Aeschynanthus 'Mona Lisa'
Aeschynanthus hybrid
Our most requested Aeschynanthus. Postbox-red flowers against dark green, succulent-like foliage – decorative even without bloom.
Product facts
- Season
- Mid December – mid April
- Use
- Hanging pot, table plant, indoor
- Pot size
- 12 cm and 14 cm hanging pot
- Growth habit
- Slightly trailing
- Colours
- Red
- Position
- Bright, no direct midday sun
- Minimum temperature
- 5 °C
About the plant
Aeschynanthus hybrid is a robust flowering plant, decorative through its foliage alone. The dark green leaves are thick and succulent-like, and the postbox-red flower emerges from dark calyces.
Care
Aeschynanthus is easy to care for. Placed in bright light – especially important in winter – it needs only a little water every 7-10 days. It does not tolerate below 5 °C, and a position directly above a warm radiator can shorten flower life. After flowering it can stand cool with sparse watering and will flower again the following autumn/winter.
History and origin
The genus was first described in 1822 by David Don as Trichosporum. The following year the Englishman W. Jack described it independently as Aeschynanthus, and for more than 50 years the genus carried two names. Aeschynanthus is native to tropical Southeast Asia from northern Thailand down around Sumatra, Java and Borneo, and comprises around 170 species.
