Hoya insularis was formally known as Anatropanthus borneensis and was moved over to the genus Hoya in March, 2020. I have to thank two people for sending me specimens of this plant. April Mall of Unsolicited Plant Talks and Mandy Lin sent me plants allowing me to try growing it in a couple of different mediums. The plant growing in leca using semi-hydro has grown admirably while I lost the plant grown in soil. Below the start of extremely strange buds Hoya insularis:
I have never owned a Hoya undulata that was as healthy as this specimen. This Hoya was sent to me as a small plant from Mandy Lin, and I am eternally grateful. It is an Indonesian clone, and I don’t know if this plant is inherently easier to grow, or I have just been lucky with this one.
The common name of Dischidia ovata is the Watermelon Dischidia, because of the shape, pattern, and color of the leaves. I have successfully grown this plant in the regular house as a hanging basket and in grow tents and greenhouses. It makes a lovely houseplant that gets my highest recommendation.
I have found that Bonsai Jack’s Inorganic Bonsai Substrate with a little bit of vermiculite mixed in to hold a little extra moisture works exceptionally well for growing Dischidia ovata. It does not break down and seems to give the roots room to breathe. I water the mix about once a week, and the plant is very happy.
I forgot about the plant for a few years but decided in 2016 that I needed another one and have successfully kept it ever since. I have grown it well using two different substrates. It grows quite well for a couple of years in sphagnum moss as most Dischidia do, but after that time the sphagnum begins to break down, and then the moss holds too much water, and root rot sets in. Tomorrow I talk about the best substrate that I have found for this plant.
I first grew Dischidia ovata around 2010, and it may have been my very first Dischidia. I knew little about it, but really liked the leaves. I had it potted up in soil, where it did well initially, but succumbed to root rot after I had only had it a few months.
When you get Dischidia ovata anywhere near an LED grow light, the leaves turn red from sun stress in a hurry.
The plant grows throughout the tropical regions of Asia, including Taiwan, parts of China, New Guinea, India, and other locations. Mainly the species is native to South Asia. Altitudinal range from 150m to near sea level. They grow as epiphytic vines in swamp forests, open forest, monsoon forest & rain forest. Below the flowers of Dischidia ovata:
I have not put a Dischidia on here in a long time, and I think that it is time to remedy that situation with one of my favorites: Dischidia ovata
I continue to keep up the good fight to keep this one alive and hope that with the warmer weather around the corner it might help. Hoya sp. SR-2017-012 Frog Foot is just tough to grow well, but I just love it so much that I will be sad if it does not make it. Here are flowers on my tiny remaining plant from yesterday:
