If I can ever figure out how to grow Hoya hamiltoniorum, I would love to bring it back. It has a unique flower, and some day I would love to flower a peduncle full of blooms. At this point I am happy to at least say that I was able to bloom it. This is not a plant for beginners, and gets my recommendation for serious collectors only.
My photo processing software comes with a antique paper effect that I think looks kind of cool showcasing my single flower.
Of all of the Hoya flowers that I have seen, none has the strangely shaped corona of Hoya hamiltoniorum. Technically it has bifid inner lobes according to plant scientists.
Hoya hamiltoniorum is named for John and Gina Hamilton residents of Sabah and avid growers of Borneo Hoya species.
The flowers of Hoya hamiltoniorum are about 1/2 inch in diameter and are supposed to be strongly fragrant at night. I discovered my single bloom in the morning and could detect no scent.
Hoya hamiltoniorum is only known to exist in the central and southern Crocker Range in Sabah, Borneo between 600-1,200 meters.
When I ordered Hoya hamiltoniorum, I did not realize that the leaves were pubescent. They look and feel very similar to Hoya calycina Stargazer.
I was able to get my sad single bud to hold on long enough to open its flower, and I made the most of it by taking many photos.
I have 2 plants now after starting this Hoya over so many times. I was quite shocked that after so much time, my weakest plant put forth a peduncle that actually began to bud up. It was not strong and only manage to hold on to one bud. I have tried growing it in a number of different medias, and so far coconut husk seems to perform the best, but I am still trying to find the right one.
Quite frankly this plant has not been a good grower for me at all, and I have yet to figure it out. It seems very susceptible to root rot and I have had to start it over a number of times. It roots easily and puts out peduncles at every leaf node, but getting them to bud up is difficult under my conditions. Below is a typical plant in need of starting over:
