Popmama, that is an incredible Hoya! I am completely impressed. I need to seek out friends like your. 🤣

I'm also glad to hear that someone else let's their hoyas grow like I do.

I wish you all the best popmama. Enjoy your holidays, stay safe and stay well....

I let mine grow, too. Unless I am taking cuttings or trimming away vines that have broken or died back. Something about seeing them cover their trellis or spill over the hanging pot is very aesthetically pleasing. If only I could brighten up the workplace with plants.

Just got back in from shoveling snow. The one neighbor's son is helping do our driveway. Thankfully, my one manager said I didn't have to worry about going into work tonight since they were slow, anyway. Wishing I had a greenhouse to retreat into while all of this snow fell. The glass panes dusted with snow. Someday.....

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Bill, it's kind of a funny story how I ended up with those enormous hoyas. There was a huge expensive house for sale not too far from my house. I was curious about it so I looked at the listing online on Zillow. Well, I immediately saw all the plants and not much else. Haha.

So I thought to myself, "If they have a moving sale, I want to see the inside!" A couple weeks later I was driving by and saw the moving sale sign. I couldn't get in fast enough. It was unreal what this person had growing. The house had a wall of West-facing windows and the owner had huge amazing plants. It was like a botanic garden. She had giant palms and philodendrons and these hoyas growing everywhere. She wanted me to buy a philodendron that was like 8 feet tall. I don't have room for such things. She sold me two cuttings of it. She gave me some cuttings of her monstera. Then she sold me these two hoyas. She talked me into it! I paid $25 each.

I really wish I had gleaned more information from her. I think I was in shock.

I let mine be unruly because that is how I like them best. Only trim to share, and I remove a dead or damaged leaf her or there. Every now and then I check to make sure adventuring tendrils aren't getting in trouble.

I don't know Popmama - finding plants on the street, seeing plants for sale on moving sales - hmmm? I need to get out more!

Megan - I too like to let my plants grow out. I think they look better that way. Of course they get unruly but if my wife's sewing room can be filled with material and machines - then my sun room can be filled with plants! It's a great compromise and works for both of us.

I am afraid to cut mines back because I feel like I am chopping off the head of the area I could grow flowers.lol So I have been sticking with smaller compact Hoyas and turning away from large over flowing ones. Good question Bill)) I can get more smaller compact ones with better chances of flowering verses huge ones with limited space.

Meyermike - I hear you on the "smaller" types of hoyas. Unfortunately, the ones I have, Crimson Queen, Australis, Kerii, obovata, publicalix and macrophilia tend to grow very long vines which I am reluctant to cut off. Last year my queen set several peduncles which all bloomed. The plant was gorgeous. It bloomed on the vines which I hadn't cut off, which brings me back to the circle of not cutting them off and letting them grow out. The problem, which you've mentioned, is the space they take up. Mine consume a large amount of space even though they are wrapped around a makeshift trellis several times.

Which smaller hoyas are you cultivating? What has been your experience with them in growing them out, branching, etc? I also have a multifloria which is a couple of shoots but hasn't branched yet, and two clippings of an odorata which one of the posters on here was kind enough to send me. The odorata is just now beginning to send up a shoot on one of the clippings, but the other is doing nothing.

I'd really like to hear about how you grow yours, type of care etc, as it may help me as well as others reading this.

Stay well and stay healthy my friend.

Bill M....

Bill- Hello)

I have a few and I am so bad with names. All the squirrels steal the tags leaving me to guess. They even ate my Christmas lights..lol I will take pics late rand you can see. One is starting to bloom now and the one flower that has opened has smelled the whole room up. I guess no need for large if a tiny plant can do that))

I use to have a ton of huge plants but just needed more and more of my prime sunnier areas leaving less room to grow other plants that I like. Ugh. I need a huge greenhouse .

Great idea.

Mike

Mike - I definitely hear you on the squirrels! I hesitate to put my plants outside in the spring / summer because those little guys dig everything up. I'd love to put the plants under some trees and let them grow naturally, if only for 5 months or so, but whenever I do the squirrels dig up the soil or sample the plants. I've had several philodendrons completely dug out of their pots, only to find a walnut in it's place! Good trade for a squirrel but not so much for me.

Nice to hear your plants are beginning to bloom. All of mine, with the exception of my Krimson Queen and my multiflora are still too small. I like large leaves on a plant, but as you said - space becomes an issue.

When you get a chance, post some pics. Maybe we can help you out with their names and even if not, it's just something nice to look at during these dreary days of winter.

stay well my friend....

Hi Bill. Here goes with some pics. Now I know there are some pretty smart friends here and I’ll bet they can tell me. Too funny with the squirrels yet aggravating. Glad they don’t dig out my plants like yours and just take my tags. I had no idea they ate lights. lol. It’s the first year I put some out and of course they are those.
Here is some pics to make anyone smile in these times. My father is still not doing to well with the Covid. He’s in isolation.

A few more

Few more

A few more

Just a few more

I slipped a couple of orchids in there too in case anyone loves fragrant easy to grow Ones !!
Enjoy

Popmama,- I was looking at your pics again and the story. Got a kick out of it and they are just huge and nice looking. You are so lucky to have stumbled on that find. Where did you eventually hang them? Any pics of where they are? I am sure we would LOVE to see how they look at your place. I even bet you will get lots of flowers before you know it. Congrats))

Bill. Here just a couple more

This one is my Hoya krohniana

very hard to grow

I see you grow them under lights. I do the same, supplementing the meager sunlight I receive this time of year with a couple of 19 watt led lights I picked up at HD.

BTW - what do you find difficult in growing krohniana? I don't have it and wouldn't know, but I'm curious as to why it gives you trouble?

I have a similar problem with linearis. I purchase clippings, stick them in soil in a propagation box and before too long I've got a nice pot of compost! It seems this is the one plant I can't get to start. Maybe krohniana is your troublemaker?

Mike,

Everything looks amazing as always!

I recently got two small plants from ebay, so now I'm learning how to care for Hoya's. It's nice having plants again!

Prayers for your dad! I hope he's improving!

Hugs!

JoJo