So, you're running a conservative experimental trial with one branch before starting on the other, I see!

Multiflora grows so fast that I would be inclined to cut back the bare stem further and let it just begin fresh growth at the lowest node. It seems like Hoyas favor starting new growth to filling in leaves on old nodes (although they will eventually do both). My experience with multiflora has been that if I take a cutting, it will start a couple of new branches from the cut. I don't have any experience with it filling in lower nodes where the leaves have dropped, and I'm afraid it will take longer for you to have a filled-out plant going that route than if it grew the whole vine from scratch.

If you want to keep the vine, I know people who grow trailing violets shallowly nick the stem at places where they want to encourage new growth to start. I wonder whether the same thing would work with Hoyas, since they certainly love growing from cuts.

Regardless, I think you're making the right move in restarting this plant, as it seems healthy otherwise and will look absolutely gorgeous again in no time flat.

Yes do cut right down near the potting mix or you will get a super unruly top heavy plant. If you leave maybe an inch or two of stem above the potting mix you will get the most compact bushy plant. Alternatively you could allow new growth to develop and then cut that off and root it if you want to have extra plants to share, just keep propagating that way until you have the stem cut down close to the soil.

I have learned that water rooting is the best method with this one as it becomes dehydrated too easily if rooted in a pot. I actually lost all the cuttings I tried to root in potting mix but that is how I initially rotted this species but with daily misting and high humidity. If you water root you can just put the cuttings in a glass and leave them out so it's much easier.

Mike

OK GG and Mike. I went and cut the bare stem to about 4" from potting mix. It looks like there is just two nodes where leaves were. I put the bare stem in the water with the cutting. We'll see how it goes.

May I just say, what a cute little dog! Your multiflora DOES look really nice at the top. Those are some nice looking leaves. But I see what you mean about the bare stem. I did not water root mine. I started mine in a little pot of potting soil or maybe a mix, set it in a terrarium, and watered it daily. If the soil was moist, I just watered the leaves. Not saying you should change how you're doing it, just sharing what I did. Here's hoping you get some new fuller growth start up!

quinn, that's my little long haired Chihuahua, Chico. He'll be 1 year old on the 24th. He is a little thief. He picks out the orchid bark from my plant. The multiflora sits on a small stool, but it was on the floor to take the picture. Very tempting for him. LOL