beginner question

renee_2009

15 years ago

I have recently started with Hoya, and I have a very basic question if someone could please help me.

At my local box store I found 6 different hoyas in 6 - 8 inch pots that look really overgrown. While going through the pots, it looks like there are a lot of individual plants potted together. So my question is, should I break them up to only a couple different plants per pot, or should I leave them all together? The ones I got are:

compacta

carnosa

carnosa rubra

linearis

curtsii

and two I can't identify, one has leaves that look exactly like curtsii, but doesn't have any silvering at all, completely green, the other I have no idea.

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Comments (14)

Denise
15 years ago
The one you're describing as looking like curtisii but solid green is probably actually Dischidia ruscifolia. It has heart-shaped leaves, small like curtisii. You're lucky to have found linearis - I keep watching for it around here and have yet to see it.

I wouldn't repot them right now. Hoyas like to be relatively potbound, so don't worry about them being crowded. Just be careful how you water them because the EA soil is kind of crummy and tends to stay wet in the bottom while it feels dry on top. What I do is carefully pull them from the pot and change out the lower soil when it's possible. I've unpotted some to find them very potbound and can't untangle the roots, so I figure those will be fine to leave in EA soil. If the soil knocks off the bottom of the rootball easily, I replace it with a better draining mix...

Sounds like you hit paydirt! Good luck with your new Hoyas.

Denise in Omaha
renee_2009
Original Author
15 years ago
Denise, thank you.

I'll take a look at the bottom of the mix. I grow a lot of orchids, so I have a good bit of orchid seedling mix, (fine bark, small perlite and peat moss) would that be good for the bottom of the pots, or would a med size bark mix be better?
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Denise
15 years ago
I don't know about just bark. I use coir mixed with some perlite, myself. I sometimes use bark instead of the perlite. Probably a mix of finer and medium bark would work.

Denise in Omaha
ks_girl
15 years ago
Renee, you did good finding all those differant ones. I would leave them all potted together, I think it's best to not disturb the roots if you don't need to and they will most likely bloom sooner this way.
I have all the Exotic Angel hoya and havn't repotted any of them, I think as long as you keep in mind the type of soil they're in you'll be fine. Some of mine I've had for 3 years now.
When I do need to repot I use a mix of regular potting soil, perlite and fine orchid bark.

If you can post pictures we could help with the ID on the two.

Jo
renee_2009
Original Author
15 years ago
ok I took pictures, but I can't figure out how to include them here, exporting, copying etc doesn't seem to work. I compressed the pictures, so that shouldn't be the problem.
User
15 years ago
I think one needs a photo host site in between, like Flicker or I use Photobucket.com. One loads one's pix there & then copies & pastes the resultant 3rd line of code (HTML, I think) into here. Then, when one hits "preview" one should be able to see the pix & then submit.
renee_2009
Original Author
15 years ago
Think I got it here. I wasn't able to figure out how to get the pictures into the post, but I've at least figured out how to get a link to my album on photobucket. These pictures are the only ones there.

The one with the longer leaves (about 4.5 inches long) is the one that I have no idea what it is. The other one that is noid is the one in the same picture as curtsii

Here is a link that might be useful:
golden_ca_2000
15 years ago
They all look very nice and healthy! What are the 2 that you have in the photo together - with the smaller leaves! They are very nice!!! - Thanks for sharing your photos!
puglvr1
15 years ago
Hi Renee,

Possibly Hoya Kentiana/Hoya Wayetti?

Here is a picture from the EA website for the H.Kentiana...

Here is a link that might be useful: Hoya Kentiana/Wayetti from Exotic Angel
cena60
15 years ago
All your plants look wonderful and thriving to me. I wouldn't mess with them for perhaps even two years... unless you notice a problem starting.

Kinda like growing catts, you only repot when the new growth has hit the other side of the pot. Hoyas really dislike disruption/messing about with their roots! often with cuttings that have rooted, I find little growth for up to two years.

If I sound the least bit grumpy, don't mind me. Like Denise, I've been looking for linaris for years. One cutting received in the mail never took. I suspect I've gotten better at hoya husbandry, but I'm looking for a firmly rooted and thriving plant.

You have several different 'styles' of hoya there. I find the smaller, thinner leaved ones I Do Not Do Well with. But I'm carving out my niche and doing well with it!

I JUST found two pristine pots of obovata at my local commissary. They had about five different types and I want them to keep ordering hoyas! Especially 6 inch pots for $5.85!
Denise
15 years ago
Ceeeenaaaa... Been a long time, girl! You really have to post some of your greatly grown, California Hoyas again soon. After a winter like ours, I'm in the MOOD for some of those inspiring pics!

I guess I'm not the ONLY one who is searching for the EA linearis and not finding it! I want it... but, like you, I have a bit of trouble with the non-succulent Hoyas. Do you grow javanica (aka multiflora)? It's one I grow mostly because it's a consistent bloomer. But it's just NOT a real Hoya in my mind. No succulence. A little fussy (if you don't water enough)... What's your thought on this one??

Renee... I'm pretty sure, after looking at your pics, that the one is definitely Dischidia ruscifolia. Here's mine...

An almost constant bloomer for me. Very teeny-tiny blooms that are hard to see (with old eyes like mine, anyway!) but very cute. And it gets HUGE in no time at all. It's a beauty!

Denise in Omaha
User
15 years ago
I'll attest to how well this Dischidia grows as Denise has been kind enough to share some w/ me! Those teeny weeny flowers are cute as buttons in person, she sent me some last spring & they've bloomed for me already!

Cena -- woohoo long time! My little Stephanotis seedlings send their best, I've got 4 surviving out of 21 seeds. Almost all germinated, but I used multiple different settings to experiment; these are the survivors (Cena gave me the seeds!!).

For those too new to know, Cena grows some AMAZING HOyas outside in Calif, often in self-watering pots, hanging from her trees. Makes us all drool like crazy!!
renee_2009
Original Author
15 years ago
thank you all

puglvr1, I took a look at the link you provided, and it does look like that, including the slightly reddish cast to the new leaves growing.

Denise, Thank you again, I'll mark the tag that its the Dischidea.

Cena60, thanks for the catt reference, I understand.

I'll leave them all alone for now, right now they are still in my house, as I've only had them for two weeks, and they are still quarantined before going into the greenhouse. As I mentioned I found them at a box store, I was in there getting butterfly clips for my orchids, turned around and saw them all. I had recently received some cuttings of Hoyas (my first attempt at Hoyas) and when I saw these I literally squealed and took one of each variety they had that day.

Cuttings are doing well, all except one which rotted, I cut off the rotting part, dusted with cinnamon and am trying to restart with that one, but there wasn't much left, I'm not real hopeful about that one.
cena60
15 years ago
Renee, I grow 97% of all my plants outside. Bad windows with funky shutters! I am in full cymbidium bloom flush, I've GOT to get some pictures this weekend!

Thanks for all the warm thoughts and welcomes!
Denise, I CAN NOT get these smaller leaved hoyas to thrive for me! (Makes me CRAYZEE!)

I was gifted with a multiflora and have had great success with it. Truely a weird one for sure. I'm never certain WHAT to do with Bush Hoyas! It's been in a small four inch rolled rim, self water pot (four years now) and does very well, even with the uneven SoCal weather and my indifferent watering...

I've a lot to tell as to why I've not been around. I'll post that on different thread and throw in some older pix so I'll 'be on topic'!

beginner question

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