Tish, Gardino's and SRQ sell plants. SRQ is also willing to root plants for you IF the plant is not available...she'll take cuttings from her "mother" plant and root them for you. Her motto is "Always a rooted plant". GHW sells smallish plants...but, no one sells plants as small as Asiatica (and their shipping costs are exorbitant). Grigsby Cactus sells nice-sized hoyas...but, they only have two: Australis Oramicola and Loyceandrewsiana. Hoyaplants.com sells only cuttings...not recommended. Logees sells rooted plants, shipping is expensive. Almost Eden sells plants...nice-sized and reasonable shipping, not much selection, though. Hope this helps! Patrick

Patrick, if SRQ takes a cutting from her "mother" plant and roots them for you, then is it considered a plant when you get it or a root cutting?

Tish

I meant to say "rooted" cutting...

Tish

Hi Tish, I consider a cutting from her mother plant a "rooted cutting". That is what I bought from her. From the pics on her website, I think a "plant" is usually already established, where the plant and roots are more established where as a rooted cutting usually only has a few roots(newly rooted)...more potting soil than roots in the pot when you get it. For me some of my "newly rooted" cuttings takes anywhere between 4-6 months for the roots to fill in the pot, of course it also has a lot to do with the variety and time of year, some make take up to a year to be considered a plant. Hope that makes sense?

That makes perfect sense Pug. It's just that someone (I don't remember who) on here said that they get "nice size plants" from her, as good as Gardino's size wise. So are Gardino's rooted cuttings too? I would think yes. Are SRQs the same size as Gardino's? I just want to make sure I understand the terminology...

Tish

Well, in my particular experience (I only ordered one rooted cutting) from SRQ, but I have ordered "plants" from Gardinos, so they are def. not apples to apples. All the plants I received from Gardinos are "established" full of roots, and my newly rooted cutting from SRQ was just that, few roots when I received it...now that same cutting (8) months later, I would call it a plant. I've never bought a cutting from Gardino's I don't think they sell them?

Hopefully someone on here that has ordered "Plants" from both places can give you an accurate comparison. I think most plants that both places sell started out as "cuttings" one or several in the pot at some point or another?

Tish,

I consider alot, if not most of my hoyas to be rooted cuttings. I got them as fresh cut stems, stuck them in soil, they rooted and all are still pretty small.

The ones I have rooted on my own are about the same size as the ones I recieve from Gardinos and SRQ.

The only 'plants' I have gotten are from Hawaii or bought locally.

I'd also like to add, when you pick a plant from Joni based on her picture, don't expect it to be that big. I think she takes pic of her 'mother plants' as a reference for her on-line catalog. But the same thing has happened to me with Gardinos, cowboyflowerman and fatplants. .

Hope this helps. . .

Thanks everyone for explaining it to me. I think Gardino's are plants too. And like Pug said, they surely started out as cuttings, then rooted cuttings and finally plants from the "mother" plant(s), but they are plants. I'll expect rooted cuttings from Joni then. I don't have a problem with rooted cuttings, I kind of like starting out small. For one, they take up less room and two, you nurture them into "adulthood" from little babies and that is rewarding. The only thing that worries me is that they are still fragile that young and I don't want one to die, especially for the price.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed that I'll be successful!!!

Tish

Tish, just an aside...the rooted cuttings from Joni usually start growing within a few weeks. I think the only difference is that they should be sprayed more frequently than well-established plants (water and VF-11). Patrick

Okay, thanks Patrick...

Tish

Tish...one more thing...SRQ sells fully grown plants...see her "ready to buy" page. Joni also will root cuttings for you...see her "my collection". So, it depends on what you want...Joni has alot of hoyas in her collection, not as many are "ready to buy", but, the "ready to buy" plants, in my experience, have always been as pictured...she's very honest as to whether a plant is small, medium or large. The price is comparable to the size of plant you receive...but, some of her "small" plants have been VERY large when I received them. Try to keep the two subjects separate: "Ready to buy" plants are as pictured or similar. "My Collection" are plants that she grows and is willing to take cuttings from and root for you...the resulting plant will be smaller. BTW, Joni's "ready to buy" page has been temporarily "suspended" while she does inventory. It should be back soon...I would imagine. I had Joni add plants to my "wish list" last night...these are plants in her collection, but are insufficient in numbers to put on her "buy it now page" I hope this helps you...I'm afraid I keep confusing you the more I write!! LOL Fondly, Patrick

I think everything I want is going to have to be started as cuttings. She said that she will start some cuttings as soon as it warms up there--at least in the 60's or so. The price must also be relative to the rarity of the hoya, 'cause some of them are pricey (though fairly priced, I'm sure)--even as just rooted cuttings. One thing I'm certain of, she is a very nice person.

I really appreciate you taking the time to give me all of this information, Patrick. I've been excited and nervous all at the same time since I haven't ordered from Joni before, but I feel a lot more confortable now...

Tish

The hoyas that Gardino's sells mail order I'd consider plants. I visited them last month and picked up a couple of what would be considered newly rooted cuttings that weren't listed on the site yet. I don't think they list them until they've established good root systems that will withstand shipping. They had so many gorgeous hoyas. I wish I could have bought more but I couldn't get that many plants in a suitcase.