Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus) is a colorful long blooming plant that typically blooms for me in the winter. Their relatives are the other Gesneraids. Mine are in full bloom now. They do need lots of bright light to get a good bloom set, but this can be accomplished with a bright window. You don't need a greenhouse. The name lipstick plant comes from the shape of the buds as the flower develops. It should be kept moist all the time, but not wet. Dropping leaves is a sign the plant is too dry. Lipstick plants bloom best when they are pot bound. They root easily and do best in a hanging pot as the stems tend to droop. Pinching the stems as they grow will produce a fuller plant; otherwise the single stems just keep getting longer.
