Although I’ve said this many times before, it bears repeating; Hoya cumingiana is one of the best plants in the Hoya world.  I can think of no Hoya better to start with for the beginner than this plant.  It grows and flowers incredibly quickly from cutting and the flowers have a beautifully spicy scent.  Below a plant I started from cuttings in the late summer, which is already covered in flowers and buds in less than six months.

I’ve had this plant going on four years now, the best things that can be said about it is that it doesn’t get very big, and the flowers are really, really cute.  The plant itself is still among the ugliest (at least the way it grows for me!) in the Hoya world.

This photo doesn’t show it very well, but there are 14 buds on my imperialis. It is under a strong LED light hence the difficulty photographing it.  This plant has not stopped being in flower or bud since late autumn.

Today I pulled the plant out of its tent to photograph its flowers and cut away masses of unhealthy looking foliage.  What I have left looks pretty good so it has lived to survive another day.  It seems to know to produce flowers every time I get ready to discard it, helping to save itself from the dustbin.

I know how to grow this plant; it would like a southern exposure with adequate humidity; watered before it gets totally dry and leave it in the same space without moving it.  Unfortunately I can’t provide those conditions:-(

This plant has been vexing me for a number of years and I keep saying I’m going to get rid of it, yet I still have it.  Hoya sigillatis loses so many leaves every time it gets moved; it drives me nuts.  I have to move it outside in the summer and into a grow tent in the winter, because I have no window where it would stay happy.

I continue to struggle with this plant, but can’t quite bring myself to throw it out.

Today’s final flower comparison photo.  I’m sure that many of you tire of all of these comparison photos, but you can’t have something new flowering every day, and I’ve learned to never take these wonderful blooms for granted.  I’ve talked to some people who have been growing H. macgillivrayi for ten years and have never seen a flower.  I am lucky enough that mine flower several times a year so I have to show it off while I can.

From Left To Right: Hoya macgillivrayi, Hoya oblongacutifolia, Hoya celata, and Hoya patella

From Left to right: H. oblongacutifolia, Hoya celata, and Hoya patella.

Hoya oblongacutifolia on the left and Hoya celata on the right.