Linda, there is tons of info on that subject. Try doing a
search and I'm sure you'll come up with a lot.
From what I've read, they will root, but take FOREVER to
put out any new growth, if they even do at all.
Couldn't hurt though - do I hear an experiment
coming on :) ?!?

Yes, a leaf can develop roots. But as Paula said, it would take quite some time to grow into anything beyond that. H. kerrii is frequently sold in stores as a single leaf in a pot around Valentine's Day, and it's pretty much a gimmick. It can't hurt though...if you have extra leaves, why not? But make sure you have the little stem (that attaches to the "big" stem) attached to the leaf.
I've tried this before with cuttings (when a healthy leaf fell off the stem), and it has never developed roots...it died before then.

Gabi

I've rooted many leaves over the years (growing over 30 years) and have never had one develop new growth. It's my understanding that in order to get new growth, you have to have some of the main stem to get new growth - even if it's just a few cells of the main stem, it can work. But I still always root fallen leaves if for no other reason than to kind of "hide" the soil line of a plant. I figure if they root, they serve a purpose, and maybe someday, I'll get one to grow!

Denise in Omaha

Hi to you all and thank you for the info, I was searching last night and nothing suggested that I would get another plant, but I am one that can not though any plant or part of a plant away, soooo I will stick them in the pot and hope for the best :) thank you all again, I really like this web site, I have been learning alot about hoyas and I really like cacti and succulents too...I did as you all suggested and put a bloom booster on my hoyas, hope I get a bloom...linda

I too am trying to root a leaf. I don't have any part of the stem attached to it, I lost the rest of the plant. I guess it can't hurt to try and I do want to replace it with another one. It seems everytime I go to order a hoya I lean away from ordering obovata b/c of two reasons. 1 I don't want to buy another one and have it die (not even sure what happened to the one I had) and 2nd is I find others with leaves that I can't do without(that's sad huh) You know your addicted when you talk like this.....

Thanks for everyones help this has helped me too.

shanna

What a shame Shanna, Obovata is one of my oldest & most favorite Hoyas & for me it's been quite trouble free. I also have rooted cuttings of it in water & they've done fine. Sounds like you just got a bad one, maybe try a different source? Or swap w/ friends for a cutting or 2 & try to water-root it?

As to the leaf rooting/growing,I've had some root for 3 yrs. & do nothing more. I tend to throw out leaves that drop, I figure they do so for a reason.

To Shanna & the original poster, losing leaves & sometimes even a plant or 2 once in a while is part of the experience of growing plants & learning how to do it better & better. It's usually part of most folks' learning curve.

A past President of my Indoor Gardening Society says: if one hasn't killed a plant lately, one's not growing challenging enough plants. I wouldn't go that far, but try to take the ocassional loss in my stride (& I lost a few Hoyas this past winter, including a couple of favorites, like my beloved Crassipes).

I personally can't understand not being able to throw out any part of a plant (if it's not healthy & happy I'd rather it be gone). I don't happen to believe that plants feel pain per se, so I do the very best I can, but then again (formally collecting for over 10 yrs, usually w/ close to 200 plants), they are only plants after all. I'll try to grow something at least 3 times before giving up, sometimes even more.

Karen,

I assume Linda meant a knocked off leaf or prunings... I sometimes will be moving a plant or reaching past one and knock off a perfectly healthy leaf. After I cuss a bit, I usually stick it in the pot to let it root because I can't see throwing out a perfectly healthy leaf. And I often try to root "trimmings" that I know are likely too young to root, just because I figure why throw them out if there's a chance they'll root. I usually end up throwing them out eventually, but once in awhile, I get lucky.

On the other hand, if a plant is obviously dieing, I don't hesitate to toss it. I figure space is at a premium in my collection and I can fill that spot with a new plant!

Denise in Omaha

Karen,
I really like obovata too, especially with heavy silver flecking. I just haven't been brave enough to try it again but I will eventually. I will definately try a different source when I order another obovata. I tried to water root that leaf I have and it didn't root so I decide to try soil instead.

My husband's grandmother is the only person that has hoyas (that I know) besides everyone here on GW.

I agree loosing plants is a part of the learning curve but I don't take it lightly. I look at it as a waste of money b/c I spent X amount of dollars on a plant and now I will have to go out and buy another one for X amount of money. It sucks!!!

shanna

Hey all, I am new to growing hoyas, and I got a couple in the mail and a few leaves were broken off, so I thought I would ask here for advice..I have started lots of plants by using just a leaf, violets, begonias, phipodendrons, peperomias just to name a few...and have learned how to do from friends, books or the net, I like to experiment, and since I found this web site I have enjoyed reading all the post and learning from people who have, "as they say been there done that" and if I sound like a plant nut, well I am, and no I don't like to throw away any part of a plant, I like to grow them and if I have to many, if friends don't want them I give them to the local thrift store for the elderly... I just wanted to know if anyone had tryed to grow a hoya plant from a leaf and how they did it..thats all....bye........linda

I have a Hoya Fungi. My mother gave it to me in the Fall of 2009. I accidentally over watered it and it wilted. Before the plant was completely dead, I took 2 leaves (healthy ones) and put each of them in a jar of water. After about 6 to 7 months or so (lost track of time) they started to root. I waited for the root to grow about 1 inch. I potted the rooted leaves in a sandy potting soil mix with a miricle grow food stick. I would water one of the leaves every week and the other every other week. They both had ample light throughout the day, but not direct sun light. The leaf I watered every week just died. The other looks healthy. However, there is no growth or sign of anything coming from the root. Its been approximately 10 months since I potted them. I just recently moved the surviving leaf under a florecent light. My vine blossomed under the light very well and fast, so I assume the same may happen here. I will keep you posted. If you have any ideas or questions, please let me know. Thank you. ~Pete~

Well, this is good to know since I have been rooting one for weeks.

Thank you and hello Linda!! I hope you are well:-)

Pete,

If your fungii leaf hasn't produced new growth by now, I doubt it will. But I'd keep it anyway (what the heck, right?)

I finally had a rooted leaf grow for me for the very first time last summer. I got a cutting in a trade and when it got to me, it had only one leaf (a very beautiful leaf) on it. As I pulled it from the box, to my horror, the one beautiful leaf popped off the stem. AHHHHH! Well, a leafless stem rarely roots at all, and a stemless leaf will often root but is unlikely to grow, but I decided to give them both a chance. The stem quickly died, but the leaf rooted quickly. And sat there. I checked it constantly for the first several weeks. But about 3 months later, I found a sprig of new growth popping from the soil! I was so excited! Apparently, a bit of the stem came off with it. Only took me 30-some years to get growth from a leaf!

Denise in Omaha

Denise,

Did you pot the leaf upright or at a bit of an angle? I potted mine upright and burried the leaf about 1/4 of the way.
I pulled my other dead leaf out of the pot yesterday and found that it had a bunch of huge roots. I assume the good leaf has roots like this also, but no growth.
I think because it is winter, I will not see any growth. I hope to see something by this coming summer. I will let you all know.

~Pete~

Denise: How are you by the way?

30 YEARS!

By that time, I will be around 70 if I make it that long.

I guess I could pass it on to someone I can find in that amount of time that would even care enough to care for it.lol

Mike

Mike,

LOL!! Silly - not 30 years for that cutting! (You make me laugh!) 30 years of TRYING! Yeah, I know - you're just joshin' me...

I figure it's always worth giving it a shot, even though it RARELY works. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all of you who try, because it feels like a million bucks when it happens!

Denise in Omaha

Karen, I loved that quote from your indoor gardening society former president.

If one hasn't killed a plant lately, one's not growing challenging enough plants.

I was just thinking the other day how frustrating it is that I am always killing plants, but some of the "green thumbs" in my circle devote themselves solely to plants that are nearly impossible to kill.

Note: When I first wrote the above sentence, it came out as "I am always killing people." Interesting Freudian slip... @_@

I got a carnosa tricolor leaf to root. I planted it in orchid bark and watered it twice a week for about 2 years and it finally sprouted new growth. I think I got lucky.

If you ask me always growing easy plants is boring. There are so many amazing plants out there that I just can't understand not pushing oneself to try something new and exciting.

Mike

I too like a bit of a challenge. There's nothing like that feeling when a plant that has been struggling turns the corner after your patient tweaking of conditions. I just feel this rush of love. It's like finally the two of you have reached an understanding. Now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense that I fall into this pattern with plants, because it's just the way I am about people. I never choose the easy ones to be friends with. That, also, is too boring.

Woah. Wow. Ok, I am going to have to try this. I have a rooted leaf of H. diversifolia I knocked off when potting a cutting last year, I just stuck it in the pot for filler. It rooted and has been doing just fine. Alright, off to go find some clean scissors and give this a shot. I will be sure to report back if I have success.

Hey Kim!

Did you ever seen any growth from your leaf cutting?

Can you root just the stem with no leaves? Piece of the stem got broken off from my hoya carnosa, it has a ton of the bumps on it, I did put it into a bag with a bit of water. Do you think it will work?

Certainly you can try, but it's unlikely to work, no leaves w/ which to make food or provide energy to the stem.

But I'd would bag it OR put it in water, not do both which will just rot the stem.