I find that with very large Hoyas, it is very difficult for me to convey the size of the plant in a photograph. It is also difficult for me to show the splendor of a plant when it is covered in many flowers at the same time. Below is an attempt to show off H. stenophylla to its best advantage. Tomorrow I will display a couple more attempts.
I have continuously cultivated Hoya patella now for around 14 years now. According to the data that is recorded with every digital photograph, the first time I flowered it was in May of 2010. Here is a new photo from this morning with the plant looking very happy against this fence as a backdrop.
There are currently four open peduncles full of flowers on this relatively tiny plant. Here is a hand full of the blooms:
Before I flowered this plant last year, I waited nine years in between flowerings. It now flowers profusely, and easily; what changed? I think that the biggest change was switching to coconut husk chips as my primary growing substrate. Plants that use to give me fits to grow like H. inflata, undulata, buntokensis, etc. now grow with ease using the coco chip medium. Now plants like acicularis flower without me ever thinking about it. It currently has 4 peduncles with open flowers; here is one from this morning:
I love this Hoya and for anyone who struggles growing the regular Hoya serpens, I strongly urge you to give this much easier clone a try. The flowers may be slightly more impressive on the regular H. serpens, but the much easier cultivation requirements of Hoya aff. serpens (Xiaojie 001) more than makes up for it. This Hoya gets my highest recommendation!
Both plants flowering at the same time so what the heck?
The photo says it all!
Here are a couple close ups of the flowers of Hoya aff. serpens (Xiaojie 001):
Xiaojie means Miss, or young lady in China, but it has apparently fallen out of favor, and depending on where you use it in the country, you could be causing offense.
The top photo is Hoya aff. serpens (Xiaojie 001) and the bottom photo is of the regular Hoya serpens that has been in the trade for decades. The regular serpens is far more pubescent with a heavy green tinge to the flowers; it also has a wonderful scent. Hoya aff. serpens (Xiaojie 001) is not nearly as pubescent, the flowers have a pink tinge to the corolla, and there is little to no scent.
