Hoya phyllura is endemic to Borneo, and originally was a poorly known species from Kalimantan with yellow flowers. When an orange flowered form was found in Sabah’s Crocker Range it was thought to be a different species and was named Hoya linusii. However when other color forms were later found it was determined that Hoya linuii is a synonym of Hoya phyllura. This italicized information was summarized from the book A Guide To The Hoyas of Borneo by Anthony Lamb and Michele Rodda.
My Hoya phyllura plant came from an order from AH Hoyas in Thailand in May of 2018. It arrived in very bad shape with a couple of yellow leaves clinging to a green stem. I had little faith in being able to save it, but I potted it up none the less. The two yellowing leaves on the stem soon fell off, but the stem remained very green, which gave me a little hope that possibly something might become of it. Slowly I was heartened to see tiny new growth in the form of leaves begin to emerge from the stem, and in short order other stems and vines came out of the nothingness.
While Hoya phyllura was a very rapid grower and required several repots to larger containers, I was dismayed that I could not achieve really healthy looking foliage. Many of the leaves especially the newer growth was very chlorotic with yellow spots and streaks. I hate plants that do not have healthy looking foliage; it drives me nuts. In December of 2018 it put on a peduncle, budded up and flowered about seven months after growing it out from a no-leaved stem. Unfortunately the leaves continued to worsen with many yellow streaks; it kind of ruined some of the flowering experience for me despite the bloom’s very attractive qualities.
Tired of looking at what appeared to be a diseased plant, I resolved to start the plant over and grow it out in a different medium. I chose Lechuza Pon and using semi-hydro. Oddly when I took cuttings and removed the plant from the pot the roots looked exceptionally healthy. t first it looked like I might have been winning the battle with the sickly looking foliage, but soon even in the new medium the leaves began to streak with yellow. I decided to put it outside this summer to see if different growing conditions might help it. Unfortunately, there was little improvement. I decide to throw this plant out after trying to make it grow into a healthy plant and failing twice. The infuriating thing is that when I pulled the plant out of its pot, once again I found some of the most amazingly healthy looking roots that I have ever found on a Hoya. Usually you will find signs of root rot, but not on this plant.
I really wanted to be successful with this plant, but in the end I gave up. I don’t know if the plant carried a disease, or suffered from a nutrient deficiency, but I had to throw it out. I could not in good conscience send, or sell cuttings of this plant to anyone so I threw it out. Fortunately I was able to flower this plant, and I am glad that I was able to fool around with this Hoya. As it stands now, I can’t recommend this plant to any one.
