http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1980241/hoya-spartioides  This is an older thread with growing and propagation tips.Hope they come in good shape if your ordering overseas!I lost 5 of my 12 plants from Epiphytica a little over a month ago.13 days in transit(yellow leaves,dead roots)...most of the delay was customs slow to check in and out from JFK in NY.They were probably sitting there for over a week before they were even checked in!There customs is so unpredictable...frustrating!Best of luck with your plants!

Thanks Jimmy, this is a replacement from my first order from Epiphytica. Hoya "lockii" arrived really well from about same travel time as yours.

Jack, from Epiphytica ship my order on 26th of April, and they arrive today 5/2/16.

It only took 5 days in transit since i got it today at noon.

Two hoya "spartiodeides"(replacement), Hoya carnosa "Grey ghost" full splash, Hoya Lyi, Hoya "waymaniae" and H. Lockii.

Wow good haul in a short time...all the plants look great!I have H.lyi that made it...its was the least damaged..putting out new growth!

Why buy plants from overseas, and not buy locally? Or at least regionally to support our growers? I'd be concerned about pests, couldn't do it.

We'll, if any of those listed above variety are easy to obtain locally I will be the first on line. Pests on the plants is everywhere, overseas or your next door retailer.

You just have to always caution on all plants that you purchase.

Sure. But this is how plants and/or birds become invasive, or we end up with bugs that wouldn't normally be in the area. For example, this is probably how the starlings came to be, someone wanted something different, or they thought they were "neat".

SaraM, plants bought PROPERLY from overseas MUST BE treated with a systemic pesticide and have a phytosanitary certificate. Epiphytica Gardens is a registered nursery and complies with all phytosanitary and CITES laws.

Also, you have little, and I mean little, to fear about hoyas becoming invasive. They are tender tropicals, and, unless you live in HI or FL, you are not likely to find them outdoors. They are houseplants.

While it is nice to support local growers, there are some plants you just cannot obtain locally. I'm sorry that you are offended by anyone buying non-native houseplants from overseas. Some of us grow them because they are beautiful; others, like myself, grow them because they are beautiful and we want to study them and preserve them.

There is nothnig wrong with supporting international business, if it is done legally and with all rules and regulations abided by.

I will personally support any 'Mom and Pop' business from any location around the world, as long as they are legal and ethical.

Never said anything about law or being offended. But this illustrates a lack of understanding of what is going on in the world. Local growers are you and me trying to make a living, and even small purchases add up. To me, a regular old hoya grown by someone running a business near me, is much more valuable than any other plant from overseas.

That's the thing! Where do you think that regular old hoya came from? It didn't grow here...originally! If the first person to obtain that regular old hoya had not: A. Bought it from overseas (since hoyas aren't native to the Americas), or, B. Gone on an expedition to obtain the hoya, it would not be purchasable by you.

I purchase hoyas from overseas so that I am able to supply my customers with what they want, and many of them are looking for new species or ones that are hard to find. I AM trying to make a living, and by providing customers with what they are looking for, and by going the extra mile and ordering my mother plants from overseas, I gain an even larger and happier customer base, which, in turn, makes my income go up.

In all fairness, you did NOT say anything about laws, but you did say that you were worried about invasive pests and plants. So, I brought up the laws to reassure you.

Small purchases add up, yes. I regularly spend $200-300 on orders from overseas. But, since I can provide my customer base with what THEY want, I easily make that back in a week. That is how a business is run. And, no, I don't need to jack up the price on a rooted cutting to make a profit. And I won't do that. I have seen small rooted plants of common hoyas being sold left and right for $30.00, so my offering rarer ones for less than 1/2 that price is not cutting into anyone's bottom line. That being said, I am an ebay business, so I start my prices at the lowest I am willing to accept, leaving it up to my customers to decide how much they would like to spend. I cannot control how much they choose to bid.

I don't understand how my choosing to spend MY (second) income on overseas plants (because they are NATIVE to overseas) to study, for my enjoyment and to sell rooted cuttings of, negatively impacts local businesses. I am a local business. One that just happens to sell non-local plants.