Mentha, I think that H. carnosa rubra variegata is the proper botanical name for 'Krimson Princess." My understanding is that back in the 1970's, someone marketed the two variegates using the trade names 'Krimson Princess' and 'Krimson Queen.' I've been told it was more of a gimmick to sell the same plant that was already in distribution under a different name. Kind of like the sports of Jade. You'll see the one that's called 'Gollum' marketed as 'Shrek Ears.' It's the same plant, but give it a new name and it's like it's something NEW. But here's the thing - I don't call the solid greens that I take off my KP "rubra" because it looks nothing like the one I KNOW is rubra. So I just call it another clone of carnosa. I know - it's all terribly confusing. Which is why it's better to use the true botanical names of plants, even though it's charming to use loveable names like "Sweetheart Hoya," or "Wax Plant," or when we come up with our own special names. (Good example - I like to call Lithops "Butt-Crack Plants." tee-hee) Denise in Omaha

OMB - The very same thing happened to my pubicalyx last year when I moved my hoyas into the house for the winter... The night I brought them in I just happened to check the weather for the next day and saw that the current temp outside was 28 degrees fahrenheit, which RARELY ever happens in my area, so I had to high tail it outside at 11:30 at night to bring all the hoyas into the house. Within a day or two I noticed the spots on the underside of the leaves on my pubicalyx and my rubra so I'm guessing that you're probably right about the culprit being the temperature drop you had recently based on my experience with this, and also the fact that your hoya's lighting situation did not change over those two cold nights you just had. A few days after returning my hoyas to their outdoor home last spring, the spots began to go away. The spots are all gone now so I'm sure yours will go back to normal in time :) I'm going to test my theory this winter though, and bring my hoyas inside way before it starts getting cold at night, so we will see if it happens again that it may actually be lighting as well, since where I keep them during the winter is not very brightly lit during the day... Mike - I'm going to head over and check that article out now it sounds very interesting ;)

Hi Michael. It's good to have you here. Your Hoya Page was one of the first I bookmarked when I went online several years ago. I went ga-ga over that albomarginata photo. Do you have a site with more... well, just MORE? The Hoya Page just leaves me wanting MORE. It was a 'Krimson Queen' that got me hooked on Hoyas back in 1976. I still affectionately call it that, although I know it was a trade name. I like it a LOT better than 'KP' because it doesn't revert back to all green like 'KP' does. But I do have a question for you... Several years ago, Bob Smoley sent me (as a bonus plant, for an extended wait for plants) one he labeled Hoya carnosa rubra, a beautiful all-geen plant, very succulent. A couple years ago, I sent a photo to our Hawaiian friend, Carol, asking her opinion about the ID because I'd been reading the 'KP' was now being called carnosa rubra. From the photo, she thought it looked more like a form of fungii, but I also grow fungii, and mine differs substantially from the rubra I got from Bob. So I sent her a piece of it. Coincidentally, she was preparing to go see David Liddle and took it with her and David told her that Bob's ID was correct. I never really asked, but I guess that made me assume that the rubra designation given to 'KP' was surely incorrect. So now here I am, once again, curious about this. Here's a couple photos of my carnosa rubra... Your opinion? Denise in Omaha

ines, I will enjoy it IF I live that long! ;-) The space I have that receives high light limits the number of plants I can have that require it. So I want to get the best bang for my buck so to speak. Actually though, H. Carnosa Picta has creamy yellowish variegation that is as good as some flowers. That one is my favorite. Vicki, thanks for the care tips and I will be looking for the 2 you mentioned. If you know of a mailorder source for either, will you let me know? I think the intensity of the sun in FL might make a big difference when it comes to flower production. Diane, Kim is gorgeous. I don't have it, but I have Marna which is similar but with a very yellow throat. It's the rich royal purple that looks like velvet. I checked out your blog and loved all your plant pics. I have never seen a Satin Pothos. Pothos is possibly one of my most reliable plants. It's moved all over creation with me thru the years. Loved the stained glass too. I have another hoya that I am not sure if it's a carnosa. I think it goes by the common name stringbean plant. Long narrow dark green leaves. I got it at the grocery store of all places and it was labeled "Hoya Bella". I never expect much from the labels when I get plants from that kind of place. Anyone got a guess on what I can expect from that one?