My question is why did Hoya pubicalyx ‘White Dragon’ become its own species, but the ‘Pink Dragon’ and ‘Black Dragon’ did not? The leaves on all of these plants differ greatly from all the rest of the pubicalyx world. They are very light green with absolutely no markings at all. I’m no botanist but the flowers all look alike except for color to my eye. Are the ‘Pink’ and ‘Black Dragons’ sub species of Hoya celata? Hopefully in time we will get these answers.
Up close and personal with the flowers of Hoya celata.
From Dale Kloppenburg’s Publication Paper: This new hoya species is not like any other present hoya species in that the apical
area of the outer coronal lobe is concealed (thus the name “celata”), bent sharply under
and hidden but most surprising is that it is bilobed. The corolla flattened is larger then
Hoya recurvula, and the curved under coronal apex is bilobed, anthers are much longer
and with the pollinia longer.”
Here is a link to that Paper: Hoya celata Kloppenburg, Siar, Mendoza, Cajano & Carandang 2012. ISSN 10055-4564
Hoya celata was discovered by George Mendoza on Luzon Island Mauban, province of Quezon, Philippines.
Finally in the summer of 2017 after repotting Hoya celata and adding some moisture retaining peat to the mix, the plant started to grow well. After bringing it inside in the fall, and putting it under lights the plant put on a peduncle, but sadly fell off. Two months later it grew another and this one stayed and budded up. This week those buds opened up. Below, the first of several photos to follow of the flowers of Hoya celata:
I was not overly disappointed that I had the Pink Dragon rather than the White, because the flowers were so breathtaking and did not want to try to order another until this mix up got straightened out. In time, Dale Kloppenburg, said that Hoya pubicalyx ‘White Dragon’ was not a pubicalyx at all and published it as Hoya celata in 2012.
I finally got around to ordering a plant from Aleagarden in Thailand in the summer of 2015. I planted it in a very chunky orchid mix where it languished for some time and grew very little over the next two years. Below the foliage of Hoya celata:
After flowering Hoya pubicalyx ‘Black Dragon’, I was rewarded with buds several months later on the ‘White Dragon’. Finally it flowered late in the summer of 2012 in the greenhouse. The flowers were far from white and can be seen below:
While among the prettiest Hoya flowers that I had ever seen, obviously George Mendoza had made a mistake with the plant that he sent. I had the Pink rather than the White Dragon – More tomorrow…
In 2010, Joni Kahn from SRQ Hoyas facilitated an order of Hoyas from George Mendoza of Forest Treasures in the Philippines. Among the offerings were three Hoyas newly discovered: Hoya pubicalyx ‘Black Dragon’, Hoya pubicalyx ‘White Dragon’ and Hoya pubicalyx ‘Pink Dragon’. They were pricey at around $35 each for a small rooted cutting. I chose the black and white dragons, and did not choose the pink because of the cost. Two years later the ‘Black Dragon’ flowered for the first time. Below is the best darkest black that I ever got out of it. Most of the time its flowers were not nearly so dark and did not live up to the hype – More tomorrow…
Final Hoya hahniae comparison photo for now. After sacrificing a peduncle, which the plant would have flowered many times on, I needed to get the most from it, and I think I accomplished my mission!
Both flowers are pink, but the much pinker Hoya hahniae makes Hoya rosarioae look orange. By the way, I finally had a chance to smell Hoya rosarioae without a cold, and I can say that it does indeed smell of roses!
Pink and Pinker -Hoya hahniae on the Left and Hoya rosarioae on the Right.