Hoya fitchii...a little help from my freinds

12 years ago

Hoya fitchii...at least that's what I think I have? Is anyone growing this hoya that knows what it likes? I've had this rooted cutting for a while now but it just doesn't seem to want to grow or bloom. On SRQ's website it says its a "fast grower" but boy not for me! I don't know what this hoya likes as far as light or watering requirements. I just took it out of the pot and it has nice healthy roots..any help or advise is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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Comments (17)

gennykins
12 years ago
Nancy,

Can you post a photo? Maybe its me (highly likely) but I'm not seeing one. If you have fitchii, I grow mine about three feet from a SE window. It grows like crazy and interestingly, even during the winter when the sun was weaker. During the winter I keep my house at 55 degrees for about 12 hours a day and 68 degrees for the rest of the time. I do not use a humidifier. No summer a/c with hot and humid (and short) summers. I fertilize it with 10/54/10 fertilizer at full strength April-September, half strength in March and October, and no fertilizer for the rest of the year. It is planted in the bagged cactus/succulent soil that the big boxes sell. This hoya has no additional soil additives. Like most of my plants, I let it get quite dry before I water. I bought mine as a plant from Joni. Hope this helps!

Lisa
quinnfyre
12 years ago
Is this what you have?

Mine grew a ton in my south window. It tolerated going dry but preferred to stay moist, I believe. I let it dry out too much earlier this year, all the leaves were dehydrated and sad looking, but a few days in the terrarium reversed that. It is still in the terrarium because I don't know where else to go with it at the moment and it hasn't really grown much in there but I do believe I set it back with that mishap. Also, there is much less light in the terrarium, it is set up more for orchids that like bright shade (phalaenopsis level light) and it is down towards the shadier side of that arrangement. So I would say it likes bright indirect light and not drying out too much. Hope that helps!
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greedygh0st
12 years ago
Well I'm shocked to hear fitchii gives anyone trouble, let alone you, Pug. Maybe you just have a weak cutting? I'm not doing anything special.

I have two cuttings of this one and I found both easy and fast growing. It's not on steroids like chlorantha and paziae, but it's definitely not slow. I grow it both under artificial light and in an eastern exposure and it seems to like both equally. I grow it in my "dry out" mix but I don't really let it get super dry.

Yeah so that wasn't very helpful.

I'll be interested to hear if your plant looks like Quinn's, b/c mine do.
puglvr1
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks...Here's a picture of mine. I think this hoya used to be called CMF-8 before they named it Fitchii. I think its the same plant as Quinns? The leaves got a little burnt when I accidentally left it outside for a few hours after I watered it (I hate it when I do that)! That's what some of those brown spots on the leaves are...

Lisa, it sounds like this one can tolerate cooler temps in winter(55 degrees). I wish mine would grow like yours.

Quinn, yours is very pretty...I'm glad its recovering.

GG, I guess its possible there were issues with the cutting, but it rooted well and the roots now seems fine.
I really like the leaves...maybe I just need another one,lol...

I don't know why this one just sits here...it hardly grows and has never bloomed or even attempted to produce a peduncle. I have it on a south window...NO direct sun but very bright light. I water it when the top couple of inches is dry but the bottom near the roots are still moist.

I have no idea why this thing seems to be stalled...

Thanks for all the comments and help...
wrynsmom
12 years ago
Mine just sits there, too. :( But yours is sooooooooo pretty!!!!

Carolyn
ladygreensleeves
12 years ago
Nancy,you really have a start of a nice plant there. H.fitchii has always been a easy one for me to grow. I water it this time of year like all the others, about every week when the soil is dry. Mine was a big plant at one time until I was trading cuttings left and right and I had to stop last year. It's just now starting to grow again and bloomed for me. So give it a chance. I find that most hoya's need a year to establish themselfs and then they take off growing and throwing long vines all of a sudden at the beginning of the next growing season if not a month or so sooner.

Regina
suetran1
12 years ago
I got a cutting from Ted, but it die last year.
Your plant look good too, at least it not die.. LOL
sue
patrick51
12 years ago
Nancy...like H. davidcumminii, I find H. fitchii to need to be fully established before it takes off. I struggled with both of these hoyas, but once they were established, they are both growing well. Your plant may not be growing, but it looks fabulous!! Just give it some time, I'm betting it'll reward you! Fondly, Patrick
puglvr1
Original Author
12 years ago
Oops...Just noticed the typo...SORRY about that! Meant to type in "Friends". Not sure why my spell checker didn't tag that one.

Thanks everyone! The only problem is I've had this plant now for almost 2 years(next month),lol...I just thought it's pretty unusual for a hoya not to grow for that long. Usually my hoyas after that length has either grown or died. For a fast grower, this one reminds me of a "fake" plant. Guess I'll just give it a little more time.

Regina, we would love to see a picture of your blooms if you don't mind :o)

Thanks again for the comments and help!!

Nancy
Denise
12 years ago
Nancy,

I don't grow this one, but some of them can be pretty stubborn, and it's always even more frustrating when you hear EVERYone else's grows like crazy! LOL!!

Since you have a nice-size plant there, I would take a cutting from it. First of all, if you take a cutting, it roots and starts growing, you'll know there's SOME issue with your roots, something you can't see. And if that's the case, I'd then make cuttings of the whole thing. Second, I find that almost all plants throw out growth hormones when pruned. Maybe it just needs a kick-start...

The "old-timers" here have heard me say that I learned this valuable lesson many years ago from my first German Shepherd. If you have one, you know how violently they shake that big ol' tail when they're happy. I've had many a plant knocked across the room and broken by the lively tail, and boy did I cuss about that! But after a few times and about a year had passed, it started to dawn on me that the "tail pruned" plants were some of my best looking plants! Hmm... Now don't get me wrong - I don't encourage tail-pruning! But I never hesitate to snip-snip because I know it'll pay off in a few months.

Denise in Omaha
greedygh0st
12 years ago
I totally agree with the tail pruning theory. The plants I take cuttings from to trade always seem to make it up and then some within a month.

I just wish I could blame my random prunings on some animal instead of my own chaotic limbs.
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
12 years ago
Hello!

Pug, it's a great, though slow plant you have there!
Have you re-potted recently? Maybe it just needs to be messed with a bit... ;-)

Secondly, pruning does encourage growth.
I assume the same is true of Hoyas as it is for other plants.
Plants have growth hormones called Auxins. Generally, these Auxins control upright or apical
growth at the tips of branches or the main leaders. When the tips are removed - "pinching" -
those Auxins are redirected to lateral or axillary nodes, where they encourage backbudding.
Auxins are also involved in rooting.

Josh
puglvr1
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Denise! What you say makes a lot of sense. I'm with GG on this one, I don't have one of those "tail pruning" dogs to blame either,lol...Max's tail is more like a baby pig all curled up :o) If I don't see any new growths in a month or so I will definitely take a couple of cuttings and see if that does anything. Appreciate the suggestions and help Denise!

Josh, Yesterday when I took it out of the pot I did gently massage the roots a little while I was checking to see if I can see any rotting or bugs, I also added some fresh gritty mix in there...we'll see "if" it does anything in a month or so?

Will update later...
quinnfyre
12 years ago
Does clipping back a vine that has dried up do anything besides improve its appearance? Just curious.

Pug, my fitchii looks more like yours now. I posted an older pic. By which I mean it has the longer shaped leaves and similar color. I like the way it looks both ways, though. I do tend to water mine more often than you do. Basically, when the top of my medium just started to look dry, I'd water it. Right now, I don't know if that makes a difference because I kinda screwed that whole scenario up when I inadvertently kept it dry for much longer periods of time. But that's still the way I water it now, so I'll have to report back after it decides to grow again.
ladygreensleeves
12 years ago
Nancy, the flower umbels for H.fitchii only last a day or two and I either miss it or the picture comes out fuzzy. I've tried several times, but that one never seems to take a good picture for me. It's a small dainty umbel too. I'll get a good shot of it one of these days.

Regina
puglvr1
Original Author
12 years ago
Sounds great Quinn, please let me know when yours starts to grow...I'm always afraid to over water my hoyas since I've had a few yellow and rot. I guess I should be happy that the hoya is still alive even though not really growing. Maybe since I've given it some fresh potting mix...it will surprise me and start to grow.

No problem Regina...I'm sure you'll get it next time. Thanks!
ladygreensleeves
12 years ago
Nancy....I knew I had a picture of H.fitchii somewhere.....just took me awhile to find it.

Regina

Hoya fitchii...a little help from my freinds

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