I'm growing a large specimen thats variegated and about to bloom....

Here is a link that might be useful:

Hmmm, I thought that Hoyas came from Australia and SE Asia. You might want to check on that.

Stephanotis is pretty popular; I think that Toni might have one or two...and maybe Mike...just to name a few. Mike is a big collector of fragrant plants.

The plant family to which Stephanotis belongs, Apocynaceae (a-pa-kin-A-see)is a pretty big one...with many of our favorite ornamental plants. Lots of the family members are known for their fragrant flowers, milky sap, and toxicity. Are you familiar with Vinca major and minor? How about Oleander, Confederate and Asiatic Jasmine, and Mandevilla? Those are just a few of our favorite plants in this important family.

I don't grow this plant because I really don't like heavy fragrances close to me. I had a huge Hoya that bloomed 9 months of the year...and I gladly sold it a couple of years ago! I do have an Osmanthus fragrans, but it's planted outside in the yard. ;-)

randy you have all these variegated forms that i didnt existed in certain plants. first zz plant and now the jasmine

i am familiar with all of these plants. i have grown oleander and mandevilla. here is a article about it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocynaceae
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanotis

I have one grown for years from seed. It never bloomed, frustrating.

Teen, anyone who likes fragrant plants has to love Stephanotis. Its fragrance is strong yet sweet.
Problem is getting Stephs to bloom.

Randi, your variegated Steph is gorgeous. Does the variegated type need more sun than green?
I have a 'small' variegated Steph, but don't know which window to place it. I hope it doesn't revert. It'd be nice if it bloomed, too.

Rhizo, you're so funny. Yes, I have a green Steph, purchased 1989.
After a bout with Mealy, I chopped it down to the soil line. Don't know if it will make it or not, since it's been through so much. I DETEST Mealy Bugs.

Olympia, wish we knew the secret getting Stephs to bloom. Who knows, maybe one day you'll wake to a pleasant scent. Toni

TeenG,

In my area they tend to appear around Mother's Day, often called Stephanotis on the tag. I've failed twice in trying to grow these indoors.

As to Madagascar, I think Rhizo is right, pointing out that Hoyas are largely from Asia & Australia, it's many succulents that are from Madagascar, particularly some that don't appear anywhere else, maybe that's what you're thinking about.

Toni,
I have mine potted up getting about 3 hours of full sun (10am to 1pm approx.)As we speak it has about 40 buds ready to bloom. I'll take a picture in a few days.
RandY

Randy, can't wait to see your pictures.
I've seen green Stephs in bloom, but never variegated.
So, is your Steph in an east-facing window? Toni

I thought I was ambivalent about this plant until I saw Randy's pic! Those are leaves I can look at waiting for flowers that may or may not come.

Almost......

{{gwi:89373}}

Gosh Randy,

Variegated AND blooming, woo-hooo, must be exciting! Those leaves remind me of Ficus elastica variegata, in appearance & I'd guess texture too. TFS.

I saw an unusual variegate today, while I stopped to enjoy it, I thought of you & wished I had my camera on me. A pale lavender blooming Hydrangea w/ variegated leaves (a white edging), quite handsome. I'll try for a pic of it sometime.

PS: thanks for confirming that it was a variegated ZZ plant on that other thread.

Oh I notice now - it's OUTSIDE, hence the masses of flower buds. Nice, Randy!

my grandmother had a huge one in her backyard heated greenhouse for eighty years. it grew on the wide spaced netting in her greenhouse in schenectady. every year it has gorgeous literally hundreds of white flowers in spring. but she died. by uncle inherited the plant, house and greenhouse. he cant grow plants so i go there every few days to maintain it. it is so tricky. it is practically my plant. by know it is almost a hundred years old. imagine having a plant since the 1920. it is my baby

I have a plant in my greenhouse that I started from seed about 3 years ago. The label says Jasmine stephanotis florebunda. It really didn't grow much until this summer and I got tired of looking at it in the greenhouse and put the pot outside. My puppy dragged it around in the yard so finally brought it back into the greenhouse. Today I was cleaning the greenhouse up (its been a dump and run) since early summer. It has really grown and I noticed the leaves looked just like my hoya so came in the house to look it up in the computer and saw that the plants are related. Now instead of a regular pot I am going to have to change to a hanging pot. My hoya bloomed for the first time this summer although I didn't notice much smell from the flowers.

Ellie

Ah another plant in my old books I was curious about! Good to see.

Nope. I grew one for several years and it never flowered. Then I saw one in bloom in a shop, did not like the smell, similar in my mind to narcissus, which I have never liked either. I have had success with hoyas though, and I do like their scent. My stephanotis just up and died one year.

Back in June, I was frustrated by my Stephanotis does not bloom. However, it bloomed for me after I openly complained.. It might have ears...

I love its scent, sweet and clear, long blooming season...flowers keep coming... till I move it inside recently. Nice dark green foliage and easy to grow...