Hoya sp. Mindanao UT-247 is very closely related to H. ilagiorum and like that plant won’t stop flowering. It flowers to the point of being annoying as one spends all one’s time picking up spent flowers and cleaning the nectar off from the leaves. I have had as many as four peduncles of open flowers at one time on this Hoya.

The flowers of Hoya sp. Mindanao UT-247 are heavy nectar drippers and have no detectable scent. They only last for a few days then unreflex, fade, and fall off soon after. Below the flowers after four days:

This is a plant that grew very easily for me with no special demands. After filling two net pots full of roots, I transplanted it into a six inch regular pot where it continued to thrive. I did notice though the plant does best under medium light and high humidity. Below the plant in its entirety:

Hoya sp. Mindanao UT-247 was received as a small rooted plant from Thailand in May of 2018 and flowered for the first time in October of 2018. I started by growing the plant in a series of net pots, which became too difficult to remove and potted them up by leaving the pots in place.

After finishing up with a great Philippine Hoya, we move right into another one with Hoya sp. Mindanao UT-247. I though we would start by talking about where it comes from. Mindanao also referred to as the Southern Philippines is the second largest Island in the country. It has over 25 million residents, and has a wide range of geographic features from towering mountains to coastal plains. Below the flowers of Hoya sp. Mindanao UT-247:

Once again all good things must come to an end, and me talking about Hoya sp. MT-02 is no exception. I have to say that I really like this Hoya a lot! With its large butterscotch scented blooms, and its easy growing characteristics, it makes a phenomenal houseplant. Water it with rain water, and I’m sure you won’t have to wait almost six years for flowers.

Hoya sp. MT-02 first flowered in January 2019 and has since become a blooming machine. At one point I had five peduncles in flower and two others in bud. This is just crazy, and it is has two possible causes. One the plant had to be five years old in order to flower, or it is the RO water; I’m betting on the water.

Here are a couple of close ups of the flowers of Hoya sp. MT-02:

The peduncle and buds grew strongly and it was no time at all before the buds opened up with the most amazingly strong butterscotch fragrance. The flowers were quite large for Acanthostemma Section Hoyas. These are Hoyas primarily found in the Philippines and all have revolute flowers with examples being DS-70, Hoya davidcummingii, Hoya kentiana, Hoya memoria, and Hoya sigillatis.

I believe that I finally was able to flower this Hoya because of using the RO water. I think the regular tap water was too hard and the minerals contained in it inhibited the formation of peduncles. I have since flowered a number of stubborn Hoyas using reverse osmosis water and will not go back to tap water for Hoyas that I have yet to flower.

After five plus years of growing Hoya sp. MT-02 without getting a peduncle, I started watering the plant with reverse osmosis water, which takes out all of the water hardness, and makes it as close to rain water as you can get. One day while tending the plants in the grow-tent I moved a vine and looked at Hoya sp. MT-02, and I almost fell over when I noticed a peduncle that was not only growing, but budding up. At first I did not believe that the peduncle even belonged to the plant as I was resigned to never flowering this Hoya, but after following the vine 3 times, I finally realized it really belonged to MT-02!