Hoya In Bloom!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009About five years ago, a friend gave my sister a Hoya as she found the plant difficult to care for. Since it was an expensive plant, she does not want it to wither. Hence, she passed it to my sister, knowing that my mum would take care of it :-)
The plant came in a hanging basket that has no bloom and my mum repotted it into a bigger container.
Some time later, the pot of Hoya was trained to climb onto the fence in front of the house. The spot has no shelter and is in the open, subject to heat from the hot sun and frequent rain here in the tropics.
The plant is watered daily. Once in a while just a bloom or two would sprout out... maybe because the plant was repotted into a bigger pot (its roots should to be compacted for more blooms) and it has not been fertilised for a long time.
Recently with the application of some blooming fertiliser, more than twenty blooms sprouted! Although each cluster of flowers is not big compared to the leaves and plant (it's not showy), for a gardener who has been looking after this plant for more than five years, it is really a wonderful sight to behold.
The flowers are in clusters and develop new peduncles at the nodes...
The flowers in cluster open up...
Both my mum and I could not smell the fragrance of the flower. Maybe we just do not have sensitive nose :-(
These flowers can last for about a month. As there is nectar coming out from the flower, the plant tends to attract polinators like bees.
Don't you find Hoya flowers attractive?
Meanwhile, in my own garden, my Sweetheart Hoya is still rooting. It has no new leaf yet since I bought it four months ago.
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22 comments
That's a very beautiful flower !
ReplyDeleteBrad :)
If I find them attractiv, I love them, my windowscreens are full of different Hoyas!!I am as bad with names though when it comes to Hoya as I am on other plants...
ReplyDeleteDo you know what kind of Hoya you have planted in your garden? Hoya Kerrii I know, byt I don´t have the variegata though.. A link to my kerrii blooming now...
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_SMkiK54EmxQ/SlJkXMq25_I/AAAAAAAACLw/8EZuaM4B9eo/DSC00002_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800
Hi Steph. Is that Hoya carnosa?
ReplyDeleteRegardless, it's very pretty (I think there are about 300 species in the Hoya genus).
The variegated leaf one looks nice, too. It sure is slow to root, though. If your leaves don't rot, they might just root. Patience. Patience.
I love the variegated leaves. The blooms are so pretty. They put you in mind of Latana blooms.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Hoya bloom, it makes a nice green fence. BTW, the foil baking pan will give same result as regular pan, and make it easier to bring it to a party or give it away (disposable - no washing or clean up). Sometimes, I bought the pie shell crust that came with the foil pan, it makes life easier, and I recycle / use it as disposable plate to harvest produce from the garden.
ReplyDeleteVuejardin, tq for your reply. I will try baking using foil pan next time.
ReplyDeleteLona, yes the cluster of flowers is as pretty as Lantana.
Prospero, it is most likely Hoya diversifolia.
Mia, tq for that picture. The bloom is beautiful! The hoya is my garden is Hoya kerrii variegata.
Brad, now I am looking forward for mine to bloom ;-)
Really great shots! I love the 2nd one :)
ReplyDeleteWow... it is such a cute and nice flower... :p I love it!
ReplyDeleteVery nice. The flower is pretty, and it looks like it has an interesting texture to it also. Does it feel like fur? Cheers!
ReplyDeleteTessa, Superman, thank you for the kind words and glad that you like this hoya flowers.
ReplyDeleteAvis, actually I could only see the fur from the photo. The flower actually feels like solid candle (hard).
Its a very pretty flower. Never seen it before. The name is also unique. Hoya sounds like Hola.
ReplyDeleteSteph... huh.., Five long years, what a wait. Such patience... and now the "gardener" is rewarded with such beautiful flowers. twenty?
ReplyDeleteCheers
~ bangchik
Hi Stephanie, very nice to meet a fellow gardener. The Hoya is wonderful. I think they flower when all the conditions are right for them. I have some scrambling up the trees. I have a sweetheart Hoya, mine is not varigated and is called "Valentine"! I see you around I go and look at your other posts. I love everything tropical. My climate is subtropical.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to grow one! The blooms are stunningly beautiful! And to think about all the pollinators coming....!! Loved the shots. I hope your plant turns out to be one prolific bloomer!!!
ReplyDeleteSteph, you have done a good job here. When things are difficult, the reward is always sweeter, no matter how long the wait. The flowers are very unique like a well defined inner flower and and outer layer. Looks like skillful gardeners love hoyas. Now, I want to try the heart shaped hoya first.
ReplyDeleteAutumn Belle, oh it is actually my mum who did a good job ;-) The flower is indeed a unique one.
ReplyDeleteKanak, like Prospero says, requires lots of patience too!
Titania, welcome to my blog! I think so too... when the condition is just right the plant will have flowers :-D
Bangchik & Kakdah, FJL, the first time I heard of Hoya, I thought of the Hoya spectacle lense ;-)
such an unusual plant, i have a seed pod something like a plant that grows in ireland called 'honesty' but it's definitely no that.
ReplyDeleteIt is always nice to read your comments. I'm happy to know that you have beautiful blooms in your garden.
ReplyDeleteHi Steph, the hoya blooms are so beautiful. Bet your mom was be extremely proud to have so many blooms now, after 5 years of tender, loving, care!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on my new template. I didn't know it took a long time to load the page while I was using the previous template.
I love your blog. I can't wait to read more. I have a blog myself that attempts to inspire people. I would like to exchange links with you. Let me know if this is possible.
ReplyDeleteJason
Patience is key in a good gardener..sometimes the wait drives me crazy, BUT look what you got there, Steph! The flowers are so interesting but too bad no fragrance. Have you met Hà Xuân (http://tuysonvien-whereigarden.blogspot.com) She has quite the hoya collection.
ReplyDeleteLynn
Hello, thanks for the great pictures of your Hoya's. Your very lucky you can grow yours outside. Mine are all potted and sit in my windows. I think I have the same carnosa Hoya but mine has not bloomed yet I can't wait. Patty in Kentucky....
ReplyDelete