Hi Ann, I think VB 's hoyas are the smallest of all the hoyas on the market IMHO. It takes a long time to take off, I bought a few hoyas from there abot year ago. 1 finally started growing and the other one died.
I usually kill bella, coronaria seem to grow slow for me.
If pot dries fast it's time to move the plant into a bigger pot.
I am very impatient too when it comes to wanting to see the hoya flowers.
I would wait until spring to transplant so the plants bounce back faster.

Thanks Jan, I can wait till spring since I have waited since April already. VB's plants do seem to be very small. The few named violets I have ordered from them are small and slow growing compared to the ones that are noids ( from Lowes, etc) or ordered from other vendors. My hoyas that I have found at Wal-Mart,Lowes, local nurseries or even cuttings from friends are much bigger so I am disappointed. I wonder if in the spring I could order a big bella and add my teeny tiny one to the newer one? Any good place to order from?

I just visited Violet Barn a few months ago and it's worth the trip. All of their plants looked absolutely wonderful and were very healthy. Yes, the one thing that surprised me was that most of the plants that they had were quite small. I assume smaller would be simpler to ship?? I bought a few AV's while there and had hoped to buy a few hoyas because of the different kinds they offer. I didn't get any hoyas because even though they were all healthy and looked great they all looked like recent single cuttings. Too pricy for me when I can get larger full pots and blooming ones locally for only a few dollars more. Not enough space to do anything less than instant gratification here :) I'm sure there are people here who can suggest great places to mail order hoyas.

Ann,

Be patient. When I buy a plant through the mail, I almost always find they go semi-dormant for awhile - sometimes, until the next growing season. Oh, I'll often see a little new growth, but sometimes none at all. Then, once we get to the next spring, they usually take off like wildfire. Bella should be a good grower for you once it gets going, but do watch it for mealies. I don't grow the other one.

What you need to do is learn to ignore the ones that are slow to get started. I find that if I hover and fret over a plant, sometimes it never gets going! I have a 2-leaf caudata I got over a year ago that has done absolutely nothing, but it's still perfectly healthy. Grr. It's been my experience that a cutting will actually start growing faster than a shipped, rooted plant. The rooting process - "Ok, I'm rooted, now it's time to grow." Whereas a rooted plant - "Oh, I'm stressed from this dark box and now I need to rest..."

Ok, so now you think that I think my plants can reason! Oh well, the secret is out!

Denise in Omaha

Denise you mean your plants can't reason? I talk to mine and some times fuss at them.I have thought that they may not be getting bigger because I have been showing them pictures of normal size plants. I have been sittin here thinking which of my other plants (common everyday plants) do i not want anymore.I want more hoyas and violets but because of the common plants i have no more room. I only have about 50 plants total.(I know I know that's not many compared to the rest of you)but in my tiny house with dogs, birds and a husband on the weekend space is at premuim. So I will try to sit back and be good and let bella and coronaria do their thing. Oh the life of a plant parent!
Ann in So Ut

OOOO! Ann, what types of birds do you have?

Carolyn

I'd heard a bunch of times that Violet Barn sends tiny hoyas. I got one anyway because I really wanted it, and was not surprised to get the itty bitty 4 leaved hoya that I received. It then dropped one of the leaves, but has been doing pretty well and put out a couple new leaves. It's a pubicalyx, so it should take off next year, I'm hoping. As for the violets, I've generally been happy with them. They are advertised as starter plants, and the size I receive is what I expect for starter plants. They usually sit around for a few weeks, then start taking off and doing quite well.

Carolyn I have 4 birds 1 African Grey, and 3 linnies (lutino,green and turquiose)I have to be careful with hanging plants can't be near a cage. I really like having the hoyas and violets along with the birds makes my own little tropical area in southern ut. I was not surprised with my Robs order but was hoping that they would have grown more in 6 months. I would love to see bella in a 6 in pot. She has to be beautiful.
Ann in So Ut

Ann in So Ut...glad to hear you have birds...alot of members on this forum have birds...sorta makes me feel "at home". I had to cut waaaaay back on my birds a couple months ago due to my failing health. I kept my "pet" parrots, 2 African (Temneh) Greys, a lutino Indian Ringneck and a male Plumhead. Today I purchased a pair of canaries...just couldn't stand not hearing their beautiful song. My parrots are great talkers...especially the Greys....they truly seem to understand what they're saying...when my dogs bark, they always say "NO!"...delightful...they also give me kisses and make a large "smooching" sound when they press their beaks against my lips. Gotta love all of God's creatures. Fondly, Patrick

I have Congo grey, male eclectus and rainbow lori. They all talk but the african grey is the best talker.
My eclectus's favorite words have mama in all the words.
Where is my mama? kiss my mama,mommmm! and he loves eating my hoyas so I have to make sure he can't reach any hoyas.

Ann and Patrick, It is lovely too see the parrots amongst the plants! I have a Meyers Parrot, 3 Indian Ringnecks (1, cinnamon, 1 green and one Turquoise lacewing), a pacific parrotlet, a lutino peachface lovebird and an American parakeet!

Ann, is your grey Timneh or Congo? I do love linnies. They are adorable and so good natured!

Patrick, Timneh's are fantastic. I've helped handfeed a few and I fall in love EVERY TIME!!! There are only two more birds I'd love to add to my flock; a Timneh and a Greater Vasa.

Oh, and I just have to add: My ringnecks discovered limes, last night!!! they LOVE them!

Carolyn

Ann,
I really think the coronaria from Violet Barn is mislabelled and is really a form of australis. Coronaria is an eriostemma which is typically difficult to get to bloom whereas Violet Barn describes the species as "an excellent bloomer". Also, coronaria doesn't tend to bloom in large clusters. The flowers are quite different as well. The flowers pictured on Violet Barn for coronaria really look like australis flowers.
Where is Mike?! He could most likely tell if he took a look at the website!
Kelly

Ann, I got some new hoyas this summer and also around the same time started using VF-11. I bought an obscura from Joni and also three hoyas from Jan, obovata, a lacunosa, and some of her australis seedlings. I got them all around the end of July and did what most would NOT recommend, I repotted them all. Long story, I had some plants that had fungus gnats that I diagnosed right after I brought the new plants into the house, so thought that changing over to new soil would help. I repotted in a mix I made up of orchid bark, perlite and potting mix. I thought I had really messed up, because right after this my father died and I was gone for a whole month. My husband watered once with plain water, and I had doused them all with BT a couple of times to kill any residual fungus gnat larvae. Foliar feeding with VF-11 every 5 to 7 days.

To make a long story short, all of my plants are doing amazingly well. One of the seedlings didn't survive but it had some damage that I didn't see at first. The obovata has new leaves popping out all over, the obscura has new shoots and leaves.

I have never had hoyas putting on new growth this late in the year, and I have NEVER seen new growth this fast after repotting a hoya. I think the VF-11 is really amazing and plan to keep using it through the winter.

If I were you, I'd plunk those new plants down into their spots and foliar feed with VF-11, then see how they are in the spring and probably pot them up slightly larger but not too much larger. Right now is probably not a good time to re-pot, it is best done in the spring, I think.

I have some of the harpin protein stuff to use in the spring too, it is supposed to jump start them into a good growing season so will probably use that in addition to the VF-11 that will keep going on as a foliar feed.

Also, my old carnosa that has never put on tons of new growth got repotted, into a way-too-big pot, and it's got lots of new growth. Again, I've never seen this much new growth on THAT plant this time of year. I hope this continues! This carnosa is the heirloom one that is from cuttings from my mother's 30 year old plant.

So, get yourself some VF-11 and take heart, those little plants will grow!

Oh, another thing - I used to raise canaries and just love hearing their songs. I miss having them around.

therealmrsdoodlepunk Thanks for the response. I have been using VF-11 all along with every watering but i have never foliar fed so maybe could try that. My goodness never knew so many people had birds. Where we live I am the only one and no one understands my love for them. So I have one more reason to love this fourm. Thanks
Ann in So UT

Ann, I had two breeder cages and had at least three nesting seasons before I decided to quit. I supplied friends and relatives with canaries, one lady who I took care of for a while also had one of my babies. Even the females sang, of course the males sang better but it was unusual that I had so many girls who could carry a tune! I also had a pair of cockatiels but my canaries were my favorite birds.

I have only watered with VF-11 once, and decided to just use it as a foliar feed. I had been watering with the BT because of fungus gnats and was afraid to mix the two and didn't want to overwater. I am totally pleased with the foliar feed method. I spray the undersides of the leaves when I can.

I agree with Kelly that the H. coronaria listed on the VB website certainly looks like a form of H. australis. It's funny, though, because VB has two other H. australis in their plant listing. Hopefully, MikeD will take a look and give his opinion as well.

I am in the "bird club", too, since I have a Yellow-Naped amazon named "Coco". Coco speaks Portuguese and cries like a baby, makes the sound of water dripping into a metal bucket, etc. She is the love of my life.
Mike

I took a look at the Violet Barn's site and the plant they describe as Hoya coronaria is as everyone suspected just another Hoya australis. After looking at an article written David Liddle and Paul Foster that was published in Askelepios issue 102 I would say that it is Hoya australis subsp. tenuipes but it is hard to tell without seeing more detailed photos. There is so much variation within the species that it is difficult to make an ID and with five published subspecies and the differences culture can make it becomes even more difficult.

Mike

Ann...if you have an E. coronaria it'll be very easy to distinquish from a Hoya. Coronaria has VERY fuzzy leaves, medium size, pale green. The leaves have NO shine to them and, like E. lauterbachii, the leaves are so soft and velvety that you'd be wanting to press them to your face. I got my coronaria from Carol Noel...it's grown alot...too much actually...I recently placed a stake in the pot and fastened the 5' vines to the stake. The nice thing about coronaria is that it sends numerous vines out from the original vine...thus, one plant starts looking like a whole bunch of them. H. australis tenuipes has shiney leaves, only slightly succulent and have no fuzziness (pubescence) to them. They are considered strictly glabrous. As mentioned, there are numerous types of H. australis. I also have australis oramicola...a beauty, with extremely succulent leaves...1/2" thick...thought to be the most succulent of all hoyas. There's also an australis ripicola. Do a search on the different types of H. australis to determine which one you have. One look at your plant would quickly determine if it's E. coronaria or a hoya. Hope this helps! Patrick

Wow...all the people on here that love birds, its so amazing. Many years ago I use to breed African greys(Timneh), Pionus, Cockatiels, and Eclectus. It got a little overwhelming after they all started laying eggs... then hand feeding. It was a lot of work, but very rewarding, it was always sad to see the babies go. I get very attached. Hoyas and birds make a very nice combo!

Thanks to both Mikes I will do some research on australis. Since I am new to hoyas I depend on the ones i order from to know the correct name. From your description mine is not as labled. Not fuzzy and has dark green leaves. My grey is a congo and is 23 yrs old. One of the last wild caught birds. I used to have an Eclectus. Raised him from 3 wks old and at 14 he died very suddenly. He was the love of my life until I met my little green linnie, that bird is my soul and is so in tune with me it's not funny. Went to Vegas today while we were waiting on the camper to get fixed my honey took me to hunt for hoyas at Lowes (thought they might have something Utah doesn't have)I really want either Ruby Sue or Royal Flush couldn't find them but did find some nice NOID violets. Well I am off to see what kind of hoya I have. I would also love to find a nice size Snow Caps.Any ideas on locating one?
Thanks for being such a great group
Ann in So Ut

Ann here is a link to a site that shows Hoya australis subsp. tenuipes which is my best guess. I wish the Asklepios article I have was available on the web because it is by far the most detailed info on this Hoya species complex I have ever seen and there are also many good photos and habitat info.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Hoyas . com

Thanks for the Link Mike I took a look and saved the site so if it flowers I will have a comparison. Everything I have checked out says it is an australis but maybe not the tenuipes because I haven't seen any bronze colored leaves. I do love the shape of the leaf and hope it grows soon.
Ann in So Ut

I knew the Mike's would know!

Ann,

Ssp. tenuipes new growth is bronze, but it turns green as it matures, so if you haven't seen any new growth yet, you won't notice any bronze. If this is the one you have, stand back! It's a fast and furious grower. I have to keep the pruning sheers handy all the time because it wants to go everywhere. Mine has more than 50 peduncles budding up right now, first ones just having opened. And that's growing it on the north end of the GH where it gets very little direct sun.

Mike,

I wish that site had some information on the page about ssp. australis. I've had that one for years and years and years and it never wants to bloom for me. It's huge, it grows well, it just doesn't bloom. **Sigh** I've read it takes more sun than ssp. tenuipes, so it sits on the top shelf in my GH where it gets maximum sun. Well, maybe next spring I'll lug it out to my deck and give it a summer outside...

Denise in Omaha

Okay, with all the talk about H.australis I was wondering if you guys can help...Please? I have this Australis, which I always assumed was ssp. tenuipes? But all the new growths are always light green that turns darker green when it matures. I've never seen "bronze" new growth that I remember? I received this as two cuttings 11 months ago. So, does that mean this is a different kind of Austrailis or is the lack of bronze new growths have something to do with the fact that it only gets bright light...but never direct sun? The leaves on this one is NOT fuzzy at all. I also have a small Australis that has fuzzy leaves so I'm guessing by Denise's description and some of the pics I've seen on the web that its australis ssp. sanae?

Thanks for any info.
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Denise I read though that article again in hopes of finding something useful regarding the blooming habits of Hoya australis ssp australis. According to the author's Mr. Liddle and Mr. Foster this species is found in varied habitats from Australia to New Guinea and Melanesia (Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu). Some plants are said to grow on rocky cliffs in the open as small succulent shrubs while others in the same location will develop as climbing vines if they have a source of shade.
Hopefully you can get it to bloom, a summer outside sounds like a good idea. I am liking the LED light panels more and more because you can buy solid red units that give out the light wavelength that plants respond to by blooming. My panels are only 14 watts and they are rated for ten years of 24 hour a day operation. I think I am going to try the red light treatment for some of my stubborn non-bloomers.

Pug according to the article I have Hoya australis ssp australis always has pubescent leaves, fron sparsly to densly pubescent and on one side of the leaf to both sides. Hoya australis ssp tenuipes has leaves that are always glabrous or smooth at maturity. The margins of the leaves are also always curved under on Australian plants of ssp tenuipes but not so on plants from other islands. New growth is sometimes red/brown.
Hoya australis ssp sanae is a small narrow leaved succulent plant that grows in seasonally dry areas and has leaves that curl under to conserve water. There is also apparently an intermediate species that shows characteristics of both subsp. sanae and subsp. oramicola.
From what is said in the article I would guess that your larger plant is Hoya australis subsp tenuipes, not sure about the smaller one but it could be Hoya australis subsp. rupicola because that plant is said to have a densely hairy leaf surface while the other small leaved subsp. that characteristic is not mentioned and their leaves certainly look glaborus int he photos from what I can see.

There are some really cool articles in my Asklepios magazines, another one in 2005's issue 102 discusses the medicinal uses of 26 different Hoya species throughout their natural ranges.

Mike

Thanks Mike...appreciate it as always!! I will post pictures "if" it ever blooms?

Mike,

Thanks for the info. The vast difference in where these plants grow is really interesting.

Denise in Omaha