I received this plant as Hoya sp. EPC-610 Aff. Acuta, but all of the Hoyas that were formally known as acuta and amoena are now called verticillata. Of all the different H. verticillata that I have this is one of the easiest to grow and has some of the most fragrant flowers. Here it is after removing it from its window to take photos:
If you are looking for an easy care Hoya that will never stop blooming in the spring and summer look no further than Hoya Fungii X Hoya pubicalyx RHP. Here it is this morning after I took it out of its window for a photo shoot:
If you look really carefully, you can see three different stages of buds on the same peduncle.
I started this plant over last Fall, and I am already starting to see the flowers. Once this one gets started, it will literally never be out of bloom. It is one of the best of the recent cultivars.
Hoya medusa has some positives; first it has lovely red new growth, and second the extremely small flowers, which are only a little bigger than a Dischidia don’t drip nectar. I think that it could make an interesting specimen if grown in a small hanging basket with several cuttings growing over the sides. I have only been growing it now for about a year, but will report back when I have more experience. For now. I would say that it is a plant best suited for serious collectors. I have to end by saying though that I had a lot of fun growing it out!
Hoya medusa might be best grown as a hanging plant, then it would be easier to observe the flowers. Below is my very small specimen:
I had no idea that the flowers on this Hoya would be so small. They are less than a 1/4 inch across. Below I took one of the flowers and put it next to a Hoya amicabilis to give an idea as to size:
The flowers of H. amicabilis are small, but H. medusa flowers are even smaller. The blooms are long lasting staying on for around 10-14 days. There was no detectable scent.
After growing the plant for a few months it sent up a second vine from its base, which always makes me happy. At every leaf node there looked to be small peduncles that could be observed with a magnifying glass but it took about 10 months from starting the Hoya from a cutting before I finally noticed signs of budding up.
Hoya medusa is a slow growing shrubby type Hoya. Its best feature is that all of the new growth comes in beautifully red. As the leaves mature they revert to green. Below new growth on the plant:
I received a cutting of Hoya medusa from the wonderful people (Adam, Lydia, and Jessi) from the podcast Lets Talk Hoyas back in April of 2024. It easily rooted in coconut husk and began growing steadily. I knew nothing about the plant, but the name really intrigued me! Below the foliage of the plant:
