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rennfl

First timers

rennfl
12 years ago

Hi everyone, I know I've been quiet lately, summertime is insanely busy for me as I work in the tourist industry here. But I did manage to capture some pictures of a few first time bloomers.

Here they are.

Hoya cummingiana, I've had this plant for about a year now.

Hoya limoniaca, I think the buds are actually prettier than the blooms. It has three penduncles blooming now, and a 4th one budding up. Also had this one for about a year.

Hoya camphorifolia, this one has been blooming on and off of 5 - 6 penduncles for the last month. Too bad they don't all bloom at the same time. Sorry for the fuzzy picture, I had a hard time getting a good shot.

And DS-70, had this one for almost two years now, lots and lots of penduncles. Not a first timer though.

Hope you enjoy,

Renee

Comments (19)

  • mdahms1979
    12 years ago

    Very pretty and the first Hoya cummingiana photo and the limoniaca photo are especially nice.
    So what did you think of cummingiana's citrus rind/oil scent? It took some time to get used to and I find I only enjoy it from a distance. Too close and it's like your being punched in the face by some angry citrus fruit!

    For such a small species DS-70 really delivers and it's one I would never want to be without.

    Mike

  • cpawl
    12 years ago

    Gorgeous flowers Renee.I have had my DS-70 for ever and it has never bloomed for me.

    Cindy

  • puglvr1
    12 years ago

    They're all BEAUTIFUL Renee! Love the buds on your limoniaca! Your DS-70 is really something with all those blooms! I have a very small DS-70 but I do get a couple of blooms once in a while. Thanks for sharing!

  • ima_digger
    12 years ago

    Renee, very pretty blooms. Thanks for posting. Love your DS-70. That sure is a beautiful plant. I wonder if mine will ever get that big. LOL Right now it's three little cuttings that don't seem to want to grow.

  • rennfl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks everyone.

    Mike, I have to admit I haven't smelled the cummingiana. I tried during the day, but not scent, and at night they are all in the backyard and I won't go out there after dark. When the next set of buds open I'll bring it onto my porch to try and sniff it.

    The limoniaca smelled like clean soap during the day, again I'll have to try to get a nighttime sniff off of it.

    Renee

  • mdahms1979
    12 years ago

    My Hoya cummingiana smells very strong during the day. It's hard for me to tell from your photo but are the blooms of your plant yellow or more off-white? There are three relatively similar related species and your plant has rather elongated leaves compared to cummingiana.

    Mike

  • rennfl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Mike, the set of buds opened yesterday and I did pull it onto my porch so I could smell it last night.

    I'm not sure I'd use the word citrus to describe it. More like musty old socks with maybe a slight undertone of rotten orange. Not nice at all. And definitely no scent at all during the day.

    As for the leaf shape, maybe my conditions have affected it? I grow it in high Cattleya level light, and even with this level of light, the leaves have barely got a reddish edge to them.

    The flower color is more pale greenish white, fading to yellowish as they get old. The picture I posted here, the flowers dropped off the next day, so they were just about done.

    A nice surprise was I also pulled the limoniaca onto the porch yesterday, it had a wonderful scent of lilacs to it last night. Which was nice, as one thing I miss from living up North is lilacs in the springtime.

    Renee

  • mdahms1979
    12 years ago

    Hoya golamcoana has more elongated leaves than cummingiana and a whitish flower colour. Hoya cummingiana has very deep yellow flowers. You can of course get blooms that are lighter or darker than usual so your plant may be correctly identified but I thought I would post the alternative potability.
    I grow my Hoya cummingiana out on my South facing unshaded balcony in close to full sun during the summer. During the cooler seasons I have my plant right up against the glass of a South window, less light gives you a very rangy and untidy looking plant and often no blooms. If you got your plant to bloom it must be happy where it is.

    Lilacs have such a wonderful smell. I am glad to hear that Hoya limoniaca smells so nice, now just to get my plant to bloom instead of being so fussy lately.

    Mike

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hoya golamcoana

  • greedygh0st
    12 years ago

    /Renee.

    You take very beautiful photographs. I have to agree that those limoniaca buds are something special. I'm excited to see that they are so gorgeous, (and the fragrance appealing) since I'm already sweet on this plant.

    The camphorifolia picture is lovely even blurry; looks like they are made of glass.

    /Mike.

    Thanks for the additional notes on the whole cummingiana & friends issue. I've read all I can find on the subject and I think it's just going to take time and exposure to feel really confident on the subject.

  • eileen44_gardener
    12 years ago

    Hello... speaking of first timers, I am myself a first timer to this beautiful plant. Had a cutting given to me years (maybe 20+); it was very young and I had no idea what to expect... eventually it grew all over the place; I had no idea how to deal with it; potted in larger pot and carefully attached every single branch around one of those plant "towers". It was long and leggy and after many years of struggle... I gave up.. it was losing leaves, just not doing well; sadly I threw it away. However, about 2 years ago I took a cutting from it and that cutting, now itself growing wildly, has bloomed! OMG.. had no idea.. at first I saw this funny little "something" growing out with little funny things on it.. ok... then a few days later, walked into the room to this fragrance!... so exquisite, reminded me of expensive perfume!...So now, please tell me how to maintain it.. since I will be moving to a new home next month with different light etc. I honestly don't know anything about this plant.. the ends of 2 of its branches may have been accidentally broken off. Will that deter any blooms from that branch and its currently in a small pot... any info would be sooo appreciated.. Also... about 6 mos or so, a branch got caught under another plant pot and while moving it, it broke off... Wa La... I have another healthy offspring!... thanks

  • eileen44_gardener
    12 years ago

    Oh sorry... its me again.. forgot to say that I live in Vermont, so my plants are truly houseplants, except for my plumeria and desert rose, both of which are sitting on the teeny tiny deck growing beautiful leaves but too soon they'll be coming back inside!... thanks for you help on the hoya!

  • greedygh0st
    12 years ago

    /Eileen.

    Welcome and congratulations on your blooming Hoya. What a nice surprise. I know just what you mean when you say you walked in the room and were shocked that someone had snuck in a heady fragrance dispenser.

    It sounds like probably what happened to your original plant was that it was overpotted and subsequently overwatered, although naturally there are other possibilities. There are many different types of Hoyas and their care is not all the same, so perhaps you could let us know which one you have? I am assuming a form of carnosa or publicalyx since they are the most common?

    Hoya carnosa

    Hoya publicalyx

    MOST Hoyas like to be planted in soil with good drainage but that can still retain moisture well. For example: 1:1:1 potting soil, bark, perlite

    MOST Hoyas like to dry out a bit between waterings, so that the first couple inches feel dry, or the pot feels pretty light when lifted.

    MOST Hoyas need strong indirect light to bloom.

  • quinnfyre
    12 years ago

    I love that second shot of cummingiana a lot!

    Every time I see a negative scent review of a hoya's blooms, I can't help but think of Ted Green's descriptions of the stinky ones... 'UGH!' It always makes me chuckle when I am going through the listings, reading the descriptions.

    Ima, I found that DS-70 didn't want to do anything at all, until it got established. I guess it's one of those that likes to get a bunch of solid root growth done before doing anything above the soil line. Then it goes nuts. Mine is a long long way from even resembling Renee's, but I am happy now that it is growing.

  • greedygh0st
    12 years ago

    LOL Quinn. Stinky plants remind me of Ted's descriptions, too. I also always remember when he labels plants as "This is a good one." It's like the TG gold star.

    Although I have to say that I'm not sure I'd use the word citrus to describe it. More like musty old socks with maybe a slight undertone of rotten orange.

    will be a description hard to get out of my head. LMAO

  • mdahms1979
    12 years ago

    To me the scent is more sour citrus rind vs nice citrus but from a distance it's OK. Up close the scent is really not nice at all.

    Mike

  • rennfl
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Mike, thanks for pointing out the link. I spent some time yesterday and again this morning comparing both the golamcoana and cummingiana. And while the flower color of my plant is closer to the golamcoana, the corona is right on for the cummingiana. As for leaves, mine do seem a little more pointed. So in a way, it's kind of right in between the two plants. Flower count fits cummingiana though. So not sure.

    GG and Quinn, thanks. I can't say enough how nice limoniaca is. I've only had it about a year, and its a very fast grower, leaves are cute and with 4 blooming penduncles after only a year, I'm pleased with it.

    As for the "musty old socks" I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I know what that smells like, but it comes with raising three boys :)

    Renee

  • greedygh0st
    12 years ago

    Hear Hear! Everyone should have a limoniaca. Pictures (even Renee's lovely ones) do not do these leaves justice. Big hug to Dee who gave me mine. ^_^

    /enable /enable /enable

  • tammypie
    12 years ago

    Hi Renee,

    Does your H. cummingiana have a scent, and if so, what do you think of it? My H. cummingiana, when she blooms, has a wierd smell that I don't like. It's a cross between something and something else and I just can't describe it... lol

    TPie

  • mairzy_dotes
    12 years ago

    The one I have labeled as cummingiana smells like cloves with a just a hint of citrus. It smells very good to me. I always go out there when it is blooming just to get a few sniffs of it. Devine! It also blooms every single year for me on the same 3 spurs. I have it in semi sun (dappled). I also have a couple of small plants of densifolia, which some say is related, but neither of those have bloomed for me. They are much more managable as the vines are small and bendable, whereas the cummingiana's are very stiff and uncooperative. :-D
    The cummingiana I leave out in winter. The densifolias I bring in.

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