Well, I was talking with Micheal Miyashiro today trying to find the correct ID on a plant I got from someone who had gotten it from him. - whew...that was long! LOL (I had a H. sp. Laos which is actually another clone of H. verticillata).
He told me that he had never heard of an Eriostemma (like H. coronaria, H. lauterbachii, H. sussuela, for instance) that wasn't growing in litter with their roots down to Limestone. He said I should SEE what an Eriostemma does when the roots hit the Limestone - that they become more like a bush, fuller, and they bloom all the time! He said I should try putting an Eriostemma in a pot with a layer of crushed coral in the bottom, then sand or cinder or pebble and then your regular mix on top of that and watch the plant take off.
Anyone have any comments on this? I am going to try it out with some H. cv. Ruthie and some others...will let you know what I find out (someone rescue this thread in about 6 months, OK?).
Carol
Interesting Theory - Eriostemmas
I am repotting up a few of my plants today.... I will also give it a try. ty Carol.
Carol, will you explain Eriostemma for me? I searched your website and I don't seem to have one, but am interested in what makes them different. Thanks...
Karen :~D
Hmmmm. I will try:
Eriostemmas are a man-made "Section" of Hoya. Some people have tried to separate them out as their own Genus. They all rather look similar in the leaves and stems (I have a hard time telling them apart without flowers). They grow rampantly up into the canopy and bloom with a lot of light... In my view, they tend to be a lot "horsier" than some other hoyas except for a few like H. calycina, H. imperialis. They are sensitive to cold, moving around ... some examples are:
H. coronaria
H. purpurea
H. sussuela
H. ciliata
H. cv. Ruthie
H. cv. Monette
H. cv. Black Star
H. cv. Optimistic
H. sp. Apple Green
H. lauterbachii
Their flowers tend to be big and waxy. They are said (by the "separators") not to put out advanticious roots, but some of mine do climbing a mossy tree.
Hope this helps. There is an article on Eriostemmas written by Ed Gilding on Hoya Info., I think.
Carol
Thanks Carol! That's exactly what I wanted to know. I appreciate it! Karen :~D
I talked to Ed Gilding today, the fellow who crossed all those hybrids and who collected Eriostemmas...anyway, he thought putting crushed coral or sea shells in the bottom of the pot was a great Idea. I asked him about mixing crushed oyster shell in with the soil and he talked about something in the oyster shell that creates a negative impact...but the coral is great. I have planted up a number of them...and see if I can see any difference..
Aloha
Ah Carol, you have an Eriostemma science experiment and I have a "nodeless H. kerri" science experiment. Hey....it's "fun with plants"! LOL
Karen
Hey Carol.....I looked in Santa Cruz last weekend for a piece of coral to crush and place in the bottom of my new lovie Eriostemma, but couldn't find any (without buying a $30 masterpiece!). DH came home today with a Beef Jerky bag (he ATE all the jerky...can you believe it?) filled with fresh-water clam shells. Can I wash them and crush them with my hammer and put them in the bottom of the pot? Do you think it will accomplish the same thing?
How thoughtful of him to look for amendment for my new special Hoya...huh? He got a brownie point for that today! Good boy!
Karen :~D
Hmmmm, fresh water...I don't know. Try it...can't hurt.
Ed did say that Oyster shells have a calcium carbonate (good) but also a trace element that inhibits the absorbtion... I don't have a clue about FW Clams. Try it...can't hurt!!
Carol
On the E. Pacific there is little coral...try clams from the beach (not oysters) or any sandstone stuff.
Okie dokie.....I may wait and take a "girlfriend day" with my buddy from Salinas and see if a walk on the beach with a cup-o-java and a special lady-friend will produce said beach clams.....what a great excuse to "have to drive to Santa Cruz" to spend a day with my bud!!!! Man, this gets better and better!
K :~D)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) LOL!
There is more to life than meets the eye!!
I would take ANY excuse to walk the beach!!! (look for those broken bits of grey that sometimes turns up in the flotsom and jetsome. It is dead coral, but still useful for the elements contained therein.
GOFURIT...and if you go thru that area with all the Artichokes (Castro?)...think of me. My fave. vegie and they are 4.00 each here (and not fresh)!!!
Carol
....wanna come visit CA in May?
http://www.artichoke-festival.org/
K :~D
Tempting...but way too busy... I may be going to Vegas for a few days ... too many hoyas around here!!!
Just curious for those of you who added crushed coral to your Eriostemmas, how they are doing? It's been about 4 months now since this thread was first posted.
I did repot my Eriostemmas, but t hasn't been that long and I have noticed great new growth. It could be a conbination of the Eleanor's VF-11 too, as I just started using that about 2 months ago. When I repotted my plants I used clay pebbles over the crushed coral and the Eriostemma plants seem to like it.
Deb