Ok. After lurking on this forum for several weeks, I've decided that I'd like to have a hoya of my own. The trouble is that I know nothing at all about taking care of them. Can someone please instruct me on things like water and light requirements. Also suggestions on which ones are easier for beginners would be great. I've actually grown rather fond of the campacta. Is this one ok for beginners?
All About Hoyas (Questions)
My experience is that compacta likes to grow on the dryer side, so I have mine in a well draining mix of cactus soil, perlite and potting mix. I usually only water it once a week.
Other easy hoya's to grow and bloom or the H. publicalyx variety's, Kerri's, Fungii, Obovata,
and of the H carnosa variety's. I also find H. bella to be pretty easy, however it likes more water
than the other's. There are many other's that I have found to be easy to grow and bloom but I grow all of mine in the greenhouse where it get's very bright light.
jdee, H. compacta was my first hoya. The sucker grew like crazy and bloomed in 9 months when I had no idea it was a hoya. Once I found out it was a hoya I almost killed it with kindness. If you are interested in some beginner plants, please email me I have many proven bloomers in duplicate and in some case triplicate. They need a good home.
Susan
Here is a photo I took this p.m. of my H. compacta (variegated) growing around and around a palm tree...and blooming to beat the band...
jdee...Susan is a great grower of Hoya...and generous to a fault...she is serious...begging for a home for her prizes .... (hehhehheh...to make room to buy more!!! Right?).... If you don't take her up on her offer, you won't pass the plant/hoya-holic test!!
LOL
gorgeous compacta. Susan, I sent you an email. Do I pass? lol
Don't forget to get a H. lacunosa, Jdee! It puts on one flush of blooms after another and has a fresh fragrance similar to lemon pledge. H. shepherdi is also a reliable bloomer with a lovely fragrance.
Susan, you are a sweetheart with your generous spirit! Hats off to you for your kindness!!
Mel
I'm excited to report that I'm the proud owner of three hoyas courtesy of NightBloomer54 (thanks so much, Susan). I have H. pubicalyx Pink Silver, H. pottsii, and H. carnosa (Krimson Queen). They arrived Friday, and I just love them....
Congratulations! Those look like excellent starter plants. I really like your hangers too. Macrame hangers are hard to come by these days. They look great!
What a treat, jdee!!! You must be a proud Mama!
Carol
Actually, I got them at Walmart. They're made of some kind of nylon instead of the rope material like they used to be. I'd love to have some like the old ones.
I'm afraid it would confuse me as much as it confuses you. I did a google search for macrame patterns, and I couldn't figure out any of them. I'm the type of person who has to be shown how to do something instead of being able to figure it out. :-) My mom's cousin, who is now deceased, knew how to make them, and I'm thinking about asking her daughter if she ever taught her to make them.
Carol, we must have posted at the same time, because I just now read your post. I wasn't trying to ignore you. :) Yes, you're right. I'm a very proud mama. lol
I bought a couple of handmade macrame hangers from Ebay last year. Don't know if the sellers are still on there or not, but I'll bet if you do an ebay search you can find some there. Some people are still making them. Nice to have a world wide web to shop from, huh?
Marcy
Ok, it's official. A new hoya-addict has been born. I was googling hoyas to read about them, and I somehow ended up at ebay. I bought three small (4in pots) hoyas, before I could stop myself. See what ya'll did. lol
I've had this hoya for more than 15 years (it was a start from my Mom) and it has NEVER bloomed. Any tricks and/or ideas as to what to do or why it won't bloom? Also, what variety is it? I didn't realize until I found this forum that there were so many different hoyas.
Ehamilton12, I discovered hoyas more than 20 years ago, and it took me 15 years to find out there were different ones too. I had one like yours, which is a carnosa, for a very long time (I still have its offspring). One rule of thumb for getting carnosa to bloom is to keep it rootbound in its pot. Start with a very small pot, and only transplant when roots are coming out the bottom drainage hole-then only go up 1" in the size of pot. Carnosa likes also to dry out between waterings, and likes a very bright location, without too much direct sun. As well, don't cut off the new growth, which are the brown vines it sends out - peduncles (looks like a spur) will form on these new vines and flowers form on the peduncles. Hope this helps! Good luck.
Christine
Christine, sorry to say but it always makes my toe nails curl when I hear that "dry out between watering" expression in regards to Hoyas. The soil should remain moist at all times but carnosa and others that have a "deeper" root system can tolerate it when the surface of the soil dries out but will not take completely dry soil too well. Some folks use the stick the finger in the soil and water when the soil is dry for the top 1" rule which works with well established plants like the one in question here.
ehamilton, no sure way to tell you how to get it to bloom but maybe the following works for You:
Try to get your plant to a location that has bright filtered light exposure just short of burning the leaves (experimenting required :). The higher the humidity and temperature the better. Water well and use 1/4 strength fertilizer with every watering. I use a bloom booster fertilizer (e.g. 10-52-10) for 2-3 weeks then a balanced one for 4+ weeks then back to bloom booster,...etc.
Wish you luck and many blooms in the near future ;)
Milan
LOL lucky those nails are short :)
Christine, don't feel bad! I preached the "let them dry out before watering" for my first couple years growing Hoyas. SInce I have changed my ways and gotten a heavier watering hand, I have had much better results. Old habits are hard to break!
So Milan, what is your trick that you can get your carnosa blooming in your dryish, non-humidity climate in winter in Quebec?? lol.....now how is that for bad grammar!....
Sandy
Thanks Mel. My problem is, I tried a "heavier watering hand" with my carnosa-types since last year, and only one is blooming right now, but only one umbel at a time (the same as ehamilton's). Normally they all are almost continuously in glorious bloom from Feb-Oct. I do know to dig down an inch or so, and not to let them completely dry out ever, but I had really upped the humidity for them, and they just plain didn't like it apparently. In addition to going back to "surface dry watering", I've got them all sitting on marble beds (my version of a pebble tray). I'm also going to take Milan's advice and fertilize as he suggests too, maybe that'll help them recover from the saturation.
Christine.
Quoting:
So Milan, what is your trick that you can get your carnosa blooming in your dryish, non-humidity climate in winter in Quebec??
Okay I had to read that one a few times now I'm going cross eyed :)
I try to maintain around 50% humidity and keep the same watering/fertilizing schedule like in summer time and that seems to keep carnosa and pubicalyx blooming Year round.
Christine, the problem with using the phrase "let dry out between watering" is that it is not specific enough and folks may think that the soil has to go bone dry before watering again which in turn is not well taken by the majority of Hoyas. The 1" below soil level dry rule is a little longer to explain but is specific enough thus will avoid misunderstandings. Sorry if I sounded a bit harsh about it but that's the engineer in me :)
Milan
Thanks for answering that Milan :)
Worry,.... Me?.....Always, that keeps me on my toes :)
Christine & Milan - Thanks for all the info on watering and fertilizing - and it's name! I knew about the pot-bound deal and have left it in the same pot. My watering habit is usually once a week, which works fine for everything else I have but perhaps this needs more water than it's getting. I certainly don't fertilize that often, so will up the frequency on that score. It's in a west-facing window but with big woods to block the hot sun, although it still gets plenty of light (I think). I only have one place in the house with a south window and that's full of orchids and african violets. Maybe I'll have to turn that space (our breakfast nook) into a greenhouse! :)
Ellen
While I think Hoyas really enjoy more water than less water...there are some, like the H. carnosas, H. pubicalyx, H. sigallatis and others that DO like to grow a bit drier... Not that H. carnosa and friends WON'T grow when grown wet, but they won't grow as well, I find.
Carol
Hello, all
I'm very excited to show you this picture. One of the hoyas that Susan sent me is about to bloom. This is the h. pubicalyx pink silver.
sorry, forgot the photo....
I also got the three hoyas that I ordered off ebay. I just potted them up today. I'm going to show you the picture along with the name that was on the lable. I know that sometimes plants are mislabled, and I'd love it you could tell me the correct names if this is the case with any of mine.
first is H. compacta picta "Mona Loa"
H. compacta variagata "Hindu Rope"
Lastly, H. shephardii "string bean"
I LOVE this one!
Congratulations! jdee, you've gotten Hoya Fever.
Wait till that H. pottsii blooms. So far thats my favorite bloom. Mine used to bloom in the spring and they lasted about a week. The smell is pretty strong so good thing you have it outdoors. Susan has a heart of gold.
Gemila