I have a H serpens that someone very kindly sent me as they weren't having any luck with it. I've kept it in the same heavy medium it came in, have kept it constantly moist, and it is sprouting out new growth everywhere. It even has a few buds swelling up at the moment. My cv. Mathilde is also in bloom, which has H serpens as one of the parents. I did try H serpens before in a very open mix that dried out quickly, and it soon died. I had thought the medium it was i was too heavy, so knocked it all off and tried a lighter mix...wont be doing that with this one
Very interesting, Dom. I've read so much about H. serpens, and they suggest cool temperatures...I moved my serpens to a cool room, and it sulked, went down hill slowly for over a year. I ended up taking cuttings, buying new plants...now the plant is back in my HOT sunroom and is growing nicely...I guess this plant never read the "cultural requirements", as stated on the internet and forums. It's putting out nice new growth and has put out a peduncle...which never happened in the cool room, though it bloomed very well in the hot room. Great growing, Dom. Fondly, Patrick
Very exciting Dom! My small (relatively speaking) serpens has many peduncles that are also currently swelling up with buds. So much so, that I am relatively certain, barring an epic decline, will bloom for me. It will be my first serpens blooms in three years!
Patrick, I have also found that serpens will grow like crazy in a warm, humid atmosphere, but I have never bloomed one in those conditions. It might be possible if the day length kept gradually increasing. Mine is doing very well and budding up in the regular house next to a window with no artificial light. The temps are averaging around 68° to 74°F, and of course the days are getting longer all the time.
I have mathilde and it is loaded with peduncles. Some of them have been developing buds. Buds are growing slooooooooowly. I like the leaves on mathilde.....small and round.
I've found the scent of cv.Mathilde very weak, but reminicent of what I remember H serpens smelling like, and the floers have the same green tint, tho not as hairy.....that's not what I remember of H serpens when it grew like a weed for me in the UK, it had a very strong scent, but we are going back 20 years since I saw a H serpens flower..:))
I have a small serpens and I moved it outside, it just wasn't doing much in the house. Maybe doesn't like air conditioning, but anyway it is outside in the shade with early morning light, temps are high 80's to 90 with lots of humidity, but the nights are down in the high 60's, I have new growth all over it. No peduncles yet but I am hoping for some. My mathilde I got last summer and has grown but not alot. Oh well just a baby.
Serpens is a really lovely plant. It seems this one likes regular temperature change more than just being cool.
I may give it another try. I have only one 'room' that it might do for it, but its my entrance vestibule and gets a bit of south sun and a lot of west sun. Its not insulated so gets rather cold at night in the winter. We don't use it for going in and out though so won't get blasts of frozen air. Our side door is in our car port and gets the in and out traffic. I'm going to try to think of way to have it hang in there and not get too much sun. Then I'll try it again.
Well I hope your right Christine... I moved my H. Serpens into my garden window and it has had temperatures from about 58 to 84 range basically in one day...
It gets quite cool in the garden window at night in the spring because I close the blinds and the window is basically sitting on the out side of the house...once the blinds are closed it can get cool, as it has no insulation.... So far it seems to like it... I watch it closely ... it gets morning sun only, facing east... so hope to see some of those flowers myself real soon... I also moved my H. Acuta and H. Shepherdii in the window too cause I was told it likes quite drastic changes in temperature too... (Hope so - lol) all 3 of these plants have peduncles forming...
I will have to watch the temperature in summer too I guess - just to make sure it doesnt get too hot in there... not really sure how hot it can handle? Being morning sun only it should be alright..... I hope...
Sorry to hear that Laura.... what do you think happened? You should order yourself a new one from Pike (if you can) - he has such nice little plants....
Name: Laura Gardiner Manitoba, Canada You can't 'un-ring' a bell.
That's exactly where I moved it to, Dom, when I saw it going into decline! And it just wallowed there.
So off to the hospital, as per a chum's recommendations...
Not sure what happened, but after it threw out many many many peduncles, and new bare vines, shortly there after, it began to decline.
Did it try to do too much, too quickly? Did I over-feed it? IDK. Maybe I should re-pot, as it is in moss?
Pebbles, OTOH, seems to be peachy. I did find a vine that had died back and dried, but other than that, seems as full as ever. And I water it very rarely...
I am reminded of Ceedub's curtisii, though. (Still a fave story Cdub! Tell it again!) Still expecting mine to do the same.
BUT I can replaced that huge pot of curtisii for the same $$$ as my wee little serpens!
"When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other."
- Chinese Proverb
You mean the way I was watering madam curtisii regularly for months before finding out that it was stone dead, the leaves still had nice colour through all this, but I discovered that it was "crisply" dead. No roots, and all the vines all just fell out of the pot one day. Some nearly dissolved as they hit the windowsill and then floor. I think this may be the most colourful way I've earned my "bad hoya momma" badge yet.
to share with you all, the pathetic state of my serpens. Let's just say it's currently in the hospital tank....
when I saw it going into decline! And it just wallowed there. 
Not sure what happened, but after it threw out many many many peduncles, and new bare vines, shortly there after, it began to decline. 
Did I over-feed it? IDK. Maybe I should re-pot, as it is in moss?
