Happy New Year Everyone! I was asked by Marina in a comment posted on one of my You Tube videos to list my 10 best Hoyas to keep in the north. This list is very subjective, but should be a good list for those new to the hobby. To make the list, the plant must be able to live in a window, in regular household conditions, with average to good light, without the need for specialized equipment – grow tents, grow lights, humidifiers, terrariums, and the like. Here is the list in no particular order.
- Hoya cumingiana – one of my first Hoyas; it grows rapidly, is easy to bloom, fragrant, and can easily be shaped by tying to a trellis or topiary.
- Hoya obovata – large, tough, beautiful leaved, plant that blooms within two to three years; a great specimen plant that needs a substantial trellis.
- Hoya lobbii – I love this Hoya! Grows shrub like, will turn into a beautiful specimen plant with age. Blooms in a wide range of colors depending upon clone and growing conditions.
- Hoya carnosa – Great heirloom plant that is very tough, and will provide you with huge numbers of umbels of blooms at 3 to 4 years of age with good light. Can live in the same pot without transplanting for many years. Many cultivars to choose from.
- Hoya kerrii – The ‘Sweetheart Hoya’ Lovely heart-shaped leaves on a very tough plant that will bloom copiously for you if given some outside time in the summer.
- Hoya calycina – Soft pubescent leaves; blooms in the fall with very fragrant large red and white flowers. Look for the Stargazer clone if you can find it – will bloom the first year from cutting.
- Hoya nummularoides – Outstanding plant for the hanging basket, tough, easy care, and will bloom every fall with umbels of incredibly fragrant blooms.
- Hoya lacunosa – Not the easiest plant on my list to get through the winter with in the north, but worth the effort. There are many clones of this plant available; my favorite is ‘Royal flush.’ A well grown plant will reward you with umbels of perfumed flowers.
- Hoya serpens – I hesitated to add this plant, but for growers in the north, who don’t keep their home overly hot and dry, this Hoya is worth trying. One of the most beautiful of the small growers that will reward you with outstanding perfumed blooms at 3-4 years of age. Mist it frequently.
- Hoya pubicalyx – Everyone needs one of these plants. There are many outstanding clones available all of which will start having large showy blooms at about 2 years of age.
Well folks, there is my top ten list for beginning growers in the north. I have many more Hoyas that I would have liked to put on the list such as kanyakumariana, but because of their certain specialized requirements did not add them. I will leave you with a close up photo of Hoya lobbii “Pink” taken this week:
