Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Diseases, pests,... of Hoyas, data collection thread, 1 by PanamonCreel

PanamonCreel wrote:
1. Name of disease: Dry Stem (My made up name for it)
2. Type of disease: unknown
3. Effected parts of Plant: Majure Stems
4. Type of damage: shriveled leaves, leaf loss on stems after effected area
5. Possible root cause: possible natural soil to epiphytic change
6. Recommended cures/remedies:cut stem after effected area and re-root the cut off section(s)

A short section of a stem dries out and bottlenecks down which does not allow water/nutrients to be transported by the stem to areas after the effected section(s). Can also occur on stem sections just above soil level. Often goes un-noticed for long periods of time (several weeks to several month) and one only sees it when leaves start to shrivel and/or fall off.
I have seen this happen relatively often and my theory is that this is the way of Hoyas in the wild where they seperate completely from their toots in the soil to a complete epiphytic growth.

Have seen it happen on many different Hoyas including but not limited to H. carnosa, H. pubicalyx, H. pottsii, H. cinnamomifolia.
May not occur on Hoyas which remain terrestrial in the wild like Eriostemmas or H. multiflora. I personally haven't seen it happen with those yet.