The pot that houses the 4 cuttings from my neighbors 130 year old Compacta

Blooms on an 11 month old cutting? Good growing!

Lisa

Lisa, actually, the first bloom is on a section of the cutting that is even farther along the young runner. That penduncle formed during a very cold week around Christmas time. The bloom that hasn't opened yet, is farther along the very same vine and is just getting its leaves formed.

Poseidon

It's so exciting when you get your first flowers to bloom.
Congratulation.

Cindy

CONGRATULATIONS! May you have many more blooms!

Thank you all very much. The second bloom opened up aroun midnight when I went to bed. It's always exciting to check all my Hoyas every morning for new growth. The only exception being my Hindu Rope, that one is a slow grower.

poseidon

Congratulations ^_^ Very exciting. Be sure to send out invitations to your baby shower suggesting fertilizer and cute pots as gifts for your new arrival.

Well, what's the smell like? When I had my H. Shepherdii blooming in my kitchen window, it gave off a scent at night. One night my husband walked in the kitchen and detected an odd odor. He asked me 'WHAT THE H#LL IS THAT SMELL?!' I told him where it was coming from and he ordered me to get it out of the house... lol

Greedyghost,fertilizer and cute pots, you say. Hmmm, I grew up on a farm, so they will have plenty of good ole horse apples and cow pies in them. Ha ha.

I just went out side to smell one, Tammy. The nearest I can come up with is cotton candy. I even got a small drop of nectar off the first flower and it tasted great. But the smell is closest to smelling cotton candy

Poseidon

Nothing wrong with horse apples and cow pies. In his catalog, TG makes the following remark regarding his 2006 trip to Sabah:
Did see some fabulous H. imperialis flowers, in a private collection, nearly 3-1/2" diameter! - the grower uses horse manure for fertilizer!

Congrats on your first blooms! My carnosa looks like it might bloom for the first time as well (but not for awhile) so I share your excitement!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Congrats on your first flowers, Poseidon! I remember that feeling like it was yesterday. And the good news is that you will feel that elation every time another species blooms for the first time!

But your plant isn't a compacta, which is the curly leaved Hoya. It's a good old fashioned carnosa. And it looks great for a descendent of a 130 year old specimen!

Denise in Omaha

Thanks everyone, I am glad to share my first experience with these wonderful plants.

Denise, I always get confused with the two terms. I have heard mine called a carnosa compacta so I am never sure what to call it. I have a Hindu Rope, is that the 'curly leaf' one you mentioned ?

Maybe I will start naming them, I think that is Moonwolf's territory. I do have a large 'Chinese Evergreen' shrub in the living room that I call 'Charlie".

Thanks all

Poseidon

Poseidon,

LOL - yes, it does help to give them nicknames, though I try to associate them with the real names. 'Hindu Rope' is indeed compacta. Plain carnosa used to be called (way back when) 'Wax Plant'. I think some of those difficult to pronounce names do deserve nicknames. For instance, I call archboldiana 'Archie'. Subquintplinervus (sp??) for me is 'Sub-Q'. Macrophylla is 'Big Mac' and macgillivrayii is 'Mac-G'. Ya gotta have fun!

D in O

Hmmmm... never thought to name my plants. Since I own several hoyas, 2 AV's, 1 Chinese Evergreen, 1 Orchid, 4 cymbidiums, 6 ferns, several rose bushes and other various plants maybe I'll just find pet names for a select few...

Lol yes naming them is in my territory. I haven't named the pubicalyxes yet but I'm happy to share a few names with you. I call my plain green carnosa 'Nikki', fungii I've decided to name 'Tootsie', mindorensis is "Jem" and my hanging basket of KQ and KP are "Magenta" (KQ) and "Columbia" (KP).

Brad AKA Moonwolf