Mystery hoya?

[tansyflower]

Hi, guys, haven't been on much lately (My orchids are still blooming nicely though).

I was going through some photos of things that have bloomed at my house, and have this mystery hoya that is very interesting.

It looks like H. publicalyx (both flowers and red-streaked leaves), but the flowers have this weird two-tone effect (see pic). Both the middle "star" bit and the out "fluffy" flower bit have this two-toned effect. The closed buds also had the effect.

I bought it at the markets about two years ago, and it didn't come with a tag.

Any thoughts on what it may be (or possible parentage).

[rcb]

Well that is new. Does look like a publicalyx, do the leaves look like a typical publicalyx?

I know there are many different cultivars, but I've not seen one that is two-tone like that.

If you want me to, I'll post it on the Hoya forum I am on.

Does it always bloom this way?

[plantloverlisa]

Wow, pretty whomever it is.

[tansyflower]

Renee,
This has only flowered once, as it came close to dying after I hacked it into 8 inch cuttings, due to it being so long (it was my first hoya), and was also extremely wrinkly when I bought it. I was hoping that it would flower again this summer, but no luck so far.

The leaves have a mottled streaky dark red/green look when they are young and then fade to green. Similar to publicalyx.

If you could post it on your forum that would be great, thanks!

[rcb]

Tansy, could you put up a pic or two of the leaves, that would help a bit when I send it off to the Hoya people.

[rcb]

I've gotten a response about this, that publicalyx can do this, so not unusual.

I'll let you know what others have to say.

[lmartiny]

Hi Tansy. Nice to see you back. I don't have advice. But I have a "hindu rope" hoya and a lipstick that are both in need of cutting back and repotting. So I too could use any input.

[rcb]

Tansy, passing along some comments.

First, they love your photo, one even mentioned that is it the best photo they've ever seen displaying the two-tone coloring.

Also, everyone agrees it is publicalyx, the two-tone is not unusual, although not very common.

And most think it is the Royal Hawaiian Purple (RHP) cultivar, which apparently is especially known to flower like this. Apparently years ago, it was also called Chimera, which makes sense.

[tansyflower]

Thanks for putting that up on your forum, Renee. Glad to know it is normal, as I was wondering whether it had a hoya virus (if hoya viruses exist).

And as for the photo, well that would probably be more thanks to my new camera (Panasonic Lumix FZ48), than any skill on my part, as it was just a snap. Glad they liked it though.

Lynn,
Hoyas are pretty forgiving, if you want to take some cuttings. I used rooting gel, but not sure you even need that. I would probably wait til spring as many cuttings wont take in winter. However, I think (?) that thoyas need to be a certain length before they flower. That is why you see hoyas wound around and around their pot. This is something I didn't know when I first bought some, and decided to make lots of cuttings. I now have lovely big pots of hoya cutting, but still not many flowers, as they need to get longer before they flower.