That is huge! How much is it?

Well, I asked if Susan had it (Beastlyflowers on EBay), and she listed it as Buy Now/Best Offer... I paid what she was asking as opposed to what I felt more comfortable with... but I was glad to, she always has awesome plants listed!

She has tbe greatest hoyas! I just bought snowball from her!....your plant is gorgeous!

That's funny Lydia! I was JUST reading your snowball post.

I bought a Chicken Farm from her too! I absolutely can NOT wait! Seems like she has gone on a large plant listing spree... I'm going to go BROKE!

Lydia are you succulent*jewels?!?

Yes, thats me... lol 2 hours later. sorry, was at work and don't have reception with this new crappy phone :-/....thank you for buying merrillii. You will love it. It has very elegant leaves.

I've been collecting high light/red leaf Hoyas lately, so I'm very excited to see how it does.... Plus, ALL the pictures you post of your Hoyas in the garden are GORGEOUS!

supposedly that one will have an amazing fragrence

Went out into the alley and found a nice large cutting for you. Its nice and hardened. A few scratches on some of the leaves but a really nice cutting!

can you believe how much more beautiful they grow when you dont look at it every day lol

Oh WOW! Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you!

I have a hard time not babying mine as they are all mostly indoors.... but my Genieve is a hot mess growing up through a large wooden divider that hangs above my fireplace... and my blashernaezii and pubicalyx constantly rap around each other without me realizing how bad they've been behaving. Lol!

Beautiful! I got a cutting of that from Susan, and based on what i've read and what other users have researched, i'm thinking that it's the 1256. I can't say for sure though. gonna have to wait for blooms!

Is that merrillii growing through the fence? Darn, it's too cold in Michigan to ship. Will you sell some in the spring?

Yes, I will. This is one of my largest Hoyas. Hopefully winter is good to us and I won't lose any of my babies since I grow them outside.

Beautiful plants!!

Christian, how is your cutting doing? If I remember correctly, we bought them around the same time. I rooted mine in semi-hydro, in a clear container so I could see even it grew roots. It definitely has roots, a decent amount I think (though nothing crazy), but absolutely nothing about the vine above the soil has changed - other than the roots, it hasn't grown a single bit. Does anyone know if this normal, or should I be concerned? Should I maybe switch it out of semi-hydro, or leave it?

I've had the same issue. It's probably a light and heat issue, which I imagine is normal for the colder seasons. I'm probably going to transplant to a larger pot with the same bark and expanded clay media.

But roots galore which is always good!I

Upon checking them though, looks like I'm getting the beginnings of a mealy infestation. Definitely gotta upkeep with BATS and alcohol. Wish me luck...

I was wondering about temperature also, but I'm pretty sure the growth stalled this summer, before the temperature/light significantly changed. Maybe it's a good sign that we both are seeing the same things - could mean that it's normal. Although I almost remember reading that it is quick to root and flower from cuttings. Regardless, hopefully we'll see some growth soon!

Oh no, mealybugs! I hate those things... Though for my non-edible plants, BATS has done a fantastic job! The problem is when they get on anything edible... Then I get to have fun with alcohol.

A good strong stream of water took the mealies out, fortunately. But looks like it's still doing okay, it has some new vining growth, which is awesome! it's not quite too cold for it to stop growth. I do have my greenhouse heavily shaded, so it could be a lack of bright light that is slowing its growth. Hoping by spring it'll begin leafing and vining!

That's fantastic! Mine is still sitting in stasis on my windowsill...

Do you keep it on a heating mat? That could definitely help speed things along.

No I don't, is that something that is often done? I'll look into getting a heating mat - is that like the ones used for sore backs or for reptiles? Or are there plant-specific ones? How warm should it get? Thanks for the suggestion!

i have one for backs that is sitting under my multiflora and it works

There are designated seedling heat mats which work well, I think most reptile heating mats work just as well. I only use heating mats to root or jump start growth. Then move back outside once it has some good growth. I actually would wait until spring to move anything back outside and let it acclimate to your weather when it's warmer.

Ok, I'll look into getting a seedling heat mat then! Thanks!

I'm currently in PA, so there's absolutely no way it's going outdoors before April/May....

Did anyones estrellaensis from susan bloom yet? Confirm its iml 1256? I just bought a rooted one from her and it has a peduncle that looks like its on its way to blooming.

Lucky, please keep us posted. On how it smells

I'm so jealous! Definitely update us on how it smells!

By the way, I increased the fertilizer that I was giving my rooted cutting, and it responded by sending up a new vining growth! I doubt I'll have flowers anytime soon, but I'm glad that the stasis seems to have been broken.

Will do sky. Ive been wanting to acquire this variety for awhile. Greedyghosts description of the fragrance was pushing me harder to find it, as i grow plants,orchids for fragrance. Even after getting this one from susan, i still am ordering from a few other vendors. Hopefully to find one with rich green leaves and very green buds like greedyghosts.

Oh I will be soooooo excited if mine ever flowers! I can't wait to see yours, richardiraha12! I have three new vines that started, but no peduncles. I do however have a Genieve from Susan that has been flowering non stop and smells so delicious I want to eat it! It is sooooo strong when the blooms first open, almost overpowering! I also have a MB 1594 from her blooming, with almost no scent.

Genieve

MB 1594

Postpunk, what does the genieve smell like? Edible? Lol. I have a curtisii blooming for the first time with 21 peduncles. Tonight my bedroom smells like a freshly opened box of fruitloops.

I saw that! Sooo amazing, I would be beside myself! My curtisii is a modest, temperamental beast that hates me! Haha! Not really... I finally have lots of new growth, I think my problem was I only started with two measly cuttings. I’d say Genieve has a crisp and feminine tart like smell. Maybe close to honeysuckle, without that suffocating quality. :)

That scent sounds heavenly. This season ive seen alot of full 6 inch EA hanging pots of curtisii in lowes,home depot,etc. You should grab one. Might speed up the process. Ive literally had my nose up in the blooms all evening,drinking it in.

I look for one every. single. time! I’ve not found the mystical EA curtisii. I did find a kentiana and lacunosa several years back.

I didn't think that curtisii had a strong scent! Like fruitloops, you say? Similar to obscura, or different?

Now I'm kicking myself, I've seen some EA baskets of them in the last few months, and held myself back because I'm trying to reserve space for scented/edible houseplants.

As for Genevieve... how strong is the scent? Is it always strong, or do you have to stick your nose up to them to smell them once they've been open?

I stalk my Hoya buds like a kid that doesn’t want to go to sleep before Christmas, or a mother waiting for water to boil... and I always know the second I walk into my living room if I’ve missed that exact moment that Genieve’s blooms opened up. I’d liken it to thinking you’ve left a wax melt on. It’s the strongest the first day, sometimes the second.... then I just constantly stick my face in the umbels.

I have two blooming now! More enabling! Hehe:

Skysong, actually i have never smelled obscura. But can say curtisiis scent was very beautiful. Definately a fruitlooplike topnote dominated but there was also something perfumey like lillies, along with something slightly green and fresh. Im basing my hoya collection by scent, and this one i will definately keep :) i wonder if anyones catalogued fragrance descriptions yet for hoya since there seems to be be alot of different scents?

My obscura has not bloomed yet either, but I think it's getting it's first peduncle! I also love the way my 'Ruby Sue' lacunosa smells. Just like cinnamon!

I'd love a scent categorizing type collection of info, but I'd imagine that would be difficult since scent seems to be so variable amongst different people.

But I'm starting to get more blooms now! Super excited! And most exciting of all, is the estrellaensis cutting has a peduncle formed!! It came out of nowhere, so I'm hoping I can catch it early enough to detect a scent. Well, hopefully it's even in the correct conditions for a strong scent. My tricolor carnosa wasn't very strong smelling to me. So either conditions are off or my nose isn't sensitive enough. Either way, super happy for blooms!! Sorry no pics yet, but I'll update!

Update. I recently purchased a 5" pot of estrella waterfalls/estrellaensis iml 1256 from a different vendor. From the countless pics ive studied online im positive its the real deal. The leaves are shiny on top with subtle darker green mottling and a few random specs of lighter color. It definately looks different from susans so im looking forward to comparing blooms and fragrance.

Hey Christian do you still grow ns05 - 0055?

Lydia, do you still have all that gorgeous merriilli growing through your fence?

Hi Carolynn. I don't have merrillii on there but I do still have others. Mostly pubicalyx varieties.

My alley Hoyas

I tried 3 times to post a photo :-/ boo