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Re: Thanks

On Tue, 29 Jul 1997, Lori Foote wrote:

> Thanks for all the help identifying my Rope Plant.... or better known as
> my Hoya mindorensis.  I found it very interesting that mine is a
> Philippine native.  It has the bubble-gum pink flowers.  The coronas
> are covered with long stiff white hairs... which I didn't notice until
> yesterday.... Anyway - it's a beautiful plant and the blooms smell like
> chocolate !!! <s>

	Isn't it called Hindu Rope Plant?  It's not too big a deal; it's
probably known by (at least) two plants.  I'm curious now, though, and am
going to check my copy of Fun with Odd and Curious Houseplant when I get
home.  They call it Hindu Rope Plant, I believe, so I want to check and
see if the Latin name is the same.  

	In an issue of The Hoyan, or perhaps in an overview article on
hoyas printed elsewhere, Chris Burton mentioned that she has never seen
this plant in bloom.  This surprised me, for I have seen photos of it in
bloom, and seen the bloom appearance and timing mentioned in several
books' entry on hoyas.  Chris Burton is one of the most knowledgeable
hoya grower and scholar anywhere, who has been growing a huge variety of
hoya spp. for decades.  

	I'll keep my eye out for mention of this plant in the future, when
I am reading back issues and indexes of The Hoyan.  

	Someone mentioned a hoya with "apple green leaves" in a posting
recently.  It dawned on me that this describes the leaf color of my
recently purchased plant of H. limoniaca.  I usually prefer deep green
leaves, but I like the looks of these yellow green leaves.  They seem to
be that color as a general characteristic, not due to any nutrient deficiency.

	As I might have mentioned, I just went to a cactus and succulent
show this past weekend, here at Strybing arboretum.  The "Norcal" show.  I
enjoyed it, but noticed that the category which could include hoyas did
not feature any hoyas.  The category is "Ceropegia, hoyas, etc. (Vining
form)".  There were three ceropegia species, which were great.  A couple
of them looked a lot like Ceropegia woodia, the Rosary Vine (I think that
it's called), but with fewer leaves and larger flowers, trained on a small
trellis in each case.  
	
	I mentioned the lack of hoyas in the category, and one member (who
volunteers at the show with whom I was trading oohs and ahs briefly) said
that it was unfortunate, but that the plants had to be in such difficult-
to-achieve perfect condition in order for a person to want to show the
plant, that people didn't bother.  He could have been referring to the
fact that hoyas seem a little more prone to mealybugs than other plants

	I think that I will exhibit a couple of my hoyas next year, the
ones which look pretty good even when out of bloom.  If I happen to have
one in bloom, so much the better.  Or, it might be even more fun to set up
a small table at the non-judged show which the SF C&S group has in June,
in conjunction with a big sale.  They invite any member who likes to set
up a display of their favorite plants.  The best displays, to my taste,
have good signs giving the names of the plants, sometimes even with a
little info. on the geographic distibution and/or ecology of the plants or
the plant group.  I may try to have enough plants to set up an asclepiad
table, of hoyas, stapeliads, and ceropegias.  Guess that I need to join
their society soon...
	But I'm just daydreaming via e-mail her, so I'll stop here.

Cordially,

Keith Dabney
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