Hi Brad,

My shades go open the moment the sun rises 365 days a year. It's not just for my plants, but for me, too! Nothing quite like a little sunshine to give you a day-starting boost! Even if the sun isn't shining, a little dim natural light is better than incandescent, or worse, florescent light. I dread the day they outlaw incandescent light!

But it's good to hear your carnosa is putting on new growth. Almost all of mine are showing signs of new growth (except those few late-starters) and many are budding up. Carnosa, for me, is one that takes a long, long time to mature enough to bloom. In fact, ANY of the carnosa cultivars... So be patient. And if it takes what seems like forever, don't think it's something you are doing.

What other Hoyas are you growing these days?

Denise in Omaha

Hi Denise,

Sunlight is great for us, too. Not just plants. I find that the more sunlight I get, the more my mood is positive and I have more energy, too (guess that comes from being a gardener and being cooped up inside all winter lol).

I know carnosa is one of the ones that takes forever to bloom. I see some new growth on most of my Hoyas. As for other Hoyas I am growing, I have pubicalyx "Red Buttons", "Pink Dragon", "Black Dragon", verticillata, fungii (it didn't bloom last year after blooming the year before), australis "Lizard Isle", shepherdii (another stingy one for me-I have it in a terra cotta pot and is the only Hoya I have in a terra cotta pot-maybe it needs repotted?), and a few others that I can't remember the names of. Most of them are rooted cuttings/small plants.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Those are good ones to have - as they grow, they'll take over your environment! They all get large fairly fast. I just whacked back my verticillata this winter - it was showing signs of dehydrating for some reason, so I whacked off about 75% of it and started cuttings. As soon as they were all in the humidity dome for about a week, they plumped right back up, so I caught it in plenty of time. And mama plant has perked right back up, too.

I also restarted my massive pubicalyx 'PS' last summer and wow, is it taking off this spring! I've been having to fight it from growing "into" the nooks and crannies in the GH - if I don't check it every few days, it can get pretty lodged in somewhere. I'm not sure why they do this, but it's almost like they're trying to escape! LOL!

Denise in Omaha

They're still on the small side, but I do see new growth appearing on them, so maybe they'll start vining out for me this year. My rotundiflora cutting never did take off, so I may try to re-root it. My verticillata cutting only started taking off last year (I got it from dmichael along with my fungii).

I miss Pink Silver. Such pretty leaves. I wish I had a greenhouse for plants to run wild in like you do, Denise LOL. I think my plants would be happier and I think a few would bloom for me. When I go to Lowe's again, I'm going to hunt for a lacunosa because I miss the fragrance and seeing those cheerful little blossoms.

Brad AKA Moonwolf