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Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Not a succulent, but maybe should be!

Darn that Walmart!!! I stopped by tonight after work, and bought myself some white plastic shelves to place all my screenporch sux on. WELL...I found this very pretty, waxy, thick leafed plant. Not a succulent, but a Hoya! It is called Hoya "Rubra", or Hoya carnosa variagata! I looked at the tag, and it says it likes HIGH light, and LOW water! How succulent-like is that??? I loved it, and it was all I really needed to add to my collection of plants! I had seen a curly leafed Hoya before, and was intrigued, but did not buy. Now I feel I may need to have a small collection. Especially when I saw what the blooms look like! Lordy...they are something else! See below.

How do you like these variegated green and white leaves? Are they not just so exquisite??? I love the feel of them, so thick and waxy!

Here is a pic of what the blooms will look like! Awesome! I just feel like I hit gold in finding the Hoya family of plants, with all of their succulent-like qualities!

12 comments:

Claude said...

hoyas are great plants... I had one, but had to get rid of it when I moved. When it does bloom, don't make the mistake of dead heading... that empty umbel will grow more blooms, for years and years. If you cut the empty umbel of, it may not grow another one. And when they grow, it sends out a long stem with no leaves, they come later.

Tootsie said...

my hoya used to be varigated like that...too high of light will make that white go away! they will do well with a little sunshine and partial shade too....I remember my mom cleaning everything including hte furniture one time. She swore up and down that the male dog we had at the time had peed on the carpet or on the corner of one of the chairs. (he had never done this before) and she scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed trying to make the odor that she could smell go away. It wasn't until a few days later...when the odor was still there...that she realized that it was not the dog at all...but that her hoya had started to bloom. In the evening hours, when the plant would bloom...it will give off a faint odor...sometimes not so pleasant (as my mom found out)
My sister and I had barbie dolls at the time...and the flowers that the bride and the ballerina barbie had...look identical to the little boquet of blooms that a hoya shows off!
now that I have written a small book in your comments...I will say good day! good luck with your hoya...I have a whole book about them if you need any information!

Anonymous said...

Hi Julie,
Thank you for your nice comment on my fledgling blog. I'm so green with envy at all these spectacular
blogs. I love your plants they are beautiful.
Diana

Julie said...

Diana- Hi!!! Thanks for your nice comment!

Tootsie and Claude- thanks for the info...these sound like very interesting plants...the way they grow and smell...and bloom! Goodness! Can't wait to see what happens!

Pudgeduck said...

I try and stay away from Wal mart! To many plants to rescue here- they over water everything! I do like the look of your hoya- maybe I'll go check them out one more time!

Xole Karman said...

Oh wow - my mother in law has a hoya growing in her shade house and I've often lusted after it. Alas, I don't have the right growing conditions for them. They are gorgeous plants, and I love your variegated one!

Aiyana said...

Have you ever seen the photos that Tracy at DaMn Plants has of her hoyas? They are just gorgeous. I almost wanted to try this plant when I saw her photos, but for some reason, you can't find hoyas in nurseries here. (Stay out of Wal-Mart!!!!)
Aiyana

Julie said...

Aiyana- LOLOL! I think...like Pudgeduck says...it is a calling that just comes over me that I must go to Walmart and save something!!! I think I saw that curly leafed Hoya at Home Depot once though...I better go look over there now!!!

Xole- Why can't we all just have the right conditions for growing everything? Brother!!! What a pain int he neck!!! LOL.

Pudgeduck- Go for it!!!!!

Anonymous said...

What a pretty plant, Julie! Does it grow up or does it spread?

Julie said...

Nikkipolani- I have read that they spread and are popular in hanging baskets!

MrBrownThumb said...

Julie,

You got a cool plant. Be careful you'll probably become a Hoya addict and will have to buy a second home for them.

Thanks for the recent comment you left on my blog. I wanted you to know how touching it was and how much it meant.

Hope to see you soon.

Teri said...

Hey I have one of these and have had it for at least 15 years. My plants thrive on neglect so it does well and blossoms a few times during the summer.

When we came back from AZ this year my house-watcher and plant waterer darn near killed it. She overwatered it and I had to cut most of it back to the pot and re-pot it. But I can't say anything because she does watch our house so well.