Hi Renee,

Not an expert, but it sure looks like it to me...Lucky you!! What a beautiful find!! May I ask where you found such a pretty and healthy plant?

Thanks

puglvr, it was at a little mom/pop garden center, not far from where I live in Charlotte, NC. Actually don't know the name of the place. This was the only Hoya they had. But the lady told me they should be getting more in soon for spring is coming. So I will definitely be going back in a couple weeks.

Wow you lucky girl you! That's EXACTLY what that is & a beautiful variegated H. bella at that. Looks quite healthy & happy. I've never seen it w/ young leaves in pink; I assume those will age into white or light green like the rest.

If more of those DO come in, I'm tempted to ask you to buy one to ship to me here in NYC, that really IS a beauty!

PG - They had it growing hanging from the greenhouse top supports, so I think it was getting a lot of light - that may be why it is pinkish?

I'll let you know if they get any more in.

Sorry, I do have one more question. I am new to Hoyas, in January I had ordered a bunch of cuttings, which all but two have now grown roots and are starting to grow. I had also bought a few from HD (EA Hoyas). For bella, I've read that they like it to be cooler, can anyone please let me know what cooler is? 50F nights? or warmer than that?

Renee,

I don't have Var. Bella, I do have a very small rooted cutting of the plain green bella, and I have left it outside in my open entryway as low as mid 40's. The plant did very well...loved that cooler temps...but like I said, I'm not an expert. Actually, no I am worried that it might not do well from here on out since we are going into our hot/humid summer? I am going to try and keep it in as cool a place as I can( although, that will be near impossible here in Fl summers, lol).

If you ever want to to trade, please email me privately (my email is on my Page), I was going to send you an email, buy yours is not listed...Thanks!

Thanks Renee, I'll keep an eye out too. Could you pls. report back in abt a month & advise how this has adapted for you?

I have both the all green and the variegated form of Bella, actually I think my variegated one may have came from the same grower since it was in the exact same pot and looked just like the one pictured.
I got it last summer but it has not bloomed for me yet. I have it in a west window and the larger green one is in the east window. My house stays between 60 and 68 during the winter.
Last summer I kept the green one on the patio all summer and it was covered with blooms most of the time.
For me the variegated one doesn't grow nearly as fast as the green one does but it does have pretty leaves.

Thank you all for the help. Our nights here are getting to about 50F, so I may move it outside.

Yes, I will report back to let you know how it is doing, hopefully it will be doing well. LOL

Hey renee,
Congrats on your find. I would also be interested in paying you for a variegated bella if they should get one in, I would pay for shipping of course and could send you a few cuttings for your trouble. Email me if your interested at shnntacker@yahoo.com

thanks shanna

Went back to the garden center today, and no Hoyas at all yet. but i did take 4 cuttings from the var. bella this week to try to root. Hopefully some of them will take.

Did end up getting a variegated citronella plant. Maybe it will help keep the bugs away. LOL

Hi all, I know I don't post much, I'm a better lurker than poster. But I had to update this. As I mentioned above, I just got into Hoyas this year, so I'm really excited about this.

My bella variegated I think is going to bloom. It looks like it has 7 peduncles on it, I've attached a picture showing a one. The cuttings I took seem to be growing, but I don't see any roots yet, is this normal? They are in a clear container.

Also, I've taken pictures of a regular bella that has opened, its my first ever hoya bloom! Yeah! I received this one as a cutting from Hawaii in January.

Renee, congrats on your first blooms on your variegated bella!! Wow, seven pedunles and you've only had it for less than two months. You are definitely doing the right things to your plant. That is definitely on my Wish list.
Thanks for the update.

Are you growing this outside, or did you just take a picture of it outside? Just wondering if yours gets any direct sun or mostly shade?

Nice find, Renee! This is hands down my FAVORITE hoya! Doesn't bloom quite as much as regular bella, but you can't beat it for foliage! Mine's been in various stages of budding and flowering for about 3 months now!

Here's a pic of mine:

puglvr - it's growing outside for about the last month, ever since our nights went up to 50F. It's hanging on the northeast side of the little greenhouse I have, it gets full direct sun from sunrise until about 10am or so.

Kelly - your plant is spectacular, wow. yours also seems tidier than mine, mine is kind of leggy. I agree with you, this is a beautiful plant.

Renee,
Mine is an Exotic Angel. Like all of their plants it's a FULL pot. Didn't even know they carried bella until I happened across it. Wonder where yours came from because there is a nursery in Frederick, MD that sometimes carries it in the same pot as yours...unfortunately that nursery often has issues with mealies....have yet to see a hoya there w/o 'em!
Really impressed to see your little cutting blooming! That's terrific!

Kelly

Kelly,

Wow!! Yours is really beautiful!! I have never seen EA offer Bella here...it doesn't seem to be listed on their website either. Just gorgeous!!

Hi Renee, I'm headed to Charlotte this weekend (actually Huntersville, but close). Can you tell me the location of the garden shop you went to? It sounds like a great place to visit. I've just received my first Hoya cutting via trade so was checking out this forum and came across your post. Thanks. Alana

Hi,
I have the var.bella that I purchased from Logees last year. She was doing very well until just a few weeks ago when I noticed the few new leaves she had were tuning yellow. I can't understand what happened as she was so cute... I also have the green bella, who was on her last leg last summer. She survived, but she's leggy and full of blooms!!! I keep them indoors, in a south facing window with blinds. I've tried to take some cuttings but they don't root. Any suggestions?
By the way, those of you who posted pictures Thank You,they were great!
alba in Hawthorn

Alana,

I got it at a garden nursery in Stallings, which is a suburb on the southeast side of Charlotte. the name of the place is Kings, it is on Stallings Rd. I was there again last week, and the only Hoyas they had were carnosas at the time. You might want to give them a call first, cause Huntersville is the opposite side of town. good luck

alba, i didn't treat the bellas any different than the rest of the cuttings I received. As I just started with hoyas this year, I didn't know any better LOL

Alba,
I think bella likes to stay on the moister side, but not actually wet. Might yours have either become too wet or too dry?
Good luck!
Kelly

Hi Kelly and Renee,
I decided to take my V.bella out of the Original Logees pot to repot her and try to save her. Well, to my surprise the rootball of the plant was wrapped around a piece of foam that was bone dry!!! Now I've had this plant for almost a year, watering her the same way all this time....I am so glad I decided to take her out of the pot..should I repot her in the same medium that I use for the other hoyas (perlite,orchid, bark and soil). Does anyone have another suggestion? I need to repot her ASAP...
Oh, by the way my Krimson Queen has one peduncle, this is the first time she is blooming for me!
alba in hawthorne

I'd say yes to same mix question & also I'd take a couple of cuttings just in case.

Not clear, you could re-use Logee's mix or use the mix you're suggesting or make a combination of the 2, but I'd pot that back up ASAP.

Thanks Pirate girl,
alba in hawthorne

Here is my hoya bella.......

Yay! Your picture posting troubles have been resolved. ^_^

Beautiful plant! Every time I see a photo of a mature bella I get so happy, because mine seems to be going through an unending gawky teenager phase... I think it's just so awkward looking when it's young, with all those stiff branches pointing out like a bad hairdo.

Beautiful plant and well grown. I am glad you figured out how to post photos here, can't wait to see some more.

Mike

Beautiful Bella Mitzi!! Look at all those blooms! Congrats on the flowers and figuring out how to post pictures.

GG, I totally agree with the awkward bella stage...mine is the same way...perfect description "gawky" and a bad hair day all rolled into one,lol...

i have to post! I have loved Hoya Bella since my grandmother killed off hers after i told her i'd take it if she didnt want it anymore. It was lush, 10 feet long and always in bloom. Then she stuck it outside in the snow... :( i searched for years and years. Finally this year i found cuttings on ebay of the green hoya bella. I snagged them up and they're rooting. I cant WAIT for it to grow out like all of yours and hopefully get some flowers on it in a few years. Was wondering though, (my luck with hoyas not so great) what is the best light for these guys? usually i end up giving them to much and they get bugs or super dried out. Thanks!

Thanks greedyghost GG for helping me to solve my picture posting problem. Just as curiosity.... I paid for this hoya bella in "reais" brazilian money less than 10 dollars!!! They had a lot of them to sell, but here we always find hoya carnosa, the others just bringing oversea!!!!

grrr4200,
I have mine (pictured above) in a south facing window with a sheet curtain. It's been there for a couple of years now. Truly one of my favorite hoyas!
Do you grow other hoyas as well?
Kelly

Pug: I'm so glad you agree. ^_~ At least this time of year they are kind of appropriate looking: like a big green spider hanging in the window.

Mitzicos: You're welcome! Unfortunately, carnosas are by far the most common hoya here, as well. I love them, but it seems a little sad to constantly be informing people that their first hoya isn't going to bloom for nearly a decade. :X

Grrr: I believe the exposure Kelly describes is indeed ideal. Hoya bella prefers a long exposure, and although it can burn in direct afternoon light, a protected S or W window is best. As you point out, you really have to stay on top of it to keep it hydrated and avoid problems. It's just not as tolerant of drying out as some Hoyas.

My bella is full of flowers

That's a gorgeous plant and I love the photos. The angles you chose are great! When I look at the picture I feel like it's raining bella on my face. A bella waterfall!

GG,

When I was taken these pictures I accidentally drop my notebook and it was totally damaged!!!! The price to repair was almost the price of a new one!
It happen last week, so I had to buy a new one!!!!
Now the bella has more flowers than last week!!!!

Bella in Portuguese means pretty

Your notebook computer? Were you taking pictures with the computer or did you just knock it over?

Sorry about your damages. >_

GG,

I was taking pictures with my camera, and accidentally nocked it over, I didn't see the wire close to my feet!!!!
LOL, how hard is to explain such a simple thing in another language!!!!!!!!

Can anyone advise me how to get a cutting or a plant from,
as i have search for weeks and cannot find any one that sells them
I await your reply with interest

Joe,

I think you'll need to buy a plant or maybe find nurseries that sell cuttings. Don't know where or how you've been searching. Perhaps try a search something like:

"nurseries which sell Hoya plants"