The leaves on Hoya lyi can vary considerably in size and shape and the flowers can vary in color from fully white to pink with pink to purple centers depending on where it was collected.
Hoya lyi is a lithophytic species found on limestone in deep shade growing tightly to rock surfaces. It is surprising that the plant has done so well for me growing in coconut husk with no added limestone, but I may add some in the future.
I want to thank Mary Carroll for finding the paper published by Michele Rodda on Hoya lyi and Hoya yeuenanensis that gives endemic data on the plant. Hoya lyi has a wide distribution range spanning Southern China, into Laos and Vietnam.
Hoya lyi is watered after the coconut husk gets visibly dry, which seems to be about every 4 days or so. The flowers unlike most Hoyas actually opened up in the day time and are wonderfully perfumed.
I was not highly excited about the peduncle on Hoya lyi as I knew that it was closely related to Hoya thomsonii and that plant would only flower as the day length shortened in the autumn. I provided a constant 14 hour day length in my grow tent so I was very surprised when the peduncle actually started budding up!
I received Hoya lyi as a cutting in in June of 2021 from a kind-hearted collector right here in Vermont named Naomi. I rooted it in a 3 oz clear cup with nothing but coconut husk chips, and it has been living there ever since. It rooted and grew quickly and put on a peduncle in short order.
Hoya vangviengiensis one of the last of the Hoyas in my Hoya Hall of Shame List from a couple of years ago will definitely flower for me. Here are the buds from this morning; we will talk extensively about this species in the coming weeks.
I have come pretty close to losing this one after growing, flowering, and even propagating it from my own seed. This is my last remaining specimen which is growing in homemade Pon. I am in hopes that this one will self pollinate again as I would love to keep this one going.
Here is a new flower comparison photo of Hoya obscura and Hoya leticiae. Both of these plants are in the Acanthostemma Section of Hoyas.
Both of these are flowering right now so here you are:
