...there will be 7 flowers in my imperialis. Here's one taking a little preview of the world!
Christina
Very soon...
Oh, Christina. That is stunning!! I mean, STUNNING!
OK, it is now your duty to tell us everything you did to get this to happen: What kind of light, what kind of watering, any misting, what kind of warmth and humidy, etc., etc.
Did I mention that is gorgeous? What is its name?
ann
Ew, I have one of these now, I am so lucky, please do tell us everything we need to grow this beauty. Here is my purdy H. emperialis from my hoya trading buddy Mel. Thanks again.... :) I've got my rebar bent !!!!!
Very pretty Christina
Exquisite, as usual! I think you must have magic hoya fairy dust in your house............
Christina....MAGNiFIQUE!!!!
Tami...H. imperialis needs WARM. After not growing at all, my first imperialis I put on a shelf at the TOP of my greenhouse and it began to grow. Warm warm and more warm.
Swedish daughter...you have a gift with that camera AND your plants!!!
Carol
Ann (and the rest of you),
I didn't do anything for this to happen. It just seems to happen now and then and it's out of my control. I just seem to enjoy it when it happens!
My plant had only the name imperialis when I bought it, but the leaves and flowers look like the var. Rauschi (not sure I spelled that right).
I have it in a west window where it's mostly sunny and warm. We do, however, have long narrow high ventilation hatches on both sides of that window a few plants away from the imperialis and we have these hatches open a lot during the whole year. So it gets a cool breeze now and then too. I guess I have the "needed" air movement there!!
I water it when it looks like it needs it, give it a heavy shower a couple of times a year to remove the dust, NEVER mist it (too much work!), I have no idea about the humidity but I have water containers hanging on our radiator underneath the window board and I think that helps during the winter...
Thanks for the comments! I'm waiting for the rest to open and I'll post another photo.
Christina
Things are starting to happen...
Christina
Oh Christina ~ THAT IS JUST BEEEEAAAAUUUUUTTTIIIFUL!!!
I agree with the comment about fairy dust - how DO you do it?!?!?!
I just aquired my own little Imperialis (from the Hawaiian Hoya Pimpette) and I am going to try my best to get it to bloom some day!
Thanks for sharing!
Betsy
Christina
Thats a lovely picture!
I cant wait until my own imperialis blooms!! :-)
Christina - you are amazing with that camera - beautiful flower!! Sadly, I experienced the agony of defeat with my imperialis! :(
Are you SURE that thing is REAL?? Ha Ha...I am only kidding!
It really does look like it is made of fine porcelain or some lovely wax flower doesn't it? Makes you realize why they dub these hoyas the "wax plants".
Marcy
It's real enough! When there were 4 flowers open I thought I'd take another photo... After a few shots number 5 opened up with a popping sound and there were quite a lot of moisture inside the flower. Number 6 is opening too now so I'll just wait for the 7th and THEN I'll post another photo.
The first one that opened seems a bit bigger than the rest. If you were to flatten it out it would measure 9 cm (=3.6 inches) and the whole umbel is amazing to look at!
Christina
OK...I am just going to have to have that one. Which Imperialis is that one? It is going on my wish list. I do have one Imperialis, but it does not have the straight leaves like that one, also I think when it blooms it is not that color.
That is wild...how it actually made a POP when it opened. Ha Ha. Must have been stuck.
Marcy
Christina,
I'm speechless =)))
/Lotta
It's probably imperialas var. Rauschi and the leaves might look like they are straight, but they are actually mostly a bit wavy on the edges. Here are 5.5 flowers. The last 1.5 seem to wait until tomorrow.
Christina
Zowwwwweeeeee, that is beautiful.
You get a better perspective if you see them with some leaves. On a Swedish forum such a photo was "ordered" so I might as well post it here too. It's from yesterday and only 3 flowers are open.
Christina
There is something very wrong with my H. imperialis. Your leaves are so dark and lush looking. Actually my imperialis belongs to DH and I think he has managed to "love it to death". She looks way over fertilized.
I would love to have the white form from Palawan. Until I get one of the others to thrive, I'm not going to try it.
Susan
You lucky girl Christina, they are beautiful flowers. Considering Hoya plants are not native to Sweden, you sure treat them well and have great luck in getting them all to bloom. I am so impressed with all your blooms and Lotta's too.
Please keep all the pictures coming!
Deb
Okay, all 7 are open. Final photo!
It does have a vague fragrance, but only if you stick your nose into it.
Thanks for all your comments!
Christina
Oh, Christina!!! The beauty is beyond words. Enjoy!!!
OH MY GOOOOOOOODNESS! I just can't believe the beauty! wow!!!!
Oh now that's beautiful - I'm inspired to try this one again!!!
Yes, they are so fantastic! How long will they last? A couple of weeks?
Can you order that plant to bloom when you're having your hoya-meeting this summer, please? =) I'd like to see them IRL!
Sorry Lotta, they only last about 3 weeks until they start looking wrinkled. The last umbel (unless the one now decides to bloom again) will be all wrinkled around mid-end of July. MAYBE, there will be some wrinkled ones to see. Perhaps I'll freeze one of the last ones for you!!!
Christina
Oh wow Christine, this hoya is just beautiful. I can't wait to get a bloom. THis could easily become my favorite hoya. Thanks for sharing photo's :)