I wish I had an answer for you Kelly, but just wanted to say how cool and beautiful your hoya is! I think its great that its developing branches at the bottom nodes.

I think your plant is pretty smart to stop growing before it hits the ceiling,lol...

That's really neat! I just got a lobbii to root for me- maybe an experiment is in order. lol

I definitely think your lobbii can tell where the ceiling is! It's no different from how some plants grow to a size proportional to the pot you put them in. I just love it when plants do stuff like this. It's like there is this brief moment of illumination where you can see inside their heads.

(I have the same *Ahhhhhhh* moments with my cat.)
(And with my guy, who is only slightly more communicative than lobbii.)

Why not experiment? Lower the pot and see if the tallest growth resumes growing and what happens with the side branches.

Paul,
I've thought about that! Only concern is I can't think of any place where I could lower it and still have it get the same amount of light.

That is fascinating. I think plants "know". I am always amazed to see hoyas reaching out to find something to climb. When I walk in the room at 10 am the hoya is reaching one way. A few hours later, the hoya has moved and is reaching another direction. Fascinating!

BTW, I love the pics of your setup Kelly! beautiful plants you have there!

That is a really great observation Kelly. I am not exactly certain of the answer to your question but I have some thoughts about it. One of the terms that you might have heard in relation to plants is phototropism. Phototropism is an action shown by photosynthetic plants in which they grow towards the strongest source of light. Your plant may have simply decided to stop growth due to lack of light near the ceiling. The newly forming basal growths will have a much better chance of photosynthesizing so the plant has decided to focus it's energy there.
An interesting adaptation shown buy some of the rainforest climbers is to have developed negative-phototropism. By growing towards the shadiest place the seedlings have a better chance of reaching a tree and being able to lift themselves up off the forest floor and into the light.

Now just how shady is it up near the ceiling because it still looks pretty bight in the photo. Who knows maybe the plant did sense that there was no where to go if it kept on that path. Hoya lobbii is not a climber so it will have a limit to the length of it's growths. Perhaps the plant has just reached the limit of it's growth potential for that particular growth. It will be interesting to see what happens when the other growths develop.

Mike

Mike,
I think you've got it! In the first photo it was still pretty bright near the ceiling, but now leaves have fully filled in on the trees outside and there's not as much light coming in!

Here's the fusca which is growing in a north facing garden window.

Pretty sure the new stems didn't start until the fusca hit the ceiling of the garden window and then started growing into the room. Today I moved it to the bottom of the window so the whole plant should once again get light...and because the top of the plant was starting to yellow:

Here's a picture of the leaves which I just LOVE!

This is one you don't see a whole lot on and I was THRILLED to find it stateside last year. It's my second attempt with it and really seems to like the garden window. Think in part it's because there are two air vents that point across the room from the window, so it gets some cool, gentle air flow.

Thanks so much for posting some very interesting info, Mike! It's fascinating it can happen in reverse as well- makes me think...there was an interesting book or documentary you mentioned before...The Secret Life of Plants, maybe? Do you remember what it was? I need to get it!

Kelly

That Hoya fusca of yours is amazing!!!
The documentary and book are called The Secret Life of Plants and the music and narration is all done my Stevie Wonder. The book is pretty easy to find in used book stores but the documentary is great as well.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Part 1 of 11 on YouTube

Mike,
I really like fusca! The leaves look like they've been folded many times then ironed out. My understanding is it gets REALLY big!

Ordered the book - should have it before the end of the week. Thanks for the link - looks like all of the parts of the documentary are on Youtube! Yeah! And who doesn't like Stevie! I'm really intrigues after reading the reviews for the book!

Kelly

Kelly, I must get fusca now.I like cool growers.Thanks for sharing your photos.

Cindy

Kelly,

Congrats on all the success you are having with your hoyas and the interesting things you are seeing.

Quick question. Where did you get the white self-watering pots on the shelf in your pictures?

Also, is that just a large vase around your lobbii or is a special growing tool to create humidity around your plant?

Thanks,

Anne

Cindy,
You'll love it! It's in the Liddle's catalog this year - granted I've only been growing hoyas for 4 years but I don't recall seeing it in their catalog before!

Anne,
The self-watering pots come from Walmart - there are multiple sizes and colors. I love them and grow most of my hoyas in them - regardless if I'm growing in hydroton or another mix. The glass cylinder is probably from Walmart as well - or could be from a craft store. It's multi purpose- as you said more humidity and also since the lobbii is so tall and is right beside a cat bed, it keep the cats from accidently knocking it over!

Kelly

Kelly,

Walmart, hun, they do have everything there. I really hate going into those big box stores mostly because the nearest one is 15 minutes away (I'm spoiled, I live and work and do all my shopping all in the same small neighborhood that I almost never have to drive anywhere)! Plus, Walmart always smells like Mrs. Butterworth to me and not in a good way, but those pots look awesome!!!

Time to suck it up I guess.

Thanks Kelly!

oh no! My walmart does not carry those pots in any size what-so-ever. They won't even order them for me. This is why I don't like Walmart. That and the smell.

pouty lip out and sad face :(