I’m pretty sure that Hoya hellwigiana was the first cutting that I was able to bloom from the Liddle Nursery in Australia.  It bloomed within six months of rooting it, and I thought Wow!, what a great easy to grow Hoya.  My first impressions about it being a great Hoya were right on, but as far as it being easy, well…  The bloom photo below was taken a couple of weeks ago from probably the fifth incarnation of my original plant.  I have had to repeatedly start this plant over because of it going into decline.  This last time I waited too long, and almost lost it for good.

What conditions does Hoya hellwigiana need to do well?  It might be easier to tell you what it does not like.  It does not ever want to have wet feet – certain death!  It does not want to live in regular household conditions in the Northeast during winter – it will shut down and be unlikely to revive in the spring.  It does not want to be cold – I have one in my basement grow tent that has shut down and will be unlikely to survive.  Here is what I think H. hellwigiana needs to prosper:  Very bright light with some direct exposure to sun, Relative humidity always over 50% preferably much higher, and finally temperatures 75°F (23°C) or higher during the day, and above 55°f (13°c) at night.  I cannot provide those ideal conditions except for a short window of time in the summer greenhouse, and so I keep losing the plant.  Is it worth the effort?  I’ll let you be the judge.

Hoya hellwigiana Taken December 2012