Hello,
I have 3 plants which I have been told are Hoyas. I have no idea what they are or how to take care of them. Can you id them and give me some pointers on how to care for them? right now I have them in full sun.
I think I have 3 Hoyas - ID please
Here is a fuller picture of the image above
This one looks like bean pods
And this one needs a haircut
#1 looks like the one that everyone is calling tsangii, but I've heard that it';s not named correctly but there is no other name for it. I'm calling mine tsangii still.
#2 looks like shepherdii.
#3 is my absolute favorite!!! Linearis! where did you get such an awesome basket of it?!! I have one little thin vine, I would LOVE to have a basket like that!!
Tsangii can take a bit more sun and the leaves will turn a very nice red color, just be careful that it doesn't get too much midday sun and get totally burned. I keep mine moist, but not wet drying only slightly between watering.
I grow my shepherdii totally out of the sun, it sits under the eave of the house with no sun whatsoever and I found that here at least it likes it that way. I've also heard that it likes a bit cooler temps. I water this one about once a week and let it dry between waterings.
I've heard that linearis doesn't like direct sun, and likes to be kept moist also to keep the leaves nice and plump.
All your plants look great, how long have you been growing them?
Raven
Hi Raven,
Thank you for replying - actually my mom recently passed away and these are her plants.
I have them at my house now to take care of them. She has always had a green thumb and I am hoping she left that to me as well. :)
#1's leaves will turn red? Wow - that's good to know because they definitely have a hint of red. And I was thinking maybe he was getting to much water. The blooms on this plant are adorable. Right now he gets full sun - but I am considering moving him. I just dont know where. It is either full sun or on the patio. Which is covered and screened. It is blooming so i must be doing something right.
#2 does not look as healthy as the others - I may take him out of the full sun and try him on the patio.
#3 cracks me up - he needs a haircut. And you say he does not like direct sun either. Hmm maybe I need to move them all.
I am so afraid of killing them that I do not know which way to turn. Thank you for giving me some guidance.
No problem at all, of course I am no expert and someone else may have some better advice to give you, I just let you know what works for me. :O)
One other thing to watch for is that you do not over water them as that will rot the roots and they will die.
Alot of big growers will grow their hoyas in 80% shade, so you know that they will be fine if you move them all out of the sun.
I totally understand wanting to take the best care of plants that came form someone so close to you. My mom died when I was 18 and I tried so hard to take care of all of her plants, I almost had a heart attack when my dad's new wife killed every single one of my mom's plants, what a heart break that was! I will offer you any help, any time!
Raven
Hi squeaky - H. tsangii is supposed to go back to its original designation which was H. DS-70 (according to Chris Burton who published it...and said it was in error). Doesn't sound too romantic does it...I think you could probably call it H. aff. tsangii but that means it does not have an ID which it does have; H. DS-70. Yep...confuses me, too. But it is definitely not supposed to be H. tsangii.
I would say that the second one "could" be H. shepherdii - but one I thought was that turned out to be H. cv. Minibelle or Shepherdell...
Now, Raven...my first thought was H. linearis too....but the segmentation looks wrong to me...H. linearis has smaller very fuzzy longish leaves....right now I would say it is a Rhipsalis.... Squeaky, can you take a closer-up (new word I invented!!!) picture showing the leaf more closely and a couple of nodes???
Really really nice healthy plants!!! The H. DS-70 loves to live in my shower which has a big window...it likes the humidity and the blooms smell like butterscotch!!!
OK...thems my opinions... :oD
Butterscotch..huh? Now I have heard butter, pancake syrup, candy, breakfast muffins, and honey. I really can't decide what mine smells like, but it IS something sweet and I love it.
I wish I had enough light in my bathroom to have plants, I would LOVE to lay in the tub & look up & around at a jungle like that.
I think that plant (whatever it is) would love the humidity too as it's leaves always seem rather dry compared to other hoyas with their waxy supple looking leaves, but it also doesn't seem to like too much water. Mine gets yellow leaves if I overdo it, so I let it dry out pretty much before rewatering. I also moved it to a clay pot. I had mine in the sun this summer and the leaves did turn more of a reddish but they also got spotted and rather molty (it that a word?) looking, so I put it back in the shade. Looks much better now and still has the red edges.
OK...just my 2 cents on this.
Marcy
Ok....so...
...my H. tsangii is now (or is once more) H. DS-70.....most definately NOT romantic. It's leaf edges are turned under a tad....is it too dry AlohaH? Also, AlohaH, do you have a good link or pic of H. fungii? I got one in trade, but she wasn't sure if it really is fungii or not (here he is).
Karen
HI - well, if the margins (the very edges of the leaf) turn under (recurve), that is natural....if the whole leaf is curling...check the roots. When DS-70 is about to croak, the leaves get very very dry and leathery looking/feeling.
Karen...that picture is not H. fungii - looks more like H. carnosa or H. motoskei.
Here is H. fungii - it has very obvious venation.....
Uh oh....leathery and dry!........it won't hurt him to lift him out of the pot and rinse off the soil to look at the roots? Does H. DS-70 want to be moist or dry out between waterings? It has some new growth...so there's hope....I hope! If he's croaking can I cut him up quick to root stems?
thanks for lookin' at my pic.........I hope it's motoskei...don't have one yet (or maybe I do!) LOL
AlohaH, you're so awesome, thanks for your help! :~D
Carol, my H. fungii looks totally different than your picture, my leaves are rather fuzzy and very wide and long. I do have a plant that looks like the one in your pic, but it camed labelled dasyantha.
Can you tell us where you got your fungii?
Raven
Raven...I got mine from the garden of a hoya collector here near Hilo...the label was H. carnosa from Vietnam and when it flowered, it was ID'd as H. fungii (syn. H. carnosa 'Vietnam'). Chris Burton ID'd it and I trust her ID's when done with leaf and flower.
Can you post a pic. of your H. fungii...maybe this should start another thread?
I will look up H. dasyantha in the Hoyans and see if it is syn. for something else or if it is correct.
Whoaaa.. time out. please.. I am lost - you people are talking a different language than the one I am used to :)
Could someone point me to a place where I can learn about these plants and the different names, origination, etc. I have just discovered them and they are very interesting.
Are they in anyway related to orchids? Is that a stupid question?
I will go try and get a closer picture of the one that needs a haircut (linearis or Rhipsalis)
I am so lost :)
FWIW.....I have two fungiis & neither one is fuzzy or furry? They are both totally smooth on the front and the backs.
Marcy
Ok Here is a close up of the guy that needs a hair cut.
I did not realize these have a sweet smell?
I have not noticed a scent - but then again - I did not really sniff... And they are out in the yard..
Hmm... boy the neighbors are going to think Im nuts ...
Marcy, what is FWIW? Can you show us your fungii? Hee hee, that sounds really funny!!!
Squeaky, it still looks like linearis to me, are the leaves fuzzy?
Raven
No the leaves are smooth and round like strands of spaghetti.
Nope then, not linearis, I guess I'm going to have to get a rhipsalis, I've never seen one before!
Raven
I agree with Carol on plant #3 being a Rhipsalis. Hoya linearis has thin, slightly fuzzy leaves coming off the vine in pairs. I had only seen it in a picture in one of the old Hoyan issues, then walked right by one in a garden center
3-4 times overlooking it thinking it was a Rhipsalis. When the light bulb in my head went off I almost ran to snatch it up (even though I was the only person there LOL!)
Sqeaky, If I were you I'd move them to that covered porch, they do look like they get a bit too much sun (exept the Rhipsalis, it looks great!)
Give that DS-70 a whif and see what you think it smells like (just curious). It seems they have a stronger scent in the morning or evening when it's cooler outside.....
If you decide to clean up #2 don't cut off those little bumpy things, only dead leaves. I can see your plant (probally Hoya shepherdii) has bloomed several times. Most Hoyas bloom over and from the same place after the flowers fall off. They are called peduncles or spurs (an unofficial nickname)
Marcy,
This may sound odd.... I have two DS-70's (geesh, it sounds odd and yes, unromantic not to call it H. tsangii) both Exotic Angel brand plants. The one in the greenhouse smelled like pancake syrup or something sweet when I sniffed it yesterday, the one in the house smells like butter. I also got up the nerve to taste the nector and it is sweet as well.....
Raven....FWIW = for what it's worth
I do not have a fungii pic in my computer. I will take one, but it will have to be later.
Yes, her plant definitely looks like a ripsallis to me too. I have a huge one and it has those little white pea like things on it now too.
Marcy
Thank you all for helping identify these.
SO I have a DS-70, shepherdii and rhipsalis.
I have moved them out of the full sun - and hung them under one of the window awnings.
I am starting to think the DS-70 needs to be re-potted. It seems to be to small for the pot. Any suggestions on how to re-pot - or what I should be aware of?
Unfortunately the DS-70 does not have a fragrance. But I will keep sniffin now and then.
I don't have time to read all of the letters here so if what I say is a repeat forgive me.
Plant number 3 attached to the original letter in this thread is not a hoya. It is a Rhipsalis.
Chris Burton
OOPS! Pardon me, I guess I can't count --- it is #4 that is not the hoya. It is a Rhipsalis.
Chris Burton
Thanks for the clarification.
I smelled the flowers on #1 and it DOES smell like butter..
Silly me.. I was smelling the leaves..