Hmm...that black spot has me concerned. I don't treat a plant that exhibits signs of root compromise. I just cut where healthy stem begins and re-start the rooting process.

I never had luck with bella, but chinghungensis is similar in needs. I have mine potted up in 1/8 inch orchiata bark, 1/8 inch perlite, and tree fern fibre. It seems to be thriving. I think potting soil is just too dense for epiphytes.

I guess I should cut the roots off and start over? Is that what you would do and then treat with BATS.

I don't treat cuttings with BATS until they root.

I would re-start the plant, water it thoroughly with an aspirin and honey mix (recipe below) and play the waiting game. Aspirin is made from willow branches, so it acts as a rooting hormone, and honey has natural antifungal and antibacterial properties.

1 uncoated 325 mg aspirin

2-3 tablespoons honey

1 gallon boiled water, still hot, but not scalding

Let aspirin dissolve in water. Add honey. Stir well. Wait for it to cool to room temp. Take cuttings. Put in potting mix. Water with cooled solution. Wait!

Thanks aurorawa. Does the stem with the dark spots by the petioles concern you as well. Here's a little bit of that sooty mold I saw on some leaves. This one is very light the others were more heavily covered.

• Roots look ok to me. Bellas leaves look pitted like that.Some people think is is caused by mite damage.Mites like this one,but would see the webbing with the leaves being so close together.The plant may of had mealies or scale at one point which would account for the black mold.The mold grows on the honeydew produced by the bugs. Does it wash off easily...maybe some of the leaves are stained from some type of foliage application like kelp extract or humic acid...both turn the water almost black.

The roots look fine. Just repot in a lighter mix.

Thanks. That sooty mold wiped off easily with my finger. I cleaned the leaves off and sprayed with 3 in 1.

It was probably just dirt.

The whole thing looks just fine to me. Roots look healthy. I, too, would just put it in a lighter mix. Keep it where it will get plenty of circulation. I've never had luck keeping bella around for long, either, so I'm no expert, but I think it looks just fine. It is not unusual at all for a change of environment to cause bud-blast. If you've only had it 2 weeks, it's still adjusting. Give it at least a month or two before having great expectations. Depending on where a plant comes from, I never expect ANYthing, including new growth, for 6 months. If I get it earlier, I'm pleased. (Cuttings are a different story...)

Denise in Omaha

Watch it for spider mites, looks like the damage that is on my leaves currently, I am probably going to have to order Azamax after all, grrr.

Well the roots in the pictures are about a quarter of what they were before I soaked it in water. When I pulled the stems out mist of the roots stretched and were pulled off by the weight of just the water. It was really surprising because these were some of the nicest roots I've gotten on a Hoya in a while.

I did as aurorawa suggested and will wait and see. Keeping my fingers crossed.