I was reading somewhere about how some Hoya flowers grow kind of vertically like fungus (mushroom clusters) up or down a tree trunk. Could be something like that?

Wow! That is so cool, Denise. You must get us pics!

I bet you're thinking of the Hoya imbricata, Monica. Like many Dischidias, it has leaves that produce roots under each leaf at the nodes and attach to trunks...

But no, these are the peduncles he's talking about - it will produce a main peduncle, then multiple peduncles will form off that first one. Here's how he describes his illustration:

Peduncle # 1 Half way through forming, the
peduncle made a horse shoe type turn and made these side by side
peduncles. The blooms make a solid figure 8. It stayed on for a whole
summer.

Peduncle
#2 After a month of constant blooming, this one threw another
peduncle straight out of the main peduncle and hung lower. About a month
later, a peduncle formed in the middle of the two and bloomed only
twice and fell off. The first 2 kept blooming.Peduncle
#3 When the first peduncle was in infancy and starting out, only
just starting to make those tiny little round bumps that become buds, I
notice the second day of development something strange. One of the outer
buds had grown almost twice in size while the others stayed the same
size. Remember, this is when they are really small. The third day, that
bud was white and getting longer and turning into another peduncle. When
the new peduncle was the same size as its small parent right above it
(about a half inch), the EXACT same bud in the same position started
getting bigger and turning a yellowish/white, then that one turned into a
peduncle. Then the EXACT same bud did the same on the next umbel, etc.
One went 7 peduncles long and spread out in a perfect 45% angle over a
foot long. That one lasted 3 months, it was a sight to see when they all
lit up. then it became so woody because of the rapid 're-load' time
this plant has and just fell off one day.

Oh, and I think it might be lacunosa, not Sunrise... We've been chatting about both a lot, and now and I can't find which one it is that is doing this for him. Maybe he can pipe in and correct me... He says it also gets clusters of leaves that are significantly larger than the other leaves. So interesting!

Denise in Omaha

That is so interesting. I'd love to see the UV colored flowers too! Please post pictures if you happen to catch the special blooms or super peduncles.

I will try to mockturtle, as I stated, this clone just does not like any cold whatsoever, so it has been slightly sulky but new peduncles are appearing with new growth this week because of a 6 day stretch of early spring warmth. I face west on the first floor. 20' to the west is another 3 story bldg. In March, I will get full sun on my patio and that is when the plant is in full swing, blooming its heart out. I will try to take some good pics and post them when it gets sunnier and warmer and it produces those intense colors. Now, the sun barely clears the bldg. next door and shines on the porch for about 3 to 4 hours only.

Thanks for asking, Marco

I think the leaves look more like 'Sunrise' than lacunosa - at least the clone I have of 'Sunrise' which never gets those pretty red tones I see in photos. But wow, it's a BIG plant! I love it when they cascade so nice like that, and it's what I always loved about my long lost favorite clone of lacunosa.

Denise in Omaha

Thanks Denise. It was over 2 1/2 feet longer last fall and was dragging on the floor. I lopped off the bottom 2+ feet of them and sent them to a friend. I kept on stepping on them. I expect it to regain that growth and more soon as our days are rapidly getting longer. The main vines that are the thickest branch out 3 or 4 times on the way down the 'waterfall'. Those vines, in turn, do the same and it fills in so well, always a peduncle that grows along with the vine and is budding up as the next one is forming. It is an amazing plant.

Marco

Marco, I think you told me you got it at your local market. Do you have any idea who the source is of those plants? I'd be curious to know where that clone originated. It sounds truly outstanding in many respects!

Denise in Omaha

Denise, the "man" who brings his Hoyas to a lot of the Tampa Bay mom and pop Garden Centers comes from a town just north of Tampa called Lutz. He drops them off about once a month and they can come in all sizes. The standard 4" pot cost under $8 but I have seen huge hanging 6 or 8 inch baskets loaded with Lacunosas, Poon Sak, Picta, Merrillii, and they cost $17.99. The only set back is he uses very VAGUE lables to ID the plant type. The garden center won't say exactly who he is other than the general area he lives in.

I remember buying this plant 5 years ago this summer after seeing those weird peduncles and blooms. I have not seen another Lacunosa that looks like mine around, although 2 garden centers are mere blocks from my house and he leaves his plants about every 3 weeks. I have seen other huge stuffed baskets (not barely rooted cuttings like EA) full of the smaller leafed Lacunosas but not mine.

If I ever see another one, I will pick it up for you. It is the best clone I have seen of this, I wish I could find the "man" !

Marco

Marco, I wonder if he is the same man who donates his hoyas to USF. I buy hoyas from Gardinos too and they will even suggest I go and look at the USF plant store first since he supplies such exceptional and beautifuly hoyas to them! I think he is a private collector / grower who just loves hoyas and propagates them for to make room and feed his addiction. :} We can all relate! Very, very nice man and willing to share his knowledge and love of hoyas at the big plant sales. I went home with 7 new ones today! I think they were $6 or 7 and then 20% off for the members sale :}. Believe it or not, I no longer have a lacunosa! But I would love to find the one that you have. Can you post or send me an email to let me know where exactly around Lutz. My email is wanna_run_faster at yahoo.com. Thanks! Helen

Hey Marco, I googled Hoya Sunrise - Gardino's has it and says

1. HOYA CV SUNRISE - Gardino Nursery

   gardinonursery.com/hoyas/1392-hoya-cv-sunrise.html

   This is a cross between Hoya obscura and Hoya lacunosa which are some of the easiest hoyasto grow. This makes a great hanging basket plant for your patio.

and I'm guessing you have a sport off of that original cross! Very cool!

wanna, my local garden center's owner told me that he was from "around" Lutz and the guy won't tell them what is in his mix.Yet they know it's cypress grade "b" mulch and he buys it there. I'm thinking he buys everything there, so I guess they don't want me to know who he is so I will HAVE to buy plants from them. A big problem is that at the local center, most of the Hoyas have scale or yellow aphids. My Pubicalyx and Kerrii loop came home with so much scale on them you could barely see the vine !! There is a nice 4" hanging pot of Poon Sak that is slowly being eaten alive.

I did know about the USF store but the last time I looked them up, they had 3 Hoyas all KQ, that was 3 years ago, I live in NE St.Pete near 4th and Gandy Bridge, an easy drive to Tampa. I would love to meet the guy, I don't know anybody in Florida anymore, they all move so much down here.

Marco

It is a cool plant, wanna_run, for sure. Sorry, I didn't see your second post when I replied to the one before it. I can get those nice pink shades on only half the bloom because before the bloom opens, when it is a round little puff ball, it starts getting tinged with light red and orange spots where direct sunlight hits it, slowly turning the side of it red. I heard that it was the sap in the bloom "boiling in the sun" that turned them pink but the ones forming under a leaf will bloom white. I think someone said that is why a single Pubicaylx bloom can vary in color, If it really gets hot outside, they can bloom neon blue/ultra violet, I think I said that above so forgive my repeating. He has plenty of Lacunosa's from time to time, but only this Sunrise.

If you can get this one, do it.

Thanks, marco

Marco, I would guess the hoya guy will be at the next big USF plant sale, which I think is April 9 & 10. I usually go for members opening at 9 am on Saturday so I know he's usually there on opening day around that time. He happened to be out of business cards when I was last there but if I see him, I will try again! Your sport is beautiful and very unusual. I'm actually ok with just the regular plain Sunrise...I remember how fragrant Lacunosa was and Sunrise looks like a beautiful specimen and the "abundant bloomer" had me at hello!!!

Helen

PS USF has changed...Saturday the "hoya table" was full, and overflowed to the opposite side. There were at least 100 hoyas, and at least 30 varieties if not more. After a big sale, it does get down to maybe 30 or 40 and more common varieties. It's nicely organized, usually they have little placards with pictures and names (these get pulled when you purchase and are re-used), plus there is a laminated list of the hoyas with some growing information that you can use to look up unknowns.

Helen, I would love to go and meet him and other like minded people there ! I will try to make it. If you have the details, let me know ! Send me a message through here on how to contact you about it. You can message me thru this board if you know how. It's good to know their variety has enlarged. OMG, this clone smells so wonderful, better than the sno-caps or even the regular Lacunosa I used to have.

Gardino's is one place you cannot go wrong with. Their plants are very healthy and established before they sell them. No rooted cuttings from them. I do not know why I get no splash or such huge leaves on this clone. I leave it in the hot summer sun all day long and except for the blooms lasting days instead of a week or more, it LOVES the sun and grows so fast you can almost watch a peduncle form each day and bud up.

Thanks, Marco

Helen, I just re read the above posts and saw you already gave me your email address. I will send you one with the title, It's me, marco, in the Subject line. I want to ask you about the USF plant sale.

Marco

I agree 100% about Gardino's. I'm actually waiting for another order to arrive. I have 2 plants from Cowboyflowerman that are already dying. The variegated Kentiana (what's left of it) is declining and the Obovata is 2 barely rooted 2 leaf stems. What a waste of money!!!!! NEVER AGAIN.

Hello all, I finally found one of those mutant peduncles on my Sunrise ! The small buds aborted because of wonky weather the past week.

The sun is finally clearing the building to the west so it is getting sun all day now.

Marco

Wow... so cool. Marco, if you ever find yourself with this plant taking over your house and need a home for a cutting or two, you just let me know. ;)

Looking forward to seeing more photos!

Thanks Kim, I found it by accident. I will fish through the foliage and look for more this afternoon.

Marco

Super interesting! Thanks for sharing the picture, Marco! I'm curious, does this happen in more than one vine?

Do these mutant peduncles bloom normally, or do they tend to abort? And are the peduncles ever retained between blooms on this plant, mutant or otherwise? Also, do the peduncles branch before the buds develops? As in, do you think it is possible it will produce more peduncles on the duo photographed?

mockturtle, there are 3 main vines to the plant and it happens on about half the plant. It could take a while for me to trace them all back to which vine the sprang from. This plant branches out multiple times from a single node here and there and they in turn do the same. That's is why it was 7 ' long last winter and I lopped off the last few feet and sent them to a friend. It kept getting stepped on. This plant has an aggressive roots system that fills the pot quite quickly and drinks like a fish.

Kim, yes they bloom, in normal conditions. This past week we went from dew points in the mid 70's to the low 30's in one day ! Hoyas love Florida but that kind of humidity change in less than 24 hours can blast buds on every plant. I will look for more and take pics of them in their different stages of maturing until they bloom. Now that it is receiving almost full sun during the afternoon/evenings, it should start to make those pink and ultra violet colored blooms.

Marco

Hi, one last time, more mutants than I can count. Here is one in the foreground, budding up and if you look in the upper right corner, another with blasted buds.

I think it's just fascinating! I hope the start you sent me will be mutant!

Denise in Omaha

That is so stinking cool, Marco!

Yes Denise, you got them, too, because they are on both vines I cut yours from ! I hope they make them for you also.

Tawny, thanks ! I couldn't have put it any better ; )

Marco

That is one special Hoya you have, Marco!!

Please keep posting updates and pictures!

It opened !

Marco