Can someone tell me how these hoyas are different? Cultural requirements? Which of the more common hoyas belong to this group?
I keep seeing this term but I'm not sure what it means and would like to make some notes so I'm not bewildered by it when I see it. Thanks!
Eriostemma
Eriostemmas are a "section" of hoyas (H. coronaria, H. ciliata, H. sussuela, H. fusca, H. lauterbachii, a few others) that are known as Terrestials. Most of them cover the forest floors and then find something to wind their way UP. They rarely put out rootlets to climb but sometimes do. They like warmth, humidity but not wet feet and they don't like a lot of changes in temperatures (going indoors to out visa versa). They are, perhaps, the most challenging... HTH
I might also add that they like a bit brighter light than most of your other Hoyas. I have also noticed that they sometimes drop leaves in the winter time. Many of them have look-alike leaves and they can be a little boring when not flowering.
Any idea how many Eriostemma's they are? Do they have specific flower characteristics ?
Is H. fusca a.k.a. H. purpurea-fusca?
Thanks Mel and Carol - That's the info I needed. Thanks a bunch!
The main charcteristics of the Eriostemma Group that is easy to see are short soft hairs that cover both stem and leaves.
As far as I saw new growth has the same green color as older growth and not the darker appearance many others have. Furthermore leaves do not get the redish tint when exposed to bright light (at least I never saw it).
Except for H. cv. Ruthie, Milan... She is bald as a Q-ball...(the only one I can tell from the others by the leaves)...very smooth leaves on both side and the stem as well. She grows in full sun without ever getting yellow leaves...maybe some spots of red on the stem and backs of leaves... One tough cookie!
I have heard they they are hard to get to bloom. Is this true for you too, Carol? I have a couple of them, but they are just young from cuttings, so I am still holding out hope.
Also, isn't this the group that likes the crushed coral chips put in the pot bottom? Why is that? Is there soil requirments different than most hoyas?
Marcy
Some of them seem more reluctant than others to bloom. I have had one for 3 years that didn't bloom (H. ciliata), took a small one, planted it in more sun and it was covered with blooms in short time. Some seem to be free bloomers, others not so much.
This is what I have been told: Eriostemmas are terrestial hoyas, i.e. they start growing on the ground, creep around until they find something to climb and go up it until they find the sunlight. They also have been found growing in areas with limestone under the 'soil' and that adding crushed coral at the bottom of the pot mimicks this. Now...this is what I have been told my 3 fellows who have been out collecting: Ted Green, Ed Gilding and Michael Miyashiro. Crushed coral has a form of calcium more easily absorbed than crushed shells and is therefore better. I don't know. I am slowly trying the experiment of putting crushed coral in the bottom of my Eriostemma pots...but I keep forgetting which ones, so my experiment is a bit of a flop!!!
Carol