Following. I have the same dilemma. :)

I like to get plants that are already rooted therefore im already past the first hurdle of getting it to root.

It makes sense, tlbean, but I've read that cuttings are more successful in the new place because they don't go into the adaptation shock. On the other hand, some of them die while teying to root, so.... I'd go with rooted plants too for at least that reason.

You guys in the higher zone numbers (I see 7 & 9...) probably don't see the adjustment period for plants that we see in the more northern zones. It's not as much of a shock for a plant to go from Florida's climate to California's or Texas or places like that. I prefer cuttings. Plants often go dormant for 6-18 months, and I get frustrated not seeing any new growth. If I buy rooted plants, it's only in the early spring because that seems to give them the best chance of actually putting on new growth that first year I have them. There seems to be something about that first spurt of new growth in the spring - it's like not even the shock of shipping them will stop it. So even though it may go dormant a little early due to the change, I'll often get some new growth right away.

Denise in Omaha

that makes alot of sense denise I have order plants from florida and they have either died a fast and painless death or become zombies. In the plants defense I ordered them in the winter...my addiction took over i just had to have them.I currently have 2 zombies left one is just starting to show growth and Ive had it for about 8 months the other one still remains in a death like trance. Oh but they were not hoyas not sure if that makes a difference

I prefer fresh cuttings if they're coming by mail... fewer roots to damage! Haven't had any trouble rooting them so far. The one plant I did order came from Florida to Oregon, so I left it in the aquarium for a couple of weeks in order to acclimate. Seems to have helped, because it didn't zombie on me. Humidity seems to help ease the rooted plants through the transition.

I bought 11 plants, 5 from VB and the other 6 as cuttings. My VB are growing like crazy, my pubicalyx has quadrupled, and limoniaca and neobudica have tripled in size in the last two months. I got a dischidia, that and my australis var Lizard isle have doubled. Of the 6 cuttings, they were bigger than the plants to begin with, one failed, and the rest have new growth and are all doing their thing nicely. I am happy with all of them, overall have seen more new growth from the plants vs cuttings, but really no complaints either way. My preference then, is for whichever gets me the plants I want at a price I can afford. I would happily buy VB hoyas again, especially for some harder to find strains (even though the leaf cutting drives me nuts), and am just as happy getting cuttings. It's satisfying for me seeing my cuttings root and start to grow

These are my two australis varieties. The small one is the Lizard Isle from VB, and the big one is Mrs. G, from a cutting. (my kingdom for some u hoops, poor plant!) Anyways, the big one has new growth from three nodes, and is still about as long as it was two months ago when it arrived. I don't think there is a good answer to what is best, I would take a big cutting over a tiny plant any day, or a good price on one over the other. It really just depends. I have a curtissii cutting, with new growth from 6 places, including three shoots coming up from below the top of the perlite it is in.