Observations/Insight To How I Grow

6 years ago

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to compare some notes with you all. Let's see if anyone out there has similarities or differences in the same type of Hoyas. I won't list all of mine, just those that stand out.

~Thirstiest Hoya: Shepherdii. I got it some years ago from Gardino's, and it didn't do much for me. Now, she's throwing vines and peduncles everywhere, and it looks like it's attempted to flower a few times, but the buds always seem to blast. I think I've only repotted her once. A fun one to grow :) This also applies to my Hoya motoskei, also from Gardino's, but I've had it for a less amount of time. It's one of my favorites, too.

~Fastest grower: When not dormant, that would be Nikki (my carnosa, those of you who are unfamiliar) but lately, it seems that applies to my pubicalyx "Royal Hawaiian Purple", which recently developed it's first peduncle :).

~Perennial Favorite: pubicalyx "Red Buttons". I love the new leaves and the flowers. It formed two peduncles last summer, and I am anxiously awaiting for buds. How I miss that Tootsie Roll Pop scent.

~Doing Worse Than What You've Heard/Read: Obovata. I thought it would like the dry air, but I had a vine, with a peduncle, no less, dry up on me :(. I got her from Gardino's as well.

~Fussiest: The most notable has been ilagiorum. It LOVES the heat and humidity of summer, but the leaves sulk and wrinkle in the winter for me :(. But it's alive! :D Yet, the cutting I took off of my plant is doing rather well!

~Hardiest: verticillata. I hadn't watered it in ages, and it's still going strong! A few bottom leaves dried up and fell off, but nothing of too much concern. A nice, deep soaking not long ago was applied. Nikki and my speckled carnosa are doing great, too.

I think that's it for notes for now. Been rather attentive to them since I've been working a lot. I managed to get a few days off this week's schedule, which is nice not only for my plants, but for me, too :) . Can't take care of the plants if you're not in good shape yourself!

Hope you all are doing well! I wish you guys could come into work sometime and dine. I'm a server at my local Pizza Hut (we still have the buffet and salad bar, too ;) ).

Howls from central PA,

Brad AKA Moonwolf

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Comments (2)

popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
6 years ago
Thank you for your observations and introductions to some varieties I didn't previously know. It's only been one year into my hoya obsession so my experience isn't the most useful. But so far I will give you this:

Easiest: Anything pubicalyx. Pubicalyx was my first hoya. I received a few cuttings from a neighbor. I tried rooting them in water first and saw nothing happening so I ended up just potting them up into one pot. Since then, it has really taken off. And since then, I have acquired several other pubicalyx. They all seem to be no muss, no fuss.

Fussiest: lacunosas. Just seem to have a hard time knowing how much water they want. I completely lost lacunosa 'Ruby Sue'.

First to flower: Multiflora. The only hoya I have that actually is producing peduncles and soon to be blooms. I'm patiently awaiting any other blooms.

Favorite: Tough one, but I really love Mathilde. It's just so stinking cute with its tiny leaves.

I haven't noticed sheperdii to be super-thirsty, but mine is not very big, just a 4" pot. And I had an obovata that looked great and then within days dropped all its leaves. I have two other ones now that are cuttings from two different plants. They seem to be doing fine but not really growing. Sustaining.

Also wanted to say that motoskei is really interesting. The curbside hoya that I acquired has always looked very different from my other carnosas. And when I looked at pictures of motoskei, I think that might be a match! I mean, I can't say for sure, but it looks more like that.
moonwolf_gw
Original Author
6 years ago
Nice list! Lacunosas are one of my favorites, but I end up killing them, too. cv. Mathilde is one I've never been able to keep alive for very long, either. I LOVE pubicalyx and all varieties of it!!! It was one of the first ones to flower for me. My bella is setting buds, so I will have some type of Hoya flowers soon in my life (doing better with this plant this time around).

Motoskei is gorgeous and very underrated. It has more rounded than long leaves like carnosa. So it's a favorite for foliage. I can't wait for those pale pink/white flowers :).

Brad AKA Moonwolf
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