I've got a bone to pick with my own hoyas.

Cinnamomifolia, your leaves are colored a reddish brown from bright to direct sunlight and always blasts your blooms. You're beyond hope, Cinnamon!

And another thing. You, H. Schneii, yeah you! You scrawny twig is just putting out buds for the first time since I've had you - 3 or so years. What a pathetic looking hoya you are! Show me your blooms! Bring it!

And as for H. Diptera, I see a bud or two of yours turning yellow. You little twig wimp. You showed off when I first received you now you're trying to make a comeback. Bring it!

My H. Kerri Variegated - what's left of you. I'm not even going to go there.

And this goes for my H. Shepherdii, Serpens, Polyneura, Cummingiana, Verticilliata(sp?): you are all incompetent in the flowering department. You shame me.

LMAO!!!!

Why can't my other hoyas behave like my loving, faithful H. Lacunosa 'Tove', who always puts forth fragrant blooms and new growth?

"It's like the airing of grievances during Festivus :D"

Quinn - I couldn't stop laughing!!! hahaha

I've got too many cuttings pissing me off to even start naming names. Suffice it to say, If I got it in the last month, it's arguing. :P You little hoyas know who you are . . .

Carolyn

Quinn... I'm so glad to hear that some of your hoyas are turning around...hope it continues and is contagious!!

Tammiepie...some of your hoyas are "cool" weather types and won't bloom in heat...especially H. shepherdii, it normally needs temperatures under 62 to bloom. Serpens prefers cool conditions. Buotii, for me, only blooms during the winter. Polyneura likes bright light and cool temperatures...it sulks when it's too hot...much like my H. linearis.

Carolyn...good luck with all of your cuttings!! Give them all a good drink with VF-11 or SuperThrive, that should jumpstart them!!

patrick51, yes you're right some of my hoyas require cool weather in order to bloom, my Serpens being the most shy! My Shepherdii bloomed like crazy at one time. Unfortunately I live in Southern California and we don't actually cool down until November/December, sometimes until January.

My favorite blooms is Serpens and Diptera, I just love the light-green shades of the blooms :o)

TPie

Thanks for the laugh you two. TPie you're not a drill sergeant in your spare time are you? "You shame me" LOL LOL

:)

I have a Hoya sp Sarawak IML 1212 with leaves more red and yellow than green. This happened while rooting and it's been almost a year without new growth. I may have to post a photo because it's pretty. Is anyone else brave enough to add their ugly duckling Hoya photos?

I also put my sickly retusa back in a 3.5" pot and no wonder it was not doing well in the enamelware, almost no roots. I hope this one comes back and I am feeling bad about not checking the roots earlier.

Mike

LOL Mike...

I have a Retusa, improving since I finally got rid of those pesky aphids and I mean they were all over that hoya. Now she's growing good. Let me know if you need another Retusa cutting or two...

I live in S. Calif. and find that shepherdii blooms wonderfully this time of year. In fact l have it right outside my open bedroom window right now so i can enjoy that delightful scent all night. We have even had a week of very hot temps, and it has been blooming profusly for over a month now.

You're a riot, Tammy! I had a lot of fun and laughs reading your frustrated musings!

Since I got the book "The Secret Life of Plants", I've taken a little different approach to my problem children - I seem to have fewer that insist on being difficult. Not to say I don' have some... But it seems like talking sweetly to them and even "petting" them will lull them into growing. Sounds crazy, but it seems to be working for me! LOL!

But there are a few that I find it hard to be nice to, so I put them where they aren't "in my face" so I don't emit negative vibrations. My pitiful little single leafed cutting of hellwigiana is out on my porch being ignored. The tiny rooted cutting has looked the same since it rooted. I got it as a cutting from David Liddle in June 09, lost most of it and this little piece just sits there. Well, yesterday I took a quick look at it and see a pair of leaves barely poking out of the single leaf joint. I refuse to get my hopes up because it's disappointed me for so long!

And I just brought in my latifolia from the porch when I found aphids on the morning glorys - the Hoyas are always next in line to get them once I see them on other things. It's few weeks outside was enough to kick it into growing after being dormant for over a year. There are a couple others that are stubborn, but I find the biggest obstacle this time of year is keeping them watered enough. The heat dries them out SO fast, especially the little pots with young cuttings. When it's like this, they're better off staying a little overly moist than drying out.

Denise in Omaha

ROFL...Tammy you had me in stitches!! I enjoyed your post very much...and boy are there a few of mine I'd like to "shake up" and shame into doing something too! Thanks for the laughs you guys lol...

Quinn, I LOVE Seinfeld!!

LOL I'm always a little paranoid about yelling at a plant, because I'm afraid they might not know which one I'm yelling at, and the neighboring plants will take it hard. That makes sense, I'm sure it does...

^_~

But if I were to yell at plants I would say:

polyneura, I always found you weird looking, but at least you were trouble free. Now you are getting yellow leaves and I have no idea why. If you consider this a healthy form of communication, we need to go to couples counseling.

mounted Dischidias, why are you so much trouble? Some of you want to be wet all the time and some of you want to dry out. Why were you so happy in coir and yet now such a pain in the butt on moss and cork? Sometimes, I don't know why I bother when you never act like you appreciate me.

elliptica cutting, I cannot BELIEVE this behavior! Your last leaf is rotting and you are probably doing nothing under the surface of the hydroton, but I am too scared to look. Why can't you be more like hellwigiana and sp. Estrella Falls, elliptica? Do you see how they are both budding up? And here you are, all dead, like you always are, elliptica. Makes me want to cry. Is that what you want, elliptica? Why do I always fall for plants that treat me so bad?

publicalyxes, I have FIVE of you. And yet NONE of you have bloomed yet. This is a disgrace. You make me look like a terrible grower. If people in the forum knew about this, they'd probably quit reading my posts. That's the kind of shame you bring on your family. Everyone else's publicalyxes are studying medicine or going to law school and yet what are you doing with your life? Not even a single grandpod. Sometimes I just don't know where I went wrong with you.

GG, reading your post today is just want I need.Thanks.

Cindy

Ha ha ha! I haven't actually yelled at any of my plants. Just vented about them here. So in my case, it is sharing with everyone else my disappointment in them, the public humiliation, that I'm theorizing is doing the trick. As if somehow, they know now that everyone else knows how they're underperforming. I don't know, like they read the forum behind my back? :) Tammy, you cracked me up. They better perform now, right?

This has actually been kinda fun in another way. It's interesting to see what your underperformers are, and compare. I too have a bunch of pubicalyxes, and I have never seen a bloom either. But there are only two solid candidates that are even ready to bloom. The rest are small.

Hey, I have another underperformer. Lacunosa, you are easily 3-4 times as big as speckled lacunosa, but never even a peduncle from you. Whereas speckled lacunosa blooms all the time. Why so stingy? Why no blooms? Everyone says lacunosa is easy to bloom and does so all the time, but you are not with the program, buddy. Maybe you missed that memo?

Whoa GG, Estrella Falls is budding up already??

whisper: knock on wood.

I did find it fun to rant. ^_^ Now that you got me started, I could probably keep this thread going for a long time.

Oh no you didn't! I love my sp Estrella waterfall but now I feel like we should have a little discussion. Ok I take that back because my plant is growing very well and it does have a peduncle so here's hoping I get to see blooms soon to. Congratulations on those buds GG, you must be extra happy you ordered Estrella.

Ok here is my ugly duckling and I encourage others to share their less than perfect Hoyas. Oh an when I mentioned this one the first time I seemed to have stopped mid sentence, it's pretty alright, pretty nasty looking. I swear I have not been testing herbal potions or elixirs on this poor plant.

Mike

i have aleaf on australis tenuipes that grew with half the leaf folded over so the purple was on the underside it just grew like that i thought it had bugs but it doesnt lol. and my polyneura has some really curled leaves again no bugs just how they grew when outside. just to add some more my potsii/nicholsonia has just dropped its new growth which was not much so this plant hasnt grown at all since i have had it

I would like to adress my primadonna javanica: Is there really a need for those endless rehersals, aka hundreds of blasting buds??? Really? I would admire you even more if your buds bursted each and every time!!!

GG, those green buds are SO COOL! I don't remember seeing green buds on a hoya before? Congrats and keeping fingers crossed it will open soon.

Mike, those leaves have a very interesting looking pattern in a cool sort of way. Almost like a pattern on a ceramic tile :o)

The leaves do look kinda cool but I wish I knew what caused the cells to collapse like that. This is the only cutting from last years Liddle order that has done nothing, most of my others are nice sized plants already.

Mike

Oh my goodness, Mike! That is painful to behold. The poor thing looks like a burn victim. We should definitely all urge her to form a swarm of new leaves.

Here's my own little bedraggled friend, to keep her company.

Hoya pentaphlebia

I received this cutting from the lovely ladyg, (THANK YOU! (Note: That vine isn't normally pinned downward - just for the photograph)

Thanks for the well wishes on sp. Estrella. I agree the buds are very pretty. I love the blue-green accents. I just hope I don't do anything to upset them now that I've publicly acknowledged their existence. Good luck arguing with yours, Mike.

Well, sp. Estrella's blooms just opened tonight, so I have a few pics. ^_^

I'm hoping to get some better pictures tomorrow when there's some natural light to help out

The smell is... not ginger to my nose. It's fabulous, though. Rather like something you'd smell in Aveda's men's section. Sort of natural and earthy and spicy and masculine. It's pretty potent, too, at least right now. I didn't have to stick my nose in there, I was greeted with it as soon as I entered the room, even though the lid on the aquarium is closed.

I love the color of the flowers.I have a thing for the spicy fragrances over the sweet ones. But I would be happy with any of my hoyas if they were to bloom for me. One of my lacunosa is blooming right now and I love coming into the kitchen in the evening.

Cindy

Congratulations G.G.!! You've been a good inspiration for my Liddle cuttings...sp. Estrella Waterfalls is in bud...soon to bloom...and all 3 cuttings of sp. Kalimantan have peduncles (one from dmichael). Now I'm really looking forward to smelling Estrella Waterfalls..thanks for the information!! Fondly, Patrick

Incredible colour! This is such a great all around Hoya species. Congrats on the blooms GG!

Mike

Ooh, congrats! That's really pretty. So, it's a scent that might get you in trouble with a boyfriend, eh? 'No, I swear, there's no one else, it's that flower that smells like that!' Ha ha.

But seriously, more and more I am being convinced to give this one a try someday. The flowers make me think of apple blossoms sitting atop an apple, as if both stages of growth were going on at the same time, somehow.

GG, beautiful blooms. I agree with Quinn. They really do look like little blossoms sitting on top of apples. Cute!

Aw thanks everyone. ^_^ Love the apple + apple blossom description. So, I woke up this morning and it was ALL OVER. Well, no better pictures then, I guess! wtf!

I don't know if that's typical or not. But show's over folks, and it was such a nice show, too. v_v

errr... That is to say that I don't know if such a short blooming period is typical for sp. Estrella Falls, not typical for HOYAS-as-a-whole. ^_~

Hey, cagayanensis is starting new growth points all over the place. Glad I left the bare vines on. Mindorensis grew me a new leaf! So now it has two leaves.

Alright, benguetensis, it's your turn to do something. You're starting to look like a major slacker. Cinnamomifolia, I'm still watching you. Yellow heuschkeliana, are you a real plant or what? I can forgive the non bloomers, but the ones that do absolutely nothing start to irk me.

OK, GG, I want a cutting of that splendid hoya. What beautiful blooms! Please email me...

Tpie

Well I'm kissing my H. Schneei's you-know-what these days; she's finally going to bloom, from the looks of her blooms.

When she blooms, I'll post the pics as soon as I can.

TammyPie

Public shaming? There is are definitely some critique of the practices, especially those concerning the safety of those placed on public display after committing crimes that involve other people. Also, understanding that people of color are often disproportionately targeted and policed by law enforcement, this practice could easily become a literal display of racism but that doesnâÂÂt mean there arenâÂÂt perks to this model of criminal justice. Hearing about this reminds me of the potential for radical alternative justice practices, like peace circles. These are transformative practices are ways to deal with community conflicts and other harmful acts in a way that avoids the institutions that do more harm than good. Mostly people don't get punish because of power and money.

Well since Rina has resurrected this thread ....

Quinn, I do hope you mindorensis grows more vigorously than mine. Got one whole new leaf this cycle.

Very interesting blooms there, GG.

Something that I found out about stubbern hoyas that done want to grow is to change there soil to an more airey mix.I've been using half growstones,the smaller size and half coco curtons.I also add a few handfulls of repti bark,and a bit of charcholl.it makes for a good consistancy.Latifolia ,and and a few others are putting out new growth just after 3 weeks in the new mix!I find Mindorensis,does well under led lights.Polyneura,has its boughts with the leaves yellowing,but seems like a good candate for S.H...It has started new growth in under one month..outside in Augest!!And Rina...We exchange info about hoya plants on this forum.If you have nothing to offer about hoyas...please take your rant elsewear!Oh something else...If you have an unhappy hoya in a pot that is too big(I like the fancy ceramic ones you find at walmart and big lots..usually the 6 inch dia. ones)I bought some if the 5 inch plastic mesh pots through Amazon.just replant the hoya into the mesh pot with a chunky mix and place it in the ceramic pot! it makes a great fit and the mesh provides the oxygen to the roots,while the ceramic keeps it from drying out too fast...works great!

(sigh) It's all so true. Look at how much screen time we devote to photographs of white Hoyas, while the black Hoyas are in a shocking minority. Some might say people only keep plants like publicalyx Black Dragon and ciliata as 'token' minority plants.

Or maybe it's a non-issue because they're all Asian? o_O

@ VM

Thanks for the ideas. It's always good to have some tricks up your sleeve when you don't know how to change things up for a truly stubborn plant.

I've been thinking about repotting polyneura to S/H. Mine has just been on a decline for so long... and it used to be so easy!!

HaHa....My black dragon has really been doing nice this summer.Maybe he is trying to compete with his competition from Borneo..lol I just took a lot of cuttings from my mother fish tail and placed them in a handmade sh vase I made from a 1 lt blank flask from work.I sand blasted it to keep the roots from direct sunlight.The bellows I hope will provide air pockets for extra oxygen to the roots It's filled with growstones and clay pellets.Its been over a week now and no yellow leaves!!i spray it from the top when needed with water mixed with dyna gro k.l.n. solution.Its a root promoter that really works!!here is the vase.I'll post another pic when I see new growth from the cuttings.Im keeping it near black dragon for good luck!lol

Can I just say I'm soooo-o jealous of your glass skills? I practically have a list of projects ready to embark on, if this were the matrix and I could download your skill set into my brain.

So, is there a water reservoir in there somewhere or are you just keeping the stones wet through regular misting?

Hi! there are two holes placed opposite each other about an onch from the bottom of the vase...Here is the pic with the cuttings in it.I have it in an East window.17 days and still looking good...no yellow leaves!!

{{!gwi}}

Did not post last time...hopefully it will work this time!