"First you say you got cuttings, then 6 rooted plants."
Am I missing something? I see nothing about cuttings in Parker's post...just rooted plants.

I do think there needs to be clarification on certain things. It will be hard to tell what you are doing wrong without more information and possibly pictures. Can you tell us more about the conditions they are in? Since they are all rooted already, then maybe they are having problems taking up water for some reason.

Gabi

Yes, you're right Gabi - I guess I assumed since they were from trades that they were cuttings. In all the years I've traded Hoyas, I can only remember once I've gotten a rooted cutting, so I was projecting my own experience...

Parker, I also meant to mention that some Hoyas DO develop woody stems as they age. Carnosa and carnosa cultivars do, as do some other bigger-leaved Hoyas. But if you're saying they're drying up and then brittle so they break off, that's probably a water issue as Gabi suggests. Are you getting any new growth at all on any of them? I would unpot them and see what's going on with the roots. Let us know any additional info so we can help.

Denise in Omaha

sorry to be so unclear and confusing. i received 6-7 rooted cuttings as a trade in here on gw hoya exchange. 3 of them died. i had potted each one in a seperate 8" hanging basket. then i read on the hoya forum that they like to be pot bound so i repotted in about a 5-6 " small pot. i lost 3 of them.i have the following left, 1)kerri, 1) meliflora, 1)fungi, 1)obovata. they all have new growth but the stems at the base coming out of the pot seem to be woody looking to me. is this normal. i had one in florida but the hurracane took it. i dont remember it looking like that at the base of the stem. sorry again for not being more clear. they are all green and healthy except for the stem. thanks for all the help. i was just afraid that i will lose them also.

Like Denise said, it's ok for hoya stems to be woody, especially the part near the soil since it's older. If there is new growth and the hoyas look healthy, I wouldn't worry.

About the pot size...if you are talking about single rooted cuttings, then a pot the size of a solo cup is big enough (about 2-3"). Glad you potted it down, but 5-6" is still very big for a single rooted cutting, and you don't want the soil staying too wet. The ones you named like to stay dry between waterings, so I'd downsize again.

Gabi

thanks gabi for all your help. i will downsize again and see how they do. i guess i thought the bigger the pot,the bigger the plant will get. now i know.
vicki

Vicki,

Correct spellings are kerrii, fungii, and either meliflua or multiflora (at least I've never heard of "meliflora"...) And if it's multiflora, it's more likely it's javanica.

Now that the name game is out of the way (what a challenge keeping the names straight!), I would beg to differ with Gabi about the obovata and kerrii. They both need more room and a heavier pot than most Hoyas. I have a single cutting of kerrii in a 6" clay pot and it's doing well. My rule of thumb is to plant them in a pot that's a little bigger than the rootball, and kerrii and obovata are very heavy-stemmed and need some weight, AND they like to dry out, so I usually put them in clay.

If your plants are growing, they're fine. You're just seeing the aging part of the stem. I have some that the old stems even peel as they age. That they grow is my indication that they're fine.

Denise in Omaha

denise, you are correct about spelling. it should have been
meliflua. the multiflora is the shooting star one. i don't have one of those but i would like to get one. thanks for all the info. i guess they are doing ok. i think i had them in too big of pot size to begin with and that is why i lost some of them. thanks again, everyone is so helpful here in gw and i have learned alot in here.

vicki

Denise,
I didn't even notice that "meliflora" thing! I thought it was meliflua, but it's more likely multiflora/javanica (Vicki, if it's multiflora or javanica, it likes lots of water).

As for the pot size, we all have our preferences. But I just wanted to say that weight shouldn't be an issue in terms of pot size. Yes, kerrii and obovata are heavy plants, but as long as they are supported they can do fine in even a solo cup. For example, I have my big kerrii in a 3" plastic pot which is inside a heavy cache pot - I don't think it needs to be in a 6" pot just because of the weight. I don't know, I just think a 6" pot is super big for one cutting, but that's just me. But if using clay pots and very loose soil, I can see why it's healthy and doesn't rot (I would just advise those who are more new to hoyas to be careful with big pots, since they can take a while to dry out...and also a while to bloom!!).

Gabi

By the way..Vicki, you can keep multiflora/javanica in a large pot - it will bloom regardless of whether it's potbound or not, and it likes to stay moist..so you don't have to worry about it sitting in moist soil.

Yes, Gabi, I suppose it comes down to how one waters. I can't even imagine starting a kerrii cutting in a 3" pot (supported or otherwise!) but different strokes for different folks, as they say! It's better to err on the side of dry when it comes to some Hoyas (like kerrii and obovata.) I've been growing Hoyas for 30(ish) years, which makes me a bit less cautious, I guess...

Speaking of which, both obovata and kerrii are growing like weeds and putting on new peduncles like crazy right now. Usually, they're blooming this time of year, so I suspect this will be one of those years where they bloom like there's no tomorrow once they get going... Move over, everything else!

Denise in Omaha

Denise,
I know you love kerrii - I think you have every kind, right? I find that I have to water my regular kerrii very often (the one in the 3" pot, which I just upgraded to a 4" pot yesterday), and I very very rarely have to water the variegated kerrii and the reverse variegated. Do you find it to be the same with your's? My regular kerrii gets "floppy" leaves if I don't water at least once a week. Strange for such a succulent hoya.

I wish my kerrii and obovata would bloom already! I think there is a small peduncle starting out on my kerrii, but my obovata (which is very big) is still sitting pretty. Maybe this Spring...

Gabi

Gabi,

I let all my kerriis get pretty dry between waterings (way more than my other Hoyas...), but I have to water fairly often this time of year because they guzzle water. But the reverse variegate does seem to dry out a bit slower. I just got the regular variegated and it seems to dry out pretty fast, but I have it on a top shelf in the GH where it's getting almost a full day of sun, too. The reverse variegate I'm not very happy with - the variegation is so obscure, it's hardly worth mentioning. And when it adds a leaf, it always seems to want to lose an old one. I'm about ready to whack it back and restart it. It'll probably go outside this year as I tend to do with Hoyas that need a summer "boost" to get them to straighten up and fly right!

If your obovata is large, it's just a matter of time before it starts blooming. It's an generous bloomer once it gets going.

Denise in Omaha

Good to hear about the obovata - I'm just getting impatient with it! It's just as stubborn as my KQ! I find that the reverse var. kerrii is also the slowest to dry out - and it's funny that you mention the variegation...mine is hardly noticeable also. I just saw Shanna's new one, which is GORGEOUS!

Gabi

Thank you Gabi,
All this talk about kerrii, (it's one of my fav's too). My kerrii from gardino nursery wasn't very expensive either maybe $12 plus shipping of course. It was a wonderful purchase for the price as well as the v. macrophylla for $15 I think and both very established roots. But back on Kerrii, I feel like my reverse kerrii dries out faster than the solid kerrii

Don't you just LOVE var. macrophylla? The foliage is just stunning - I could care less if it ever blooms! It is a super fast grower too, so it's a score all around. Speaking of clay pots, I actually have that one in a clay pot....I bought it that way and never repotted it since it's been doing so well.

Gabi

Gabi,
Yes absolutely love it!! Its folage is so pretty it looks fake to me, a very "life like" silk plant.

I also really like H. Citrina and H. Acuta. The succulant hard to the touch leaves with visable veining. I am partial to these type. What others do you know of that fit this similar description? (Like I really need to look for more to buy)

shanna

Oh boy, there are lots. Just to name a few: callistophylla, pachyclada, bordenii, sp. Philippines (IML 0831..and the flowers are AMAZING), vitellina, pentaphlebia, latifolia, cinnamomifolia. I'll stop now before I get in trouble with your hubby!!

Gabi