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harrison871

KerrI

Harrison871
12 years ago

Been i while since i posted;) i have been a busy bee.

Went to a botanical garden today. They had a beautiful Kerri Hoya on a tree. There were also some leaves on the ground, lady said that I could take the heart shaped leaf home and root it. I told her that if it was just a leaf with leaf stem and nothing else it wouldn't produce a new plant. She said that it would. Is she right?

I brought it home anyway and stuck it in a cup of water anyway. I have no high hopes that I'll get a plant from it. The kerri is the only Hoya that I really want but don't have yet. I can't find them anywhere else in south Florida for cheap.

Comments (30)

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Sorry Harrison, but it's high unlikely, IOW, sorry to tell you, but she's wrong.

    While I've never tried it in water, generally these single Hoya kerrii leaves will only grow more roots rather then more plant material, it's quite rare. One has to have some of the material from the stem on there to grow an actual plant.

    I actually stopped my local supermarket from selling these several years ago -- they were Valentine's Day Specials a potted up leaf or 2 for $12. I showed the market by unpotting them, they were just single leaves, most unlikely to grow more than roots & likely to alienate customers, so they discontinued the item.

  • Harrison871
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    that really sucks. I tried to tell her that but she kinda blow me off. By seaching the net for the flower i found out that its a kerri sweetheart, yellow flowers, very pretty. to bad they wouldn't let me take a small cutting from the plant.

    Do you guys know of anywhere cheap I might find that same kerri in south florida? I really want it bad now ;P

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Well I'm not in FLA, but Kerrii is not a Hoya you're likely to come along for cheap, it's definitely not one to show up in box stores.

    What about the Joni folks rave about here, I think she's in FLA, maybe called SRQ Hoyas; I'm not sure.

    Let's give this a bit of time & see what others have to say.

  • RainforestGuy
    12 years ago

    Common green leaf kerrii shouldn't be that rare. Bob Smolley has it for $6 for green form and $10 for albomarginated variegated form.

    Where is Dunnellon from you?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bob Smolley's Garden World

  • lalla62
    12 years ago

    oh i am sorry ,but we are so far.

    here in italy we can find many hearts hoya kerrii...

    for s. valentino day, is one of favourite gift!!!

    harrison how can i help you???

  • greedygh0st
    12 years ago

    Sorry for your misfortune, Harrison, but as PG points out, at least you just got robbed of a good free cutting, and didn't actually buy a rooted leaf under false pretenses!

    It doesn't look like Joni (SRQ Hoyas) has any kerrii available at the moment, although you might want to keep your eye on the site as she has several very pretty cultivars. I have always been rather unenthralled with kerrii, but when I saw her 'Chariot's Choice' I did a complete 180. If she'd had a baby, I would have snapped it right up! ^_^ The pictures just do not do this plant justice, to say the least.

    And that's coming from someone who is usually pretty ambivalent about variegated Hoyas. I don't care for them as a rule, but here and there they really ring my bell.

    Here is a link that might be useful: SRQ kerrii

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Hi Harrison,

    You may want to check again, don't know what you're looking at, but I don't believe the kerrii bloom is yellow, few Hoyas are (vanuatuensies is one I know of). I believe it's white or cream w/ a reddish or amber colored center.

  • patrick51
    12 years ago

    Harrison, PG is correct, the chance of the leaf rooting and sending up a plant is improbable, however, you might get lucky, as sometimes they will send up a vine. Dale Kloppenburg states that hoya leaves will send up a vine, however, they must be provided with a "growth hormone", but he gives zero information on what this "hormone" is..though it's in liquid form and is applied to the end of the leaf stem. Add your name to Joni's wish list for the H. kerri of your choice...she has great plants and great prices. Best wishes, Patrick

  • Denise
    12 years ago

    Harrison,

    Contact me through My Page. I can help you with a kerrii.

    Denise in Omaha

  • Harrison871
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    PG

    I found a link that has a pic of the yellow flowers.
    last time I saw the plant in question I managed to take a pic of the flowers, blurry it is but they are deff yellow. I'll post it later so you can see what I mean. It could be because the sap on the flower is red.

    let me know what you think.

    Here is a link that might be useful: yellow flower kerrii

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Hi again H,

    That yellowing is because of the nectar. I haven't bloomed this myself, but just from the pic I've always seen & the live blooms, it is cream w/ the yellowing around the amber center (look closely at the pix you've provided, one can see this). I find this lovely, just didn't wish you to be disappointed in hoping for actual yellow petals.

    Irrespective of color, I happen to like Kerrii a lot & grow several green ones, a hydro variegated w/ white edges & a reverse variegate one too.

    Denise, Mike, Patrick? Anybody else out there who has had their Kerriis bloom could you pls. share your thoughts on color? TIA

  • mitzicos
    12 years ago

    For years and years I did not believe that it was possible to get a new hoya plant from a single leaf, I tried many times, but this year I got one new plant from a single leaf!!! I really didn't believe it was possible, but many friends of mine said that it was possible so I tried once again and here is the result:

    I'm trying new leaves as the last picture shows, if they turn into a new plant I'll show you.

    Mitzi

  • puglvr1
    12 years ago

    Mitzi Congrats!! That is pretty amazing...you've done something that apparently rarely happens. Well...Patrick mentioned that Dale Kloppenburg says its possible and you did it! It must me one of those super rare occasions and you must have had that "growth hormone" he was talking about...I can assure you I've never had a leaf grow into a plant ever! Great job!

    Here's a couple of pictures of my Kerrii blooms from May of this year...Like PG stated it is definitely not yellow, at least mine wasn't. The nectar can make a mess but I do grow this one outside most of the year.

  • mitzicos
    12 years ago

    PUglvr1,

    I didn't believe it was possible too! I tried many times for many years but this time it worked! And as you can see in the last picture I still trying with other leaves, if I succeed I'll post here again.

    Mitzi

  • Denise
    12 years ago

    The flowers are definitely NOT yellow. Buff or cream corolla, deep red, almost black corona...

    Mitzi, as a commercial grower told me years ago, with Hoyas, you can get a new plant only if you get a bit of stem with the leaf. He said you it just takes a minute piece, you may not even notice. When a leaf pops off, you usually won't get any of the stem. But in 2010, I had it happen, too, with another species. It was so exciting!! I always root the "popped off" leaves and put them back in with the mother plant to make it look fuller, hide the soil. If I get a new plant, wonderful. If not, it's still serving a purpose.

    Denise in Omaha

  • mairzy_dotes
    12 years ago

    Yes, I think it grew for you because you have a little piece of stem attached.
    The color of the corolla is quite white, but the thing is that is produces masses of nectar that can be a light gold to very dark amber color. This nectar drips and stains everything in sight under it. (once it got all over my arm and I ran in the house thinking I was bleeding all over..ha). It also gets all over the corollas of the flowers and stains them too, so sometimes they can look gold color or even amber color. It's all in the nectar.

  • mairzy_dotes
    12 years ago

    This photo shows the dripping nectar and how it can get all over the place. The rhipsalis leaves below this flower have it all over them. If you grow this one in the house, you have to put something under it so it doesn't stain your furniture. If enough nectar gets on the flower, the corollas can look like they are yellow, gold, or even brown or red.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Kerrii dripping nectar

  • mairzy_dotes
    12 years ago

    Sorry...that photo showed up OK in the preview, but somehow messed up. I will try again here.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • Harrison871
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Pug, those flowers are sooooooo pretty. I want A kerrii so bad now. I'm sooo mad I got cheated out of a free cutting. Poo. I'm so broke, free is the only thing I can afford

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Hey Mitzi,

    Parabems (congratulations) this IS unusual, the leaf must have had just a bit of stem material on it. Anyways, good for you, we'll all hope it grows well for you. Hoping your husband is feeling better as well, abracos (hugs).

    Hi Harrison,

    Try not to feel badly, as someone said, at least you didn't pay for it.

    Denise invited you to contact her, likely she's got something in mind, a swap or something. You should follow up w/ her, something tells me it'll be worth it.

  • mitzicos
    12 years ago

    Hi PG,

    I really don't know if the leaf had stem material, all I know is that I got a new plant from the leaf, and I didn't believe it was possible. Anyway I'm trying with others leaves, let's see if it works. Thank you for asking about my husband, he still at hospital and searching what he has, they suspect of crohn disease, but the results were negative. So they don't know what he really has, but I hope and pray for his recover.

    Abraços (hugs)

    Mitzi

  • puglvr1
    12 years ago

    Harrison, I think you missed Denise's VERY generous offer for a Kerrii. Here's her post in case you didn't see it above.

    Posted by denise 5 (My Page) on Fri, Nov 4, 11 at 18:21
    Harrison,
    "Contact me through My Page. I can help you with a kerrii."

    Denise in Omaha

  • Denise
    12 years ago

    Well, it's certainly obvious Karen and I aren't the only ones enthralled with kerrii!! Who can resist those sweet heart-shaped, succulent leaves? And I know I've told this story a few times here, but I'll relay it again for newcomers... Years ago, I had an aunt that saw my plain carnosa blooming and said, "Oh, is that a Jesus' Tears??" I thought she was thinking of something else, as the only nickname I'd heard Hoya flowers called was "Porcelain Flowers", which I always thought was befitting - unrealistically perfect flowers! Well, when my kerrii bloomed the first time, and that deep red sap dripped, I thought "surely, kerrii must be the species that prompted the nickname 'Jesus' Tears'." Lovely!

    Denise in Omaha

    P.S. Harrison & I have been in contact...

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Gorgeous blooms & pix everybody TFS, but yes, looks mighty messy. Pug, those shots of yours are exceptional.

    My new speckled kerrii wanted to be included in the discussion (my 4th Kerrii variant) if anyone missed the thread where I introduced it; just so pretty.

    Hey there Denise,

    In your photos, that one branch has 3 blooms on it, you may see this often, but it amazes me.

    Good of you to help Harrison, converting yet another Hoya Head ... ;>)

  • Denise
    12 years ago

    That IS a beauty, Karen! And how I wish I could find a photo I took this summer of a kerrii vine, one of those leafless ones that only has peduncles on it. (I think I sent a copy of it to Brad, but can't find it in my albums...) I had 13 umbels of flowers in a span of about 2' of zig-zaggy vine. In other words, if you stretched it out, it may have actually been 4' of vine, but because it had gotten bent as it grew, I could get all those flowers in one photo. That's one of the paradoxal attributes about kerrii - it sends out these long, leafless, rather ugly vines that then develop tons of peduncles. So once a year, that vine is amazingly beautiful, but the rest of the year, it's an ugly, stiff vine that's mostly in your way!

    Denise in Omaha

  • mairzy_dotes
    12 years ago

    I have noticed that too Denise. I never quite knew how to describe that way the kerrii grows, but you did it beautifully. I have a variegated one right outside my kitchen window and it sends these vines all around in front of it. Most of the year it looks ridiculous, but then in summer suddenly it has all these flowers here & there all over the vines. Sweet then.

  • puglvr1
    12 years ago

    Thanks PG!! I LOVE your new speckled kerrii, its beautiful!

    Very generous of you Denise! I'm sure Harrison is thrilled! I like that story and makes sense that it would be called 'Jesus tears'. If you ever find that photo Denise, please share ...it sounds amazing!

    Marcy, my Kerrii has a very unruly growth too...SO hard to train because of those stiff vines.

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Yes, thanks Denise, I'm happy w/ this surprise find.

    Well I think zig zaggy is a pretty darn good description. Could this be something like the pic you have in mind?

    The largest peduncle to be

  • Denise
    12 years ago

    Karen,

    Yep, that's zig-zaggy! And congrats on the peduncle! Those fresh new ones usually bloom the very next spring. Once they're older, you never know if they'll bloom again or not. I had a large leafless branch that had bloomed many years in a row that didn't do a thing this year, so I whacked it off. Figured its peduncles were burnt out. I love it when I find those fresh, new ones!

    Denise in Omaha

  • pirate_girl
    12 years ago

    Thanks Denise, maybe they'll open next Spring. Well here it is showing its entire ungainly height, the definition of zig zaggy.

    Just a a point of info. as I kept notes: it's 24" tall & 1.5 yrs. old, growing in a west window, in Leca stones dangling its roots into a vase of water

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