Well, I'm no Hoya expert, but last year I became quite an expert on over-watering plants.

Humidity and speed of evaporation are inversely proportional. In other words, if you increase the humidity, the speed at which your soil dries out decreases.

While it may seem counter intuitive, the warm winter (coupled with the pebble tray) is probably what killed your plant. Warm winters mean less central heating and less dry air.

I know this from experience... this winter I've had to get rid of all my pebble trays and stop misting everything but the plants sitting directly above the heating vents.

Sorry to hear about your Hoyas, Karen. It can be tough getting plants through the winter. You know that beautiful variegated Dischidia nummularia (or is it nummulariodes??) I got about 3 weeks ago and posted a pic of? It's starting to disintigrate. It was very wet when I got it, I haven't watered it at all, and it still feels wet. I'm taking cuttings, but I took a few off when I first got it and none of them did well, so I'm not hopeful. I think this is one they say should be grown on bark with sphagnum moss. If I can get some cuttings to root, I'll try that...

I know regular kerrii is one that can take quite a bit of dryness, so I suppose the variegates are the same way. I have one that I also got about a year and a half ago, off of eBay, that's doing ok so far. I had some new growth last year, and I keep watching it close for new growth - nothing so far.

I have new growth on quite a few Hoyas... australis, pubicalyx, obscura continued to grow (though slowly) through the winter. I see a fair amount of new growth on tsangii, cummingiana, picta, serpens, wayetti, brevialata. Hints of new growth on regular kerrii, obovata and a few others. Some are being stubborn, but it IS still pretty early, too.

Denise in Omaha

Denise, was your Dischidia an Exotic Angel plant?

After losing a lot of EA plants (even some I repotted), I think I've finally figured out how to keep them alive. I decided the problem wasn't so much the soil as it was the treatment at the store... where they get no natural light and are ridiculously overwatered (and are often sitting in the runoff). The poor plants are in shock.

I now give them all the same treatment when I first bring them home...

1. Rip off the water tray. This will allow the soil to dry faster.
2. Put it in a sunny window. Again, so the soil will dry faster.
3. Leave the plant alone. Don't water the plant or mist the leaves until the soil dries out COMPLETELY.

I've done this to all my Hoyas. Some (like the Carnosas) took 3 months to dry out. The drier it got, the better it looked. And even the Kentiana survived, and it actually had a few black rotten leaves when I bought it. The Lacunosa lost all it's growing tips (they dried up and fell off), but I figure losing a bit of growth is preferable to losing the whole plant to root rot.

After the treatment, the plants all began growing and their soil dries out much faster... most need water every 2 weeks now.

Yes, I've had a lot of experience with EA plants, too. I usually repot them into my own soil mix, but there are certain ones, like the Dischidias with a bazillion tiny leaves that easily knock off, that just aren't practical to repot. I've taken some more cuttings and put them in a little make-shift terrarium with bottom heat and I'm hoping they'll lay down some roots before they have a chance to rot. I can not understand why the box stores that sell plants don't get horticultural students to work in that department. Most college kids need a little income and working part time with plants would be ideal.
And the store would benefit by having plants that are sellable longer. Just yesterday, I brought home a couple of Haworthias I picked up at Walmart - they were so soggy, I just took them out of their pots and plan to leave them out for another day or so to make sure the roots get good and dry before I repot them up. Another week or two and most of the cacti and succulents they had will be rotting!

Denise in Omaha

Karen I keep all of my kerrii's in clay pots and only water when dry. They are all doing great. How often did you water yours?

Hey Karen!

Sorry to hear about your losses. I've had a couple kick the bucket as well. I had a small serpens that was already on its way out before I moved, and it bit the dust early in the winter. Then I found one of my cummingiana cuttings losing leaves, I've taken a cutting from that so we'll see. The most recent problem plant is my sariae which I think got overwatered. It hasn't done too well for me since I got it, I'm trying a couple cuttings right now but so far no roots. So as it goes every winter, although most of the hoyas are doing ok right now. Oh forgot, one more that has been close to death for going on 2 years now..my bella. I think it's finally a goner although I've tried desperately to save it. The spider mites just got to be too much for it I think.

Chin up though! Your not alone! And maybe by posting what we have lost some of us may be able to find trades to replace them.

:) Kim

Hi All,

Dear Tora,

I'm still digesting yr. comments, does seem counter intuitive. But have heard folks say here that some Kerriis like it a bit drier. Mine however, have seemed fine as they were, all of them, variegated & solid; the all greens are doing great (have 3, the parent plant & two of its descendants from cuttings). But I sort of get what your saying ... hum, will have to ponder this, either take off my pebbles trays or water less ... On reflection, I think the variated Kerriis were more water sensitive than the Green (I used to have the Albomarginata variegate too, which was very difficullt & I lost after a couple of yrs.)

By the way Tora, what part of the country do you live in? Can't tell from yr. Member Page.

Dear Denise,

Sorry to hear abt yr. Dischidia (I don't grow any, but know several Hoya fans who do). Sometimes winter is just difficult on some of these plants .. sigh.

Happily I too have new growth on numerous Hoyas: Curtisii, Lacunosa, Green Kerriis, Obovata, Obscura, both Krimsons Queen & Princess, Imperialis, Retusa (covered w/ new growth tips) & DavidCummingii. I almost hate to say this out loud, but I have a tiny 'microphone' (LOL, don't want to jinx it by using the 'S' or 'P' words) on something sold to me w/ the tag Nicholsoniae Cinnamon, (which I think are 2 diff. plants altogether, but that's what the tag said). Maybe the future 'microphone' will set me straight on ID. My Pubicalyxes are only thinking abt new growth, they're not convinced it's time yet!

ACSAgape, is that you Awanda?

One of my Kerriis is also in clay (the bigger one), was watering the smaller in plastic every week (they're the all green & doing great), the biggest (parent) maybe once every 10 days to 2 wks.

PS: to recent losses, I forgot to report I recently lost my Findlaysonii, a handsome plant which I had for a few yrs., lovely, marked w/ dark veins leaves (w/ a bloom that looked like Kerrii's). Suspect that was root rot, not necessarily overwatering (?), gave it the same regimen for the 3 yrs. or so I had it ... sighing more ... Hurry up Spring!

Thanks for the condolences Kim (I too had trouble w/ Serpens, a very tricky one which I ended up losing); & everybody else. Yeah, here's to future replacing the losses ....

Pirate Girl, I'm in NC.

We had a warmer than normal January, and my central heat hardly came on at all. During this time the house was more humid than normal and my plants didn't need much water.

Karen, I too have found Kerrii, of ANY color to be tricky. My variagate, that Vera sent me, has been struggling along, for three years now, and only just in the last 8 months has it shown signs of REAL growth. It fell down, and was ignored in its tucked in place for awhile. Not watered, not groomed. It survied. I got a bunch of plants at one time, didn't manage to do the Good Plant Mommy thing, and keep track that things 'were missing'. My all green I barely, EVER water, even though it is in a SW pot. I just hate moving plants that have settled into their pots, even though those pots are NOT the best that could be done for them. Life moves on, and likes life forms that will adapt.

Karen, I'm so sorry for your challenges lately. Since I grow outside year round, even in temps that makes people gasp, things are going well. I will have to go out tomorrow, and tip all the pots to dump the excess water, and protect from the much cooler than usual temps.

I can NOT grow small leaved hoyas of any shape, size or configuration, other than bella. And I have a big honkin plant, if anyone is looking to trade or such....

I have YET to keep a dishidia alive. Not my skill, not an area I feel like beatin my head against over and over and over....

Good luck to those that find that niche, place of special care, total absolute in sinc with nature place!

Karen-- I'll have to be sure you get some of your serpens back this spring!
Where'd you find your retusa? I'm not even going to ask for a cutting (lol) as I know they grow slowly and they're difficult BUT, if you ever, ever have the chance to get your hands on one for me, would you please? I'd reimburse you ASAP. I really want one of those little buggers!

I don't think I lost any Hoyas, but I had some die-back on a few this winter. In mine's case, I think it was mostly from too little water/humidity.

Well Hiya Jen,

Hope DD's recovery is continuing along well.

Maybe we should do a spring Swap, I was remembering yr. Serpens offer (thanks, you sweet thing), maybe this is the year for it.

My Retusa is not officially so, but I'd be happy to share some w/ ya. I was given it several yrs. ago by a fellow plant society member (a really interesting grower w/ very eclectic tastes & a passion for different, unusual looking plants), who gave it to me IDed as H. 'Longifolia'. As compared to leaves of Shepardhi (sp?), Kentiana, etc., it's not esp. long-leafed & after having seen OkieDeb's Retusa pix (last yr?) I concluded that's was it was, particularly from its growth habit. It's a very good little grower for me & in fact, it's hasn't been slow once it took hold. While it's a small plant to start, it's got lots of new growth (which lately is coming in burgundyish & then greening up). Given the new growth, I could handle a few snips if you wouldn't mind starting small.

Believe me, if I ever saw an actual Retusa for sale, I'd scoop it up ASAP indeed, one for each of us!

I must say, I still marvel that you were able to grow a whole plant from that small snip I sent ya, never mind actually getting it to bloom; you really ARE an amazing grower!

My solid Krinkle 8, bit the dust definately & completely
<: yet my solid green kerriis keep going like gangbusters. go figure>

Yep Karen, I'm ACsAgapePlants:-)