Hi Tish, I'm not sure how much help I can be, but I do have
Meliflua and Fraterna...they both look very similar to me
except a few of my Fraterna leaves are bigger than my Meliflua. I received them both as unrooted(trade) cuttings, the fraterna I've had for 13 months and the Meliflua I've had for 6 months. Neither has bloomed so I guess I will be able to see if there is a difference "if" they ever bloom for me?

I can at least show you pictures...these were how it was labeled when I got them. I have not familiar enough to know what the differences are between the three?
Hoya Fraterna
{{gwi:996830}}

H. Meliflua
{{gwi:996832}}

Tish,

I had meliflua ssp. fraterna at one time and it didn't do well for me. The leaves (for me) weren't any bigger than my meliflua, which does well for me. And the leaves on meliflua aren't extraordinarly long. I also have a plain fraterna I got as a cutting over a year ago. It has hardly grown at all for me. Again, the leaves look very similar to (but perhaps a bit smaller than...) meliflua. So as for leaf size, I can't say that's a point of interest. But they are succulent, rubbery and attractive.

If you want to grow one for shear size, the large wide-leafed clone of plain green macrophylla is one to look for. I've got one growing in my sunroom with 3 leaves that are eye-poppingly large. They face my driveway, and when I leave the house when the sun is hitting that window, they look like monster leaves, peering out at my yard!

Denise in Omaha

Tish...it's entirely up to you to decide. I have 3 H. meliflua ssp. fraterna and just ordered a 4th...which shows you just how much I love this hoya. The longest leaves on my fraterna are only 8", but I haven't had them very long. I would easily place fraterna in a list of my top 10 favorites, possibly the top 5. Supposedly this hoya (fraterna) is the easiest to get to bloom, but I generally purchase for the leaves...and fraterna has beautiful and very exotic-looking foliage. I've had zero problems with this hoya. Hope this helps! Patrick

The only real difference between Hoya meliflua and Hoya meliflua subspecies fraterna is the size of the leaves. I am not sure if the plants occupy different natural ranges in the Philippines or not but they share much more in common than not.
There is a Hoya fraterna that is a very different species and is found on the island of Java in Indonesia.

Mike

Wow! There is a plain H. fraterna too!? I really love the flowers of H. meliflua, L-O-V-E, love. What distracted me was that I read that the H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna had these huge leaves. So I'm weighing beautiful flower versus huge leaves. I have H. macrophylla 'Variegata' and I just got 7 new leaves about a month or so ago all at the same time. They all measure 6" and are variegated, so the H. fraterna or H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna leaves would have to have either some other point of interest or be exceptionally long to top the flowers of H. Meliflua. I've tried to attach a link that has, what looks like, actual photos of the person's H. Meliflua and H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna, both foliage and flower. By these photos, which is more attractive to you guys?

Pug, some of your H. fraterna leaves are definitely bigger than the H. Meliflua. But choosing one over the other by that alone would be a hard call. I hope my link works so you can see the difference in the flowers. Let me know what you think.

Denise, if the H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna didn't thrive under your supervision, I doubt I would have any luck. Could you post a picture of your large wide-leafed clone of plain green macrophylla? Also, I hope the link works so you can give your opinion.

So Patrick, H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna grows well for you, eh? Being practically "neighbors", it might just do well for me after all. I would say yes, it must truly be a favorite of yours if your ordering a fourth. I'm running out of space for Hoyas now and can only get another 3 maybe 4 and so I have to pick those that really make my heart flutter. One is going to be one of these three we are discussing, definitely H. Merrillii and I'm thinking possibly H. Nummularioides. Ditto on the link. What is your take on the two different flowers?

Also, I looked all three up on Hoyor.net and he/she says that the H. fraterna flowers have a foul smell, hehehehe...

Here is a link that might be useful: Hoyaworld

Mike, I was writing my "letter" when you responded, so I saw your posting after I posted mine. I always love reading your responses, you are so knowledgeable and not just about growing Hoyas, but every aspect of the Hoya. Are you a botanist? Very, very interesting to me...

Tish

Tish,

Here's a photo of the macrophylla (wide leaf clone) that shows some of the bronze new leaves...

And then here's one after a good summer of growing...

I had trouble getting a good photo of the giant leaves because they're right in a window, so the glare makes it hard to get a clear photo, but the biggest of the three leaves is 9" long and 7" wide. It's amazing!

I couldn't get your link to work. Jan's clone of meliflua is a little different than mine - mine has narrower leaves. Here's a photo of it when I first got it...
{{gwi:996837}}

But you're right - the flowers of meliflua are incredible...

Denise in Omaha

Botanist no, armchair botanist maybe. LOL

I have been growing plants since I was in my mid teens and species orchids for the last 13 years or so, Hoyas only four or five years at most. I love to read about plants so I have a pretty good library of orchid, Hoya, Fern, Aroids, Stapeliad books and a memory for plant related stuff. I like pretty much anything to do with plants. I really should have studied Botany but my less than perfect math skills pretty much ruined my chances at a career in any of the sciences.

Mike

First and foremost, I would like to thank you guys for responding and posting pics--I know that takes time. Also, I would like to clarify. Jan and Denise, are your fraternas "H. Fraterna" or "H. meliflua ssp. fraterna"?

I've got to tell you, this is a tough decision. I do love the super long leaves of the H. Fraterna (or is it H. meliflua ssp. fraterna?)!!! I also love the H. Macrophylla (wide leaf clone)!!! Where can you get these two? Gardinos only has H. meliflua and H. meliflua ssp. fraterna.

I wish my link would've worked for the pictures. I'll try again...

Mike, it's ashame that math keeps people from many career paths; I think you would have been an excellent botanist!!!

Tish

Here is a link that might be useful: Hoyaworld

Tish, it's H. meliflua ssp. fraterna, the leaves are about 9" long. I was just too lazy to write all.
I would love to get Denise's heart shape macrophylla.
Tish, if you find macrophylla, let me know.

Jan

Okay, the H. Meliflua and H. meliflua ssp. fraterna are ascertainable. So Denise, cough it up. Jan and I need to know where to get the H. Macrophylla (wide leaf clone). You know it's like dangling a steak in front of a starving dog ;)

So what is everybody's take on H. nummularioides? Easy to grow? Worth taking up precious limited Hoya space?

Tish

Jan, your plants are very NICE! Denise I LOVE your heart shaped Macro also!! Its beautiful!!

Jan, your pic of Meliflua(Close-up) is very different than mine also, mine looks more like Denise's.

Your picture of Meliflua reminds me of my H. Diversifolia. The leaves on mine have that specks, spots on them also. I got my hoya Diversifolia from Gardino's.

Do you think it looks similar?

Here's my Diversifolia...
{{gwi:996838}}

Tish, that link doesn't work for me either...I think its been removed?

Hmmm, looks a lot like yours for sure. I am going to take a photo of my diversfolia to compare.

Well, first mine is a plain meliflua. I had a meliflua ssp. fraterna and it didn't do well for me so I got rid of it. Plain fraterna hasn't been much of a grower, either, but I'll give it one more summer outside and see how it does...

As for that wide leaf macrophylla, the only place I've seen it available (and I won't swear it's the same as mine) is Bob Smoley's Gardenworld. He shows two clones, describing one "large veined leaves up to 12cm across, 20cm long, small brown/pink flowers." The other he describes as Very large leaves, more long than round. Tiny tan colored flowers with white radiation from the center." I think it's the first one, but the "up to" size isn't as big as mine get. However, that could be because my sun isn't as strong as Florida sun. I actually got mine at a C&S club sale several years ago as a rooted cutting. Most of the ones I've since seen look more like the variegated form, with leaves considerably longer than wide.

Denise in Omaha

Here is a link that might be useful: Bob Smoley's Hoya list

One on the right labled diversfolia. ???

I guess we will find out for sure when or "if" it blooms. I'm certainly completely confused,lol...

The big one on the left sure looks similar to my H.Diversifolia but who knows? I guess time will tell.

Thanks for the great pictures Denise and Jan! By the way...the link that Tish provided didn't work for me either...so I typed it in my browser and the site popped up...some very awesome pictures! Hoyaworld.com....thanks for the link, Tish! Patrick

Nice plants Jan!
Hoya excavata is another species that looks just like Hoya diversifolia so it could be another candidate.
My Hoya meliflua is starting to grow again but I am still struggling to get this Hoya to grow well for me.

Mike

Hey Patrick, why do you think that link didn't work? I really wish everyone could see the pictures, especially now that you seen them and thought they were pretty awesome. Could you try to add the link? If it doesn't work for you, then at least I know it wasn't because I was doing something wrong.

Let's see, Pug and Jan can grow both the H. Meliflua and H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna and they are in Florida. Denise grows the H. Meliflua and she is in zone 5 (had trouble with H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna). Patrick is in Michigan (probably zone 5) and grows H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna. Mikey is in London Ontario Canada (I'm also guessing zone 5) and is struggling with H. Meliflua. Seems like Florida is the prime spot (not surprising there), but I'm thinking that I have about a 50-50 shot with each. I'm going to do it. Get H. Meliflua for the flowers and H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna for those long lucious leaves and if I ever come across that Macrophylla clone Denise has, I'll get it too...

Tish

Tish one thing I have learned over the years is that just because one person can or can't grow a certian plant well does not mean that you will have the same experience. There are plants out there that are just plain difficult to grow but there are many factors at play regarding success.
If there is a Hoya you really like give it a try because chances are you will be successful. Sometimes you will get a weak cutting that just does not thrive but that's life and chances are if you try again from another source you just might succeed.
I took a look at the Hoya site you posted and it may be that the pop ups caused a filter to make your link inactive. I agree that the blooms of Hoya meliflua are very different and I love the look of the nectar stained corolla.
Take a look at the translated page in the link below for a look at the habitat of many Philippine Hoyas and when you scroll down click on Hoya meliflua for some photos and a description. The translation is a little confusing so don't worry if it sounds a little off or Latin names are slightly off.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Hoyas of the Philippines -Simones Hoyas

Thanks for that link Mike!

Tish, is this the link you were trying to post? Its working on my end...let me know if you were able to open it on your end?

Here is a link that might be useful: Hoyaworld.com

NEATO, Mikey!!! Very interesting!!! Do you think H. Merrillii is named after Dr. Merrill? Super cool link...

Yes Pug, that's it!!! I don't know what I did wrong, but I'm so glad you could attach it. Did you see the difference in the H. Meliflua and H. Meliflua ssp. fraterna flowers? Aren't the H. Meliflua flowers scruptious? If you read Mikey's link, it did say that the flowers have orange in them, so the pics are true. Fuzzy too! Ooooooooh, I just love them!!!

Tish

Ok now the link worked. Thanks Pug. :)
The peduncles on that Hoya pubifera are amazing, I remember looking at that photo page in the past but it's still very impressive. That Hoya sp Indonesia near the bottom is screaming my name. LOL

Tish you probably know this but just in case the dark markings on the corolla of Hoya meliflua and it's close relatives is nectar that seeps out from the carona. The blooms start off a fuzzy pink and the nectar stains them over the first few days.
Oh and yes when a species name ends in ii or i it means that the plant was named for either the person who discovered it, a place or in memory of/dedication to a person.

Mike

Oh good, I'm glad it worked!

I have Fraterna and Meliflua...don't have the Meli.ssp. fraterna! Yes Tish,those flowers are all to die for, my favorite out of those is the Meliflua blooms, they remind me of Cotton candy...looks good enough to eat,lol...I hope to see some blooms in person out of one of mine...someday?

Now to add the melifuas to my collection again. This was one of my first hoyas many moons ago. My plant was huge and growing in the ground. Maybe come spring I can trade with someone around here. Don't mind purchasing either.