Congratulations!! They look very cute, let us know if there is any fragrance!

Denise, I just about gave up on this plant and decided to put it outside in some full sun. At first it didn't like the sun and I noticed the leaves started to look "parched". I didn't care anymore if it lived or died.

But not it seems to like where it's at. This will be my first Eristoemma that blooms for me. If the buds don't blast!

As it goes with me, if I ignore my plants, they seem to be happier.

When this hoya blooms I'll post the pics right away.

Congratulations Tammy! Is this your only Eriostemma section species? This species is listed as Hoya madulidii in Dale Kloppenburgs book The World Of Hoyas. In the book it is mentioned that Hoya ciliata is a very rare species and that the plants we see offered as ciliata should in fact be labeled Hoya madulidii. The dark purple/black flowers with a yellow corona are certianly something different. Do you grow your plant outside in bright light most of the year?

Keep us posted as the buds mature.

Mike

Oh, shoulda known! I can't grow any of the Eriostemma-type Hoyas around here. I guess I didn't realize that's what I had. Congrats on being able to grow it, Tammy! I just don't have enough warmth for those...

Denise in Omaha

Mike, I have Coronaria, Guppyii and Ruthie. These 3 hoyas have scale, so I put them outdoors.

My Ciliata (madulidii) was indoors for about a year after I received the cutting, but it just blasted its buds and grew foliage. So I put it outdoors about a month and a half ago. Hopefully it will bloom and it seems headed in that direction.

Mike, I have Coronaria, Guppyii and Ruthie. These 3 hoyas have scale, so I put them outdoors.

My Ciliata (madulidii) was indoors for about a year after I received the cutting, but it just blasted its buds and grew foliage. So I put it outdoors about a month and a half ago. Hopefully it will bloom and it seems headed in that direction.

Tammy I was hoping that you had other Eriostemmas because I had a question about them. I was wondering if they tend to have to be large mature plants before they bloom. Your Hoya ciliata or madulidii is still relatively young and it is able to bloom, how do you find the other species you have?

Mike

Tammy, congrats on you buds.

Hi Mike,

I used to purchase my hoya plants from a hoya grower, and I would ask for a cutting of a hoya of their choice. So when I got a hoya plant, I got a couple of cuttings. The H. Ciliata was one of those cuttings. In fact, it was in bloom when I received it.

Eristommas are hard to flower, generally. They hate to be moved and love heat. Only Ciliata likes full sun. So when I put mine out in full sun, it started to make buds. I'm not sure if they have to be mature before they want to bloom. Best, TammyPie

Thank you, Jan :o)

Regarding this post, sadly the blooms blasted. I had this hoya outdoors in full sun (to encourage blooming), but the weather turned so I brought her indoors, in a west facing garden window.

Today I noticed a couple of buds starting to emerge on a couple of pendincles. The plant itself is growing like a weed, very healthy.

To date, this is the only Eriostemma I have left.

TammyPie

Awwww, I'm so sorry the buds blasted! They were so cute!

Hopefully more buds will soon follow!

Kelly

Sadly all my Eristoemma have died, and I would like to get more. Where can I buy some Eristoemmas?

Best, TammyPie

Tammy,

Gardino's carries ciliata, though I see they're sold out right now. You can be put on a waiting list to receive it when they have more available. Have you checked with Carol in Hawaii? She doesn't officially sell anymore, but you can buy from her by special request if she has what you're looking for, and I'd say since she lives in the ideal climate for eriostemmas that there's a good chance she has some.

Denise in Omaha

Arg. I feel like I've been waiting for someone to ask this question, because truth be told, I am almost exasperated by how Joni always has so many cool Eriostemmas for sale. Okay, yes, I'll just say it. It drives me up the wall. It's very uncool of you southern growers to bogart these plants and yet still be able to bloom the alleged "cool growers." v_v

I just LOVE the look of Eriostemma blooms, but I don't think I'll ever be able to bloom the ones I have. But if I lived in Florida, my place would be littered with these guys, starting with:

Hoya obtusifolioides, which is quite possibly the coolest thing since pop rocks.

To prove my point, at this moment alone Joni has availability of:

affinis
ciliata
coronaria white & pink
guppyi
cv Isabella (coronaria x lauterbachii)
Monette
obtusifolioides
cv Black Star (sussuela x ciliata)
cv Gold Star
cv Optimistic (Ruthie x ciliata)
cv Ruthie ('MM' x ariadna)
sp. Hevola

It's like you could start a whole Eriostemma forest in one fell swoop. Which is exactly what I want to do. Do you see why this whole business annoys my pants off? :P

I think Denise is no doubt right about them growing well in Hawaii and they definitely grow well in Florida because, well, Joni has up bloom photographs of almost all of them and I've noticed she's chosen an Eriostemma for her logo, so I'm just going to go out on a limb and guess she loves them.

Arg. Just...

arg.

:P

Here is a link that might be useful: SRQ Hoyas

How come all my eriostemmas got scale, got sunburned when put in full sun and DIED?

I'm in Southern CA, which is a subtropical climate, I'd think they would have done well here, like my other hoyas.

Tammy

I also assumed Eriostemmas would be happy in your region. But good location is not enough to seal the deal, of course. The scale was just unlucky. And too high sun was too bad. But I bet if you try again, with strong indirect light, like under a tree, and make sure to keep them well watered (since most of them like it moist and are very thirsty), you'll have great success and be laughing in the faces of all of us in northern climes.

Tammy,

I've come to the conclusion that scale is a byproduct of those who grow in the highly tropical, very humid environments. I think almost every plant I've gotten from Florida and Hawaii has come with scale. I don't always see them initially, but pretty soon, I'm scraping them off those plants. Don't get me wrong - they're worth fighting off to get those nicely grown plants. I should just treat them as soon as they come in, but I guess I worry that giving them a drink of poison might be an additional shock they can't take...

I would try again, too. I think, though, that your environment is a lot less humid, so they'll probably take more water and need a little less direct sun. I put my 'Ruthie' outside this spring in hopes that it will bloom for me this year. Dee has assured me it's one of the eriostemmas that's sufficiently "slutty" to bloom for even me up here! LOL!

Denise in Omaha

Congrats on the ciliata buds Tammy.

My 9 year old plant bloomed for the first time last year. I currently have cv. optimistic in bloom and it's loaded with flowers.

dmichael619, my H. Ciliata died long ago. This is an old pic that I posted. I'm ordering another cutting because I love this hoya.

TammyPie

Hoyor believes ciliata is the easiest Eriostemma to bloom up north, and claims she bloomed it with no effort up in Sweden. So that sounds hopeful. ^_^

Here is a link that might be useful: Hope for northerners? ^_~

I have a request with Carol in Hawaii to root a few eriostemmas. I will try them again. Even if they don't bloom for me, I just love their foliage!

A couple of years ago, I put them out in full sun hoping to encourage them to bloom. My H. Ciliata did just that - put forth buds, but they blasted. Then the leaves got burn hole on them, in addition to the Scame I got discouraged and gave up on them.

9 years to bloom.... ohhh my god!

I guess I'm in trouble, should have checked this thread before ordering! Just got obtusifolioides and coronaria from Joni. My only hope is our oppressive hot and humid summer (it will be here in no time), for now morning sun on the patio and regular watering to get through Miami winter!

Wish me luck, I hate killing plants :o(

Aggie