I haven't found var macro all that hard to grow but it was slow to take off.

The only hoya I have not had success with so far that I have tried is Imbricata

I just got pottsii this spring, but I grow several of the others in this complex, including arnottiana, aldrichii, nicholsoniae, subquintuplinervis, verticillata (3 different clones), latifolia, callistrophylla, and macrophylla falls in that category, too. (Several others, too, but these are the ones that come to mind...) They're all pretty easy to grow, some slower than others. Personally, it's the big-leaved species that I'm very attracted to.

I don't grow the other two, so can't comment on those.

Denise in Omaha

I LOVE buotii- think it's a must have! Have variegated macrophylla and recently acquired pottsii- beautiful foliage on both! Beneguentensis I don't have, but the pictures look lovely!

Where did you get macrophylla? The other three should be fairly easy to start as cuttings!

Looking forward to pictures!
Kelly

I, too, love buotii and find it's one of the fastest growing hoyas I own. I just got a cutting last fall and the plant has done a pretty good job of covering the hoop I have it growing on and I just found it's first peduncle. I am psyched!
H. macrophylla variegata has grown well for me, also, but not as fast as buotii. I don't grow pottsii.
Mike

I love H. macrophylla. I got this hoya at the end of summer 2007 and sat there for 18 months and did very little, some times it would try to grow but it would yellow and fall off.This winter it really started to grow and is still going strong.
I think I have the green flower pottsii,will have to Waite for it to flower should be soon because it has about 25 pediunlces trying to bloom.If it is H. pottsii then it is very easy to look after and to root.

Cindy

I love Variegated Macrophylla...I was very lucky mine grows pretty fast. I have a small cutting of pottsii and I know I will love the leaves. I also love H. Nicholsanie for the very pretty leaves! I don't have the other two on your list.
Here's one of the more variegated leaves on mine...

I think that H. macrophylla variegata has probably THE most beautiful leaves of any of the hoyas and this plant does not require hight light to have striking leaves. The plant is beautiful even without flowers, as can be seen in the photo above.
Mike

I got my variegated macrophylla from SRQ. I was really surprised at how fast it got here.

I have to admit, buotii had caught my eye long before macrophylla. Actually, probably long before I had any hoya cuttings, just my little kentiana plant. Those fuzzy starfish flowers of buotii's put me in a good mood. However, buotii is not the easiest to come by. I've found a few sources for it, but it is pricey compared to other hoyas I was considering, so I wanted to know if it was considered difficult at all before going for it. Sounds like it actually grows pretty well.

Yes, what I really like in particular with macrophylla is that wonderful sculptural quality to the leaves. It's got a nice shape, to begin with, and it's not a 'flat' leaf. Add to that the variegation, and well, like I said, I couldn't resist.

I'll have to research pottsii and benguetensis some more before I even think about getting them. They've only recently come to my attention, so I don't know much about how they look and grow and whatnot.

quinnfyre,
This is how the hoya addiction starts - you read about hoyas in these threads, or worse yet, you see photos posted in these threads, and pretty soon your must-have hoya list starts to look like the catalog listing from David Liddle. (:o) If you are not familiar with David Liddle yet, it's probably better that way, for now, anyway. LOL

There is no escape now... LOL
Mike

I also have the buotii and mine too grows pretty fast, the only thing I will add is that this is my second time around, the first was with a cutting and I couldn't root if for anything. I would recommend buying a rooted plant (the roots are well worth the extra$$) Enjoy!

Well, the power of suggestion!! I just ordered var. macro and finlaysonii, rippled leaf. Haven't purchased a hoya in a long time! Jane

Quinnfyre and Jane...Congrats on your purchases of Macrophylla Variegated...one of my most favorite Hoyas...I have 3 of them. Quinnfyre...does your Macro. Var. have new growth on it? The new growth is what caused me to buy 3 of them....it's a brilliant red and lasts until the leaves get to over an inch in length. Last night I was sitting about 20 feet from my Macro. Var. and noticed a small bright red leaf...sure enough!! Upon examining the Hoya I noticed another long stem filling in with small bright red leaves...just such a stunning appearance in contrast to the variegated foliage. I hope you're both as thrilled with this hoya as I am. Absolutely beautiful and a very good grower. Patrick

It's got two little baby leaves. They're not big enough for me to see much detail at all, but I'll be watching them!

Quinnfrye,

I also discovered buotii wasn't the easiest hoya to find. I ordered one from SRQ this spring. It's already sending out new leaves and has been totally trouble free so far. I think it's going to be a beauty and maybe one of my favorites. Like it wasn't before I ordered it! HA!

Sande

Patrick, just curious...what type of light does your Var. Macro get? I've had mine in some full sun early on, but it was getting too much and the colors were getting pale, so I moved it to bright(but no direct sun). Mine doesn't get a lot of red leaves...but occasionally it will get a new leaf that's reddish. Thanks!

Gardensnail, Congrats...did you get yours from Gardino's? That's where I got mine.

Puglvr...The new leaves on my Macro. Var. are a really bright red....all of my hoyas are under plant lights...artificial grow lights...fluorescent tubes and bulbs...though they're in my "sunroom", there's very little direct sunlight. Mine, too, came from Gardino's...only the first one had the bright red leaves...once they were grown, I purchased two more from the same place...but, neither had new growth...bummer! But, now I have 3 new leaves...makes me more excited than blooms do!! Truthfully, I can see the tiny 1/4 inch leaves from where I sit, 20' from the plant. Best wishes! Patrick

Puglvr... I ordered mine from Asiatica. Didn't even shop around, guess I should have. Also ordered finlaysonii, I was on a "pretty leaves" kick. Will post pics when I get them Jane

You know what? I've been finding that I'm getting some very interesting colors from variegated African violets that are growing under fluorescent lights. Most of my plants are growing in the window, but I put a couple in some of my terrariums, and I have some leaves started on a lower shelf under fluorescents also. These guys get no sunlight. One of my plantlets is growing leaves that are completely pink (they're supposed to be green, cream, and pink variegated.) Another one is also growing more pink bits than normal, and is very variegated. It was never this variegated in the window. Maybe it's something to do with the fluorescents?

I'm just throwing it out there as one of the reasons you may be getting very bright red leaves, when those in sunlight aren't so much. But I don't know for sure.

Thanks Patrick...sounds like the articial lights might have something to do with your red leaves...just like Quinnfyre suggested. Must be something to the them? Love to see your red leaves Patrick.

Looking forward to your pictures Gardensnail...I think you will happy with those pretty leaves too.

Har har... I now have buotii and pottsii on their way to me. Didn't take long, did it?

On another note, those little baby macrophylla leaves fell off pretty much immediately : ( As I'd already seen it happen with my pubicalyxes, I wasn't really surprised, just a little disappointed. But the end looks like it's going to start new leaves soon. And this time, they'll be growing in my space, and less likely to fall off (I hope!)