Hi PC101,

Hoyas ARE great! You can't beat them for growing well in normal home conditions. Most are very un-fussy. I will leave the lighting questions to others who grow under lights as I grow mine either in my little GH or in my windows, which mostly face east and west.

But as for an easy-to-grow species with yellow flowers, a good one is H. vanuatuensis. The foliage isn't spectacular like some of them, but the flowers are lovely and it blooms at a young age...
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And a good one for easy flowering and very fragrant is H. verticillata...
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Those would be my nominations!

Denise in Omaha

Okay great thanks Denise! Those are very pretty. So now I just need an idea of what kind of light they would want.

I love these suggestions, where do you think I should look for these varieties? I know for African Violets there are better vendors than others...also, can Hoyas ship in the winter or should I wait to purchase in the spring?

Most Hoyas thrive best in east windows. I grow mine hanging as close to the glass as possible, but because I grow so many, quite a few grow back a ways, so bright indirect light is fine. They'll bloom a little sooner if given a bit of direct sun, but too much can sunburn them or give them a washed-out look.

Good sources include SRQ Hoyas (cuttings only), Gardino's Nursery and some of the eBay vendors (I'll let others specifiy good eBay vendors...)

Denise in Omaha

> I've had one Hoya from the big box store that has been a breeze to care for, although it has never bloomed.

Let me guess. Hoya Carnosa? :-) The most popular one by far, but relatively stingy with blooms. Sources I've seen say it needs good light and needs to be around 3 years of age before it blooms. Mine has lived with me for just over 2 years, but soggy soil and lack of light for a while set it back, I suspect. Now that both those things have been corrected, it is shooting a long shoot pretty fast, so I am glad things are moving. I do not expect flowers for a couple more years though.

> If I get fluorescent tubes, what kind should I get, how many, how close to the plants?

T5 high output fluorescent fixtures are pretty much the thing for fluorescents. There is a LOT of debate about other lamp types MAYBE being better, with some people religiously defending some types (LEDs primarily). LEDs are more expensive and relatively new, so I went with the tried and true T5HOs. The top fixture in the picture is four 4-foot long bulbs. The bottom picture is 2 bulbs, but that was only because of the depth constraints of the shelf unit, otherwise I would have gotten another 4-bulb one. I've gotten a TON of new growth with these lights. Things are growing even now in the winter, which is really nice, 'cause I need the entertainment. I recommend this kind of setup, no comparison with results on my shady window sills.

> What varieties would be scented but also good for a novice Hoya grower?

Check out this list: http://srqhoyas.com/GUIDELINES. Denise mentioned this site, and I've bought cuttings from her (Joni) and am extremely satisfied. I bought 12 cuttings first, then 18 more. 100% of them are alive. You can buy cuttings by name, or you can buy cheaper "bundles" (http://srqhoyas.com/CUTTINGS/BUNDLES), and in the comments specify roughly what kinds you'd like.

> Any yellow or orange blossomed ones? I thought I might even try to get one scented, one yellow or orange.

See if Joni can take these instructions - or choose from her pictures if you definitely want to have particular hoya kinds.

I've bought several cuttings from Denise as well. Denise, they are all doing fine, by the way - australis ssp australis is full of roots but lacunosa is definitely taking its sweet time just like you warned me. It looks great above ground though, so I am not worried.

> can Hoyas ship in the winter or should I wait to purchase in the spring?

You should mention in your profile which agricultural zone you are in. It's helpful in replying to questions like this one and also to understand people's comments in context of their plant culture.

Hoyas have different temperature tolerances, but I would not subject them to under-50 temps in shipping if I could help it. Joni and other sellers can include a heat pack, but that is not a guarantee. I'd wait till spring or consult the seller you are considering.

This post was edited by greentoe357 on Fri, Jan 3, 14 at 12:24

Great info thanks! Any suggestions on where to get t5 lights? Once those are set up I'm going to grow salad greens and hoyas, maybe a light lovimg orchid or two :) nice pic, the plants certainly seem to like ot up there!

I just received some Hoyas from cowboyflowerman on ebay (they were sent to me as a Christmas gift!). Even though my area is currently suffering ridiculously cold temps (temp was -8 F this morning), the hoyas don't seem to have been damaged in any way. I would say that if they are sent via Priority mail, you pay for a heat pack, and you are sure someone will be around to receive the package immediately when it comes to you so the plants aren't sitting outside on the porch, you could probably get away with ordering plants even in winter. I wouldn't order more than you can afford to lose though since it is riskier than ordering during the warm months.

> Any suggestions on where to get t5 lights?

The places I got them at are now too expensive, as I see. Do a search on Google Shopping (http://goo.gl/myN6al) or ebay or amazon. They come most commonly in 2-ft and 4-ft lengths and 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-bulb widths. Get the largest size your space and wallet allow because these fixtures sufficiently light only the space immediately underneath them, and beyond that the light intensity diminishes very quickly.