Hi Amber,

I saw pictures of your plants on another thread of yours. Those are all varieties of good ol' Hoya carnosa. Carnosas take some time to flower. Once they do, you'll never forget it :-). Lots of people say the fragrance is almost like chocolate and it's very strong, especially at night. Have you seen what the flowers look like for your plants?

Brad AKA Moonwolf

If you start counting from the moment I started collecting Hoyas, it took a couple months, because I had javanica, which is quick to flower. After about 6 months heuschkeliana started to bloom nearly constantly. After about 1 year I had seen a fair handful of flowers, mostly from cuttings received with peduncles intact. I would say it's around year 3 that there is alway something blooming.

I have come to believe that carnosa received its bad reputation because it is the most common Hoya. That means lots of people grow it without knowing its needs, then blame performance issues on the plant. If you give carnosa strong light (enough to turn the leaves pea green) it will bloom within 6 months - 1 year. I took a couple carnosas, which had grown for nearly 10 years without blooming, moved them close to eastern windows, and after waiting a year they could not be better blooming. This puts them in the average wait range for most Hoyas. :)

I know I'm always talking about Pepeuve, but I find his documentation of fresh peduncle-free cuttings that bloom after 6 months very inspiring. It goes to show what the plant is capable of, whether or not the rest of us can replicate the growing conditions of Malaga. :P

i have not seen what the flowers look like for my plant, and im very excited to see them, hopefully i wont have to wait longer than a year or so...

GG, I can relate to the cuttings with peduncles. My (now deceased) mindorensis came with a peduncle and it bloomed probably a month or so after I got it. I REALLY miss that plant.

Amber, oh you're in for a real treat! The first Hoya I ever saw in bloom was my home-ec teacher's carnosa and it was absolutely gorgeous! I don't recall the fragrance off hand, but the flowers are the best part about owning a Hoya :-).

Brad AKA Moonwolf

yea ive never owned one, never known anyone who owned one and ive never seen any hoya bloom in person, IM SO EXCITED!!!

Brad, they're selling mindorensis at Gardino nursery! I just ordered one the other day. :)

I wish I could have so many options as you guys do to order hoyas..... we are so limited here, only 4 dealers delivery to Brasil and to receive the plants and good conditions is just a miracle, that happens some times!

Brad, you are so lucky to have seen mindorensis bloom from a cutting. I continue to collect this plant but I'm still waiting waiting waiting to see these adorably fuzzy blooms.

I almost lost my favorite one this spring! But I rerooted it and it's making a strong comeback. phew!

Amber, your enthusiasm makes me appreciate the blooms I have all the more. Sometimes I still can't believe my mother NEVER ONCE pointed out the blooms on her carnosa, as I was growing up. That is clearly a level of self-restraint I did not inherit. I always want to shout it from the rooftops.

Mitzi, "just a miracle that happens sometimes" is a perfect way to describe the survival of cuttings that have a difficult journey like the one to Brazil. Sometimes I am amazed how I can order a plant 3 times, have it arrive completely decimated, then on the 4th time it is "fresh as a daisy." How can it be the same plant?!

Please see my post above. lol I cant get mine to bloom either!