Hoya cutis-porcelana

Hoya cutis-porcelana is endemic to Samar and Biliran Islands in the Visayas, Philippines. In foliage, Hoya cutis-porcelana may look like H. camphorifolia and H. bicolensis but its flower does not resemble any known Hoya species to date. The plant was first described in 2013. Its name means skin of porcelain. Hoya cutis-porcelana came to me as a small plant in my early May order from AH Hoyas in Thailand. It was the first to flower out of the 13 plants that came in the box. When I received my small plant, it was growing in a very hard plug of coconut husk that was impossible to remove. I had no experience with the plant so I potted it up in a modified bonsai mix, in a four inch pot, watered it well, and put it into a grow tent. I hoped for the best. I found that I only needed to water the plant very little. When I pulled the net pot out of its cache pot, I could pretty accurately determine when to water. It was only necessary every 10 days, or so. Within 3 months after potting it up the plant developed a peduncle and began budding up. I was pretty excited as I usually am when a Hoya gets ready to flower for the first time.  The flowers are not long lasting; closing up after about 3 days, but make up for longevity with their unusual appearance. After getting that first flowering, I have flowered it a number of times since. It has also added another peduncle. I may repot this one in my conventional chunky potting mix, and take it out of the bonsai mix. I just have a feeling that I could get more growth out of this Hoya with soil. I think this Hoya is one of the better new plant discoveries in the last few years and look forward to it becoming more widely available. It does not seem to be a difficult grower and flowers early and often. It receives my highest recommendation!