Rick, sorry I don't have but a starting of h. Multiflora or I would offer you some. I too looked for Multiflora for awhile and about 6 months ago purchased one from "Violet Barn". It was a very nice well rooted Hoya. In case no one has one for trade, you might keep them in mind. Mine bloomed shortly after I got it too! Good luck!!

Just curious Teisa, how big was your multiflora from Violet Barn? I ordered from them (different hoyas) and they were really tiny. No way they'll bloom in the next couple of years... They barely started growing.

I had been looking for Multiflora for a while, since I could not find one I decided to get a Javanica (very similar plant) from SRQ Hoyas. I am very happy with it.

I saw a youtube video on the VermontHoyas site saying that h.javanica is a spider mite magnet. Have you noticed any insect/attraction problem with this species? How long have you had yours, and how are you doing with it?

--Rick

I have had mine for about 2 months now and its doing great! I have not had an issue with spider mites, thank goodness.

Thank you GG, I don't know about keeping very careful notes, but I do know that I really want to avoid one of those huge spider mite infestations again. They are really nasty little buggers. If you look closely you can see them running all over this Javanica/Multiflora in this time-lapse I made of the flowers opening. You can see them on the undersides of the leaves and on the flowers themselves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8QHp3UZVqY If you wipe the undersides of the infested leaves they would smear red.

I now use a product called Azamax and spray all of the Hoyas that go outside for the summer 2 or 3 times before I bring them back into the house. It seems to work really well, but from what I read on the Marijuana sites, these spider mites will quickly become immune, and you have to keep hitting them with different products. Also spider mites love hot and dry, and don't do so well with cool and humid.

They ARE nasty. I've really suffered getting rid of them. Thanks for the product recommendation. It's my citrus trees that bring them indoors. Usually I can then just successfully treat those trees in isolation, but last year I was moving so my system got all glubbed up.

Oh my, your video rocks!! The mites... Not so much.

Have you tried organic insecticidal soap?

--Rick in CT

I think insecticidal soap or neem oil are the first step in fighting the mites. If those don't work or the infestation is too severe, strong insecticides are the solution. I fought those nasty mites too, in the past.

I'm glad you liked the video GG! Actually Azamax is considered to be organic as well. It is a highly concentrated extract from the Neem Tree which is far more potent and expensive than regular neem oil. I have tried insecticidal soaps in the past and never had a great deal of luck with them.

> strong insecticides are the solution

Mima, mites are arachnids, not insects, so insecticides would not be effective. Need to use a product specifically rated for mites. I forgot this recently, but I was glad to be corrected myself, before I used something very strong, but very inefficient.

My bad, I should've said pesticides, of course.

Pesticide is a very broad term that will include both things that are effective against mites and ones that aren't (most of pesticides are not effective, actually). "Miticide" or "acaricide" are the words you were looking for. Or in plain English, just check the label and make sure mites are among the things it controls.

Well, you can also use products that have both compounds, or even more, fungicide added. So pesticides covers all of those. ;)

I wish that plain old nicotine sulfate ('Black Flag') was still available. I've considered making my own nicotine tea, but am concerned about TMV transmission. I am a proponent of putting all affected plants in an enclosed space like a bathroom, and using a flea bomb, per instructions. It seems to work like a charm, and kills a fairly wide range of insects. I imagine that if you treated bare root plants this way, it might even kill root mealies? Has anyone else tried this?

Rick in CT

Rick, can you say which flea fogger treatment you used? I have used the Raid one on yellow jacket holes but wondered which would be best for plant vermin. I bring everything into the sunroom in the fall and think I need to start giving them a dose of something when I bring them in.

it's been a long time since I used a fogger, but it was a generic variety that I probably got at one of the big box stores. This isn't like the yellow jacket spray. With the fogger, you get all the people and animals out of the house before you set it off, and it takes several hours for it to clear once you set it off.

There are also some pretty strong systemic sprays that you might try before you bring plants in for the winter. Good luck!

Rick