Hoya publicalyx

Looking back over my posts, I realized I hadn't highlighted Hoya publicalyx.  Kind of surprising because, even though it is so common and even though it's almost impossible not to do well with it, it is my favorite Hoya I have.  I have three different clones.  The third one I received is 'Black Dragon' but as I haven't bloomed it yet, I'm not going to include it here.

The first publicalyx I received was in 2009 from an orchid friend in Washington State.  It didn't come with a cultivar name, so I just call it publicalyx.  This grows so easily.  I give it very bright, to partial direct sun (stronger in winter), let it dry out in between waterings (dry longer in winter), and it stayed outside from the hottest summer gets, down to freezing in winter. So it is pretty much one of the "easiest" plants I have.

Some pictures of this one, although these are from the past spring.

 

The second one I'll write about today, was in my first shipment of Hoya cuttings from Ted Green.  Different clone completely, as the leaves are a paler green, without any speckling at all.  It also has different culture requirements.  Although it too likes to dry out in between waterings, it seems to prefer more shade, and throws a fit if the night temperatures get below 50F.  Also, although I received this cutting back in 2009, it only bloomed for the first time this summer. I now have it growing up a 5 ft obelisk, which it is starting to take over, and has even grown a second punduncle.

 

Even though I know giving it a cultivar name doesn't follow the rules, as I'm not going to register it, I do call it 'Plain Jane' - reference to the plain green leaves.  The first picture here is a bit messy, but I want to highlight how different these leaves are from other typical publicalyxs.  Then picture of the blooms, which in person are a deep pink, kind of like Black Cherry, and the white hairs contrast so prettily.