Hoya patella is a funny little plant.  It can be happy for what seems like forever in the same little pot.  I am going on my third year with the plant in its original 3 1/2″ container.  I think this year will be the year that I finally re-pot.  It seems to be happy for the most part in my plant room’s warmth and humidity, but it really shines out in the greenhouse in the summer time.  It rarely flowers inside, but with the added brightness and humidity in the greenhouse it flowers profusely.  I have a time-lapse video of it from last August with over 12 blooms opening that I will be assembling and adding to You Tube sometime around Easter.

It is available in both a pink and white variety.  I have been struggling with a cutting from the white form that I received last Summer.  It was the most miserly cutting that I ever got in a order.  It arrived with one leaf, grew another and has almost died on me three times and counting.  Three separate times it has started to put forth new growth, only to die back and break my heart.  Those two little leaves are trying to put forth a new growth vine once again – please cross your fingers for me!  I really want this one to make it.  I have also taken a cutting from my large pink form, and it has struggled as well.  I think part of the problem is that it has a very small and vulnerable root system that is very susceptible to over and under watering until the plant is well established.  In my plant room it is so hot, that watering decisions almost need to be made twice daily, which is not easy to do when you are at work.  After the plant is established, it seems to be very undemanding in its needs.