Will the white fade over time?

lisa

Nice, Quinn! And yes, Lisa, unfortunately the white does fade. My first leaf on my fin was gorgeous, too, but it looks like the others now. It's a S-L-O-W grower for me.

Denise in Omaha

Quinn that is just gorgeous, looks just like some moss agate earrings I have.

Mike

Moss agate works too : )

Now, for all you finlaysonii growers, do you tend to grow it on the moist side, or on the dry side? I would have guessed letting it dry out before watering was the way to go, but mine sulks if I don't water it at least every other day. I am growing it in coco husk chips. I'm wondering if anyone else is experiencing this, or if it is perhaps because it was growing in a nursery and watered frequently. This is one from Asiatica, grown in a net pot in a very chunky mix that looks like it needed to be watered somewhat like a mounted orchid. I've repotted it to a similar but more forgiving mix in a more solid orchid pot.

It is now steadily putting out leaves one by one, and started a vine recently. Before I watered it so often, though, it would get limp leaves, and started dropping leaves here and there. Disappointingly, I lost one of the best looking leaves it came with. But the new leaves are definitely making up for that, and may even look better than that one.

Hi Quinn, I've been growing my regular finlaysonii for almost 2 years now, but I've never had a beautiful leaf like yours. Mine has never flowered either but I'm thinking its not getting enough light (I have it in a corner on my bath tub) slightly dark. I really need to find another place for it. Its in a 6" clay pot in my soiless mix and I water it once a week, it doesn't seem to sulk like yours...as a matter of fact this is one that's hard for me to gauge when it needs water since the leaves looks the same the day I water it as it does six or seven days later. No sign like drooping leaves or anything. Its funny how different growing medium and climate makes a difference on how our plants respond. I have other plants in the same exact potting mix that I have to water every 3 to 4 days...Go figure! A friend gave me a plant from Asiatica and I had to change the potting mix also...I just don't like that very loose mix they use its hard to tell when I have to water and looks like it needs water daily. I'm much more in control when I use my mix that I'm familiar with.

Congrats on your beautiful leaves!

I grow some orchids in straight coconut husk chips and they need water twice a week vs my other plants that get water about once a week. I like to mix perlite or sponge rock and potting soil/soiless mix in with the CHC for my Hoyas because it holds more moisture. The CHC lasts a long time and is one of my favorite components to use in potting mixes. I use this mix in plastic pots and I think it would dry out too fast for my taste in either clay or slotted orchid pots.

Mike

I water pretty frequently with coco husk chips but it seems to be working quite well for my hoyas. I use it straight for some hoyas, mix in coarse coco fiber for others, and toss it with African violet mix with yet others. There isn't a specific reason, just what feels right at the time and what I have on hand. It's also nice to have a brick or two of the stuff if you don't have a lot of spare space; it's easier to store than a big bag of potting mix.

Pug, my fin is growing fairly close to a 23 W CFL, and is also sitting near a south window, so I think it may like a fair amount of light. Mine doesn't actually get droopy leaves, but when I go to feel them, they don't feel rigid. Then it starts jettisoning leaves. Slowly, so you have time to catch it, but it is still alarming. It hasn't done so once I started keeping it fairly moist. I forgot a day and it dropped a baby leaf. So yeah, mine is definitely a bit demanding compared to a lot of my other hoyas, including ones that say they should never be allowed to dry out. It's just funny to me, because it looks like a tough indestructible hoya, and I never would've guessed that it would be fussier than my much more delicate looking buotii or Tanna Island.