i had the same problem with mine but now it took off and is about 3ft long with new growth. and i dont want to get too excited about it yet but i (hope) i found a peduncle this morning. my conditions are the same but its in south sun and started growing better when i put it in mixed orchid bark.

I personally think it needs more light. Do you have a nice bright window you can locate it in front of?

jsainz:
Congradulations on the possible peduncle. Maybe when i get it out and in the sun it will take off...

bihai:
Right now i have it under 2 florecents, the light it was in in the pic was not from the light i have it under currently.

thats a good point about the light. like i said mine is in a southern window and still reaches towards the light all day long.

thanks on the congrats i hope its not wishful thinking;)

I bet it's because it's an Eriostemma Hoya. I tried one of the Eriotstemmas and it never grew worth a darn for me. New growth was about half the size of the leaves it came with and never looked particularly healthy. When I read about Eriostemmas, I learned they take a lot more sun and heat than other Hoyas, and I think the winter here were just too rough for it. So I stay away from any of those kind now...

Hope you have better luck!

Denise in Omaha

I just went to your member page to see where you live and noticed we share the same birthday!

Anyway, I figure you live in a colder location than I do (I'm in zone 6 or 7..New York), and H. lauterbachii is an eriostemma. I don't grow those due to my conditions (they do not like cold weather). Eriostemmas need lots of light (and humidity helps too) in order to bloom. You can successfully grow them if you give them the right treatment, but don't hold your breath for blooms (which are HUGE on eriostemmas...I think that's the lure of them!).

Here is some care info on eriostemmas: they like FULL sun and warmth, and they like to grow upwards (as in climbing up trees - so just make sure you have something for it to climb up, like a trellis or even a nearby blind cord..believe me, it'll find it if it wants to climb it!). They also like to be very potbound and they like fast draining soil (I know you mentioned your's is in loose soil, so that's good). Also, the root system isn't that big (kinda like how H. bella is), so a shallow pot is best since the root system doesn't go too deep.

I remember reading somewhere that they don't like to be moved from inside to outside and vice versa.

Best of luck,
Gabi

Just some add-ons:
I just looked at your picture again, and I would make the pot MUCH smaller - like the size of a solo cup or even smaller (maybe a 2-3" pot). Also, terra cotta pots aren't the best to use for hoyas - plastic seems to be the best. As for your soil, even though there is lots of perlite in it, it doesn't seem to be "chunky" enough. If I had to guess, it looks like regular potting soil and perlite. That's not bad, but I'd make it more loose so that more air can get to the roots.

Here's a picture of a recent batch I mixed up to repot one of my hoyas. I keep going chunkier and chunkier (the less potting mix, the better!). I use a 1:1:1 ratio of regular potting mix, orchid or fir bark, and perlite (I've been using the large sized perlite lately, but it's kind of hard to find...either will do).

{{gwi:938066}}

Don't have a photo to post right now, but mine has lost one or two leaves, it is in a room that gets very bright southern light but I don't have it in direct sun and the room it's in has dropped to the upper 30s F, at night this past winter. I let it dry to the point that the leaves have drooped and some of the leaves are now showing yellow spots but it seems pretty healthy otherwise. I'm sure I've completely jinxed it and it'll drop every leave and die on me now. It stalled growing during the shortest days of winter but has recently started to show signs of growing with the lengthening days. I've read that the stems need to reach about 6 feet before flowering, sainz I'm thrilled for you! Let us know how the flowering progresses.

Gabi is right, Lauterbachii is an Eriostemma, in their natural habitat they are climbers that will climb up through the canopy layer to the treetops in search of light and good air movement. Fluorescent light is just probably not going to be enough for these types of hoyas. They may grow in a window, but according to what I have read, they won't flower unless their extremely high light needs are met. I just got Lauterbachii, and don't think I will have a problem with it because I have a full sun position for it, but I would think you may have a challenge ahead of you. Good luck!

ughhh, not promising... I will move it into the smallest pot i can find around here and switch the mix once it gets a bit warmer around here to try and minimize shock. I do have a metal-halide if that is better for light otherwise the florescence are the best i have... And gabi... what a coincidence!!! lol