Karen,
Almost all of my hoyas have the same white fiberous stuff that you are describing, not just the varieties that you mentioned, but nearly all of them. I wondered about it too, thinking that it might be pest related, but when I carefully picked it off with tweezers, the area "bled". I leave things 'more' alone now. I find it on pentaphlebia, kerri, vitellina, carnosa, obovata etc. Not as much on my small hoyas or on the ones with cardboard like leaves i.e. vitellinoides, caudata, finlaysonii; or on my shepherdii or the other on that is like it (drawing a blank here)

I am glad you mentioned it though, as I have wondered about it for some time now. Are you seeing lots of new growth? We have had weather in the 50's and that is really scary for MT - my roses and lots of outdoor bushes are in full bud and I fear there will be bitter cold before true spring arrives.
Sara

Hi Sara,

Is MT Montana, am guessing so? Your member page doesn't say.

Well I'm interested that you too have seen the fibrous stuff & recognize what I'm asking about. It's reassuring to me, as I've never seen or heard anyone mention it. Isn't it odd? I'll be interested to see if other people respond here about this.

I definately don't see it on the small leafed Hoyas like Curtisii or Lacunosa.

Wow, you've got a variety whose name I've never seen or heard of before -- pentaphlebia, I'll have to look that one up; pls. describe it for me if you would.

Yeah, it's been warm here in NYC, high 40s today, some 50s yesterday & I heard we made it to 60 the day before, pretty odd for February. I'm seeing a fair amount of new growth, but not on all Hoyas. See new it on the Kerriis, Obovata, Retusa, Krimson Queen & Princess, Curtisii, DavidCummigiana (which I just found to have one single 'fiber' hair thing on a growth tip) & lots of new growth tips on Imperialis.

Here's to early Spring!

Well, I guess I'm going to have to get out my magnifying glass and look closely. You guys probably aren't fighting "old eyes" like me - I just don't see as much as I used to...

Some of our trees here have leaf nubbies forming after a month of 15+ above normal temps, but it turned cold again Friday, so the poor things will get frosted off again. I like a warm winter, but it's been a little too warm for the plant life, I'm afraid. It's supposed to get down to 12 by morning - ouch! After the warm temps, it feels like punishment!

Denise in Omaha

Here is a picture of new growth on my H.-ARCHBOLDIANA, I think this is the hairs you are talking about. I have them in a Macrama hanger and sometimes the hairs look just like the hairs on the jute the the hanger is made from.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Karen, yes, MT is Montana. I did not know (still don't) when I signed up what my zone is, and didn't think to just add my state abreviation. And by the way we did get a cold snap again, low 20's now and a skiff of snow. Ugh. I am so ready for spring.....

Pentaphlebia is large leafed, med. green not real visible veins, but still unique and a rather avid grower. I just love all of my hoya babies. My 9yo son claims that I love my plants more than him and his sister. Sometimes I wonder. JUST KIDDING :)

Langlin, those hairs look like the ones I see on my new growth. I have to keep reminding my self that they aren't webs as the hoyas bleed when I pick them off.

Hi Green,

Thx for the description of Pentaphlebia, I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

Well Langlin, initially I dind't think so abt the hairs shown in yr. pic. Their in a diff. place than mine, which are only at the growth tips of the vine,or where a new leaf is abt to emerge.

What's that odd little nub from which the hairs on yrs. seem to sprout?

On closer inspection of my Obovata, it has sort of scars where yrs. has that nub, & I do see the odd hair or two there, so maybe, tho' mine are much smaller an shorter than yrs., curious ...

Hi Pirate girl, my photo is confusing because it is so close-up. The area of hair growth on mine is also on the tip and new growth, it is just hard to see because of the focus of the camera. The "odd little nub" you mention is an illusion, it really is just the base of the new stem that is about a quarter inch long in the picture. Here are three new pictures taken of the same leaf juctions as before, first is the original taken before and the next two are today, of course the stem and leafs have grown but maybe you can see what I had photographed before .Sorry for the confusion.

Leon

ps, it has dropped to 12 degrees here today and all our outside plants are in FULL bud, no flowers this year. :(

All right Karen, this is your fault. You have me facinated with close-up pictures of Hairy Hoya's.

This is a H. CINNAMOMIFOLIA branch just breaking out and sending hairs up first:

Anyway here is a picture of the front of my home where two days ago there were hundreds of flowers and shrubs in full bud.

Leon

Hi Leon,

OK, I'll fess up, yeah it IS my fault, I am so darn curious, sometimes I think my handle should read "Karen the Curious", or "Curious Pirate".

I went to look again & defininately see those hairs on my Obovata, one Pubicalyx has a couple & my Retusa has several. Retusa has a new growth tip that has so much fuzz on it I initially mistook it for mealy (ACKKKK), happily it's just fiber hairs.

Of my Kerriis (2 are more stem than leaf, the 3rd more leaves, little stem), the leafy one has the hairs in exactly the same location as yr. Archiboldiana; sort of the top part (scar) of where new leaf & petiole meet. Crassipes has a couple of them too.

Look what I started indeed!

Lovely snowscene, makes me want to come play in your woods. NYC looked much like that last wknd (was shortlived tho').