A tropical plant native to Central and South America is not only a favorite among hummingbirds and butterflies, but is also beloved by humans for its luscious red pout, earning the plant the nickname, “hot lips.”
Psychotria elata, a shrub belonging to the Rubiaceae family, boasts a pair of red bracts, or modified leaves with a flower cluster in the center, so closely resembling human lips that the plant could be mistaken for being painted with red lipstick. However, this bright red pout serves a purpose: to attract pollinators, since its small, white, fragrant, star-shaped flowers that emerge from the center of the bracts are not as notable.
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This perky plant with its elegantly drooping branches can grow up to 13 feet (four meters) tall from the rainforest floor. According to the World of Flowering Plants, its flowers bloom for just three months between December and March, and since the plant is typically in flower on Valentine’s Day, it is often gifted between friends, family, and romantic partners in Central America as a token of love.
The plant has other properties too. As part of local folk medicine practices, its bark and leaves can be crushed and used as a treatment for earaches, coughs, and skin irritations according to Zane’s World.
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Psychotria elata grows in specific conditions where the soil is rich, humid, and moist and it should be placed in a sheltered environment so as to not be exposed to strong sunlight.
These plants usually grow in tropical rainforests of some countries in Central and South America, such as Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador.
However, the pouty plant is sadly being wiped out by deforestation and illegal harvesting. While protecting its natural habitat is paramount, psychotria elata can also be reproduced at home from plant cuttings and grown in private gardens, according to Raya Garden, with spring and fall being the most suitable seasons.
The plant has already become a firm favorite among exotic plant collectors who have heated greenhouses, throughout the United States.
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