H. curtisii...conquered!

H. curtisii...it has been my "Waterloo" for all the years I have known it. Never could quite figure it out...hated it/loved it. So, I think I have figured it out...thought I would pass it along.

I had it growing under the eaves of the house...lots of light. It sat and sulked. Soooooo, I moved it down to where some plants grew between the hook on the eave and the light. After about 2 weeks I have 2"-3" of new growth all over the plant...like it woke up! Since the top of the pot is covered with hoya...the soil does not dry out that much...and I hit it with a hose about once or twice a week.

I seem to have found the magic bullet...thought I would pass it along. Nothing is more stunning than a 8" pot that looks like a ball...and it is all H. curtisii.

Carol

My experience has been more light, more blooms, prettier color foliage, but the overall appearance of the plant is so so. In deeper shade I get a nice, lush plant fairly quickly.
For reference when I say more light, I mean kept with my Vandas (35% shade) in South Florida. Less light is with the Bulbophyllums (73% shade).
The plants with the Vandas are watered daily this time of year. The others probably every other day. All of the plants I'm referring to are grown in tree fern pots or globes. It would be a far different protocol in a pot.

Interesting, Chris. We grow Vandas in full sun here...100% and the only hoya I grow full sun are the Eriostemmas.

Actually, the H. curtisii blooms underwhelm me...I much prefer the foliage en masse. Mine was in bloom and I didn't even notice!!!

Visited a friend today who grows incredibly lush blooming hoyas....his foliage is awful because they cook in the sun...but everything is covered with blooms!!! He is about 3 deg. warmer and more humid than I am. He also keeps his plants a lot dryer...and grows them in straight black cinder.

More than 2 ways to skin a cat! And hoyas are tough, right?

Welcome, Chris....glad you found us.

Could we see pictures of your tree fern pots?

None of you mentioned fertilizer. Remember I work at the Huntingon, our Curtsii are in bright light, but not direct light, they are growing on the bench of a greenhouse with hight ceilings. We call this the tropical, it has controlled humidity for tropical plant, we haven't flowered the plant yet. but I divided it 8 ways since last May 21. We do use a liquid fertilizer weekly. They are planted in our catus mix which has 20% organic 60% pumice for fast drainage, and 20% coarse washed construction sand. We do nothing else to the soil. The are really growing, and I have been asked to cut them back. Norma

I mix 14-14-14 in the soil, as well as MagAmp when I pot up. Then I foliar feed with a bloom fertilizer. Every 6 months I replace the triple14. I do this to all of my hoyas, at the same time.

I'm done with Curtisii. Everyone else's is lovely!! It just doesn't like me! Glad to hear of your success.

That is how I felt until I actually had success. I think it just doesn't like to be fooled with...arrogant and aloof!