Surprise,Surprise i'm back!!!!! It's been quite some time since i've posted here but I have been periodically checking in to see what's going on. This winter has been really bad for me so far. I'll start another thread with some details after responding to this one as I don't want to hijack this thread and it'll take some time to explain what's been going on in my life this winter. It's been VERY cold here this winter with many,many nights getting down into the teens and low twenties. I know a LOT of you had it much colder but you have to understand that I live in an area where typical winter temps are in the 30's and 40's. I doubled my gh length from 30ft long to 60 ft long and it's taken quite a bit more propane to keep it heated this winter. About $1400.00 so far and that's just since November and this is only for my gh. I have been able to maintain the temps at 50F which suited the majority of the hoyas but some have had a difficult time and are just barely hanging on. I have also lost some,probably 8 or 10 but they wee small not well established plants or newly rooted cuttings. Most of the stock plants have sprung to life now that the days are getting longer. Some grew all winter as I kept lights burning in the gh 24-7. I have noticed over the past few weeks a lot of them have already begun to develop buds on old peduncles and many are forming new peduncles. There may be flowers open today because I noticed some while watering yesterday that looked like they could pop open at any time. My H. heuschkelianas bloomed reliably all winter. Hopefully winter will be over VERY soon!!! This past week we have had temps in the 60's and 70's with nights on the 50's and 60's. Today is supposed to be close to 80 for us. So with temps like that of course I have had the gas turned off to the gh and it's been open now for just over a week which the hoyas have really enjoyed. david

Carolyn, Good eye! It is indeed sp.Kunming Kina. All my Hoya's are watered with rainwater. And use I superthrive since I'm unable to get vf-11 here in Florida. This one grows dry in the winter and wetter in the spring and summer. It has a eastern exposture to the sun thru the screen on the Florida room. I've had this hoya for 2 years now and it is going to bloom for the first time soon. Regina

Carolyn I have a Canon 30D. I did not use the macro lens just the 18-55mm lense because I seem to have lost my macro ring lens and only have a telephoto-macro where you need to stand at least 10 feet from the subject, not for indoors. LOL One of the most important things is proper lighting and if I would have had good light from the proper direction these photos would have been much better. If you are looking to do macro photos you need bright light and daylight or a good reproduction is always best. I would look into getting an inexpensive ring adapter type macro lens for your camera if you have the ability to add on to the existing lens. Are there threads on the lens where you could screw on an adapter or is your camera a point and shoot model? Here is a photo I took with my macro adapter last year, a much more close up shot than my 18-55mm lens can do. I posted a link to the type of inexpensive lens that you can screw onto your existing lens to increase the magnification. No need to buy $700 macro lens if you just plan on taking a few photos, just make sure you read your camera manual or look for the markings that tell you the size of your camera's lens in mm before you buy. Mike Here is a link that might be useful: macro lens ring style

I bought this cutting off of ebay and it was removed from a well established plant right before shipping. I was lucky enough that they sent me a cutting with a peduncle already on it. My other cutting is smaller, with no peduncle, but it already has new growth. Two new leaves that are just about the same size as the older, more established leaves and some other smaller leaves. I do have other larger hoyas that have never bloomed yet. Honestly, sometimes I think someone should just start a basic hoya Q & A thread. I do get on here and read quite a bit to learn, but sometimes I just think of random questions to ask and don't want to start a new thread for my little question.