sun that heats the glossy foliage through glass.
• Water: Let roughly the upper third of the substrate dry before watering thoroughly. Allow the nursery pot to empty afterwards and check the mix again before the next watering.
• Airflow: Overlapping leaf coils create sheltered pockets along the stems. Normal room air movement helps accidental moisture dry promptly, so avoid routine misting into the curled foliage.
• Temperature: Aim for a warm indoor range around 18–26 °C and avoid prolonged exposure below about 15 °C, particularly when the substrate is moist.
• Feeding and shape: Apply a dilute balanced fertiliser while stems are actively growing. Remove damaged growth when needed and shorten selected branches after flowering if the plant becomes uneven.

Changes to Check on ‘Swing’

• Fresh shoots form with increasingly wide gaps between leaves: The plant is probably receiving too little useful daylight. Move it towards a brighter filtered location in stages and assess the spacing on growth produced afterwards. The bright indirect light guide can help you judge the adjusted position.
• Dark marks appear where moisture lingers inside the coils: Stop wetting the leaves during routine care, clear dead material caught in the curves and improve air movement around the hanging stems.
• Soft yellow leaves appear while the pot stays wet: Wait longer before watering and confirm that excess water can leave the root zone. If stems soften or yellowing spreads, unpot the plant, cut away brown mushy roots and replace the affected mix with a coarse, aerated substrate. Consult the root rot guide for recovery after root damage.
• Cottony pests remain hidden in the loops: Isolate the plant and inspect the inner curves, nodes and young tips. Remove visible mealybugs, repeat the inspection over the following days and use a labelled houseplant treatment if they persist.

Aeschynanthus ‘Swing’ 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.

The meaning and history of Aeschynanthus

Aeschynanthus combines the Greek aischyne, meaning shame or embarrassment, with anthos, flower.

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