Growing conditions forum: Growing Hoya sp Ovalau Island
After 13 years online, Cubits.org is scheduled to be shut down. Please make sure you have the contact information for all your friends, and that you download whatever content you want from this site.
Views: 42, Replies: 52 » Jump to the end |
|
|||
| Hello! I'm new to the Hoya cubit, so please go easy on a pure amateur...who just happens to love hoyas! I was lucky enough to receive some cuttings from Nathalie Simmonson before she headed off to PNG, one of which is Hoya sp Ovalau Island. It grew really well last year, and then over winter decided to drop all bar one leaf. I can't seem to find much info on the web about the cultivation of this plant, so any expertise would be welcomed. I have just repotted it - to ensure the compost was open and well draining. The roots looked ok.. I currently have the plant in a poly bag in the propagator trying to give it a lift. The remaining stems are green with no rot, so I am hoping it will perk up. Any ideas? Many thanks Julie |
|
|||
| Welcome to the Hoya Cubit Julie!! Somebody will come along soonish, I am sure, with some help for you  My Hoyas hate winter  but in the summer I kick them all outside on my screened in porch and they thrive! |
|
|||
| Thanks, Threegardeners! My hoyas hate winter too, all of them go dormant in the gloom of our UK winter. I read the thread on light conditions with interest. We get around 7 hours of pretty poor light in winter. I don't use any artifical grow lights. maybe I ought to... |
|
|||
| Julie... what does the hoya look like? Think or thick leaves? What is the weather on Ovalau Island? How are you growing it?.... Welcome...  Leap. The net will appear. |
|
|||
| OK...I looked it up...in fact, I've been there on our sailboat. It is on the Tropical side of Fiji...kind of mountainous but not HIGH mountains... Two definite seasons...Look at any information as to the weather on Ovalau (or Fiji, Suva etc.)...look for weather information for the East side of Fiji. When the days the short (winter) is it their dry season or wet? Growing it in the MOST light you can...especially indirect light...warmth. Airflow is critical!!! Not a windstorm, but some air movement... Would love to see a photo. Carol Leap. The net will appear. |
|
|||
| Thanks for that information Carol. I had been looking into the weather conditions on Ovalau - but wasn't sure where this species was found - sea level, or mountainous. I also have H. megalantha NS05-038, which requires 'cool' conditions with overnight fog as it was a mountainous species. Thankfully, Nathalie gave me comprehensive instructions for this one (so if anyone is struggling, I will happily upload her text) The best I have found on Swedish sites suggests coolish and moist. I'm upping the humidity and giving the remaining leaf (ha!) a boost of seaweed growth stimulator to see if this helps. I keep a gentle fan running continually. I've also hedged my bets, and taken a cutting from a leafless green stem to see if I have any more success with that. I'll start my weather research! - and lucky you visiting Fiji , although probably not so exciting for you if you live in Hawaii!!  Will get a photo for you - though it isn't very exciting ... |
|
|||
 Hopefully I've uploaded the picture of the remaining leaf. Its just under 2", quite hard and reasonably thick. |
|
|||
Being thick indicates to me that it is moreorless succulent and enjoys bright light and less water. Don't be afraid of tipping the plant OUT of the pot to check the roots. Clay pots are not that great for growing succulents as the root ends tend to dry and die....unless you soak the clay pots when you water the plants....  Leap. The net will appear. |
|
|||
| Hi Carol, Thanks for your advice. It is in a plastic pot, with quite an open compost. From my research into the weather conditions on Ovalau, I think the biggest potential cause of the leaf loss would be not enough humidity. I am hoping I can recover the plant and provide much higher humidity over the winter for it in future. My megalantha grows very well in my bathroom, obviously loving the humidity every time we shower.. It would drop loads of leaves everytime we went on holiday, so I bought a small terrarium fogger, put it on a timer, and have successfully maintained the little beauty while we are away. It may have a friend to join it  |
|
|||
| Hey Julie, Just thought I would check up on this one and see how it is coming along. Any success with new leaves? Dee |
|
|||
| I had emailed Laila in Sweden to find out how she grows hers...as I'm not convinced I have found the right conditions yet for this little beauty. The last leaf fell off - leaving me with a green twig - ha! Not wanting to give up, it got my 'one last effort' treatment - hydroton! I've waited all summer, and have a new shoot with tiny leaves appearing  From what Laila said, I may have either had it too warm (unlikely in the UK!), or too cold and wet during the winter, which is when it went downhill. I've got my fingers crossed for the hydroton. Will take a pic of my pathetic twig later |
|
|||
Here it is Dee! Not quite big enough for cuttings yet  But at least it's showing signs in a positive way, so I am mighty relieved. |
|
|||
Well this is a positive note. Do you have a kitchen window over the sink maybe? If you do, it would get the light plus a little humidity from the sink washings and warmth from the cooking, unless you don't cook anymore like me.  Just a thought. Dee |
|
|||
| Thats where I've got globulosa and wightii ssp palniensis, a huge australis, kerrii and a couple of carnosa cuttings. My kitchen also gets quite cold in winter, as there's no heating in there. It can be chilly in the mornings. wightii from India seems to be ok with it.... I'm almost tempted to leave it where it is, now that its showing signs of growth. Its in my porch, which is double glazed, with a fan heater, standing on damp hydroton and misted every evening. Failing that - it heads for the bathroom!! |
|
|||
| The pictures of that hoya's bloom are just beautiful, however I am now thinking maybe it's just too much work to keep it happy. Or...maybe if you can get it going then it will do fine once established. What does the grower say about conditions for keeping it? |
|
|||
| She grows hers in a North window, with a little morning sun. Must be kept moist, so she uses a self watering pot. It likes it coolish. Doesn't need to be fertilised more than a couple of times a year. Sounds very similar to megalantha to me... It sure is beautiful, and as I've got mine, I shall do whatever I can to keep it. I SO want to see those flowers *sigh* |
|
|||
| I know what it needs --- Winter in Florida Dee |
|
|||
| I think you could be right Dee. I'll be sure to escort it personally |
|
|||
| Come on over, I have plenty of room for it, oh and you too of course Dee |
|
|||
| Many a word said in haste.... I shall start packing |
| « Back to the top « Cubits.org homepage « Hooked on Hoya cubit homepage « Growing conditions forum |
You must first create a username and login before you can reply to this thread.
