I ordered a "Pink Silver" and a "Royal Hawaiian Purple" hoya and they will be sent soon. They will be in 4 inch pots. I already have a carnosa and a "Krimson Princess." I've had several other hoyas over the years, though, that didn't survive. I hope I can make these new ones happy. Does anyone grow either one of these?

seaecho, Congratultions on your purchase of Wax Plant (Hoya pubicalyx 'Pink Silver') and Wax Plant (Hoya pubicalyx 'Royal Hawaiian Purple') Please share photos when your new babies arrive!

I have two Hoya pubicalyx plants grown from cuttings that I received in trade @ 2008. H. pubicalyx seems to be one of the easier ones for me. I live in Florida and both of my plants stay outside all year, one on the screened porch and one hanging in a backyard tree. Both are in locations where they get bright, filtered light but no direct sun. I have grown them in direct sun and the leaves will turn a pretty red color but I ended up frying one plant when I left it in too much intense sun for too long so they are now in areas where they only receive filtered light.

Hoyas prefer a well draining potting medium and I grow my hoyas (and every other plant I own) in a mixture of a good grade of potting soil, to which I incorporate a lot of orchid bark mix. This makes for a chunky, fast draining medium which works for my conditions. I'm really bad about watering my plants on a regular basis but we have fairly high year-round humidity here in Florida so all the moisture in the air helps. You can raise the humidity around your plants by misting regularly or placing the pots on trays containing moist pebbles.

All Hoya pubicalyx plants http://garden.org/plants/searc... would require the same type of care. Hopefully someone in your area who grows Hoyas will be able to offer tips that would fit your growing conditions.

Member @tarev lives in Ca. and although she may not live in the same part of the state as you, she grows a few Hoyas and hopefully will pop in with some advice.

Thank you for the encouragement! I seem to be getting conflicting advice. Some sites say the love full sun for at least a few hours a day, and others say, like you said, bright light. I live in the high desert (Mojave) so my light is INTENSE! I have a west window where I was going to put them, but off to the side a bit so they don't get that really hot sun in the afternoon. I will definitely be posting a pic when I get them! I have a Florida Beauty Dracaena on the way too.

Hi saecho! My area is like yours, with intense hot sun, but my area gets shaded by city trees, so I put some of my Hoyas outdoors during summer in a part shade area. Before, I tried to put them in full sun, and they get badly bleached by the hot sun, so I keep them in part shade. I have also learned now to step up watering or spraying the vines, so it encourages more leaf growth. When I know our forecast is about to go into triple digits, I water the media and spray the vines early in the morning to help cool down the plants.

I used to have Hoya pubicalyx 'Silver Pink', don't know if that is the same as your Pink Silver. The one I used to have is rather sensitive to cold, so if it is the same plant, make sure you bring it indoors during winter. The only Hoya I have that have so far survived being outdoors year round is Hoya carnosa 'Krimson Queen' All my other hoyas stay indoors during winter.

Hi Tarev,

Yes, I believe the 'Silver Pink' is the same as 'Pink Silver' pubicalyx. I've seen it referred to both ways online. I believe it's sometimes even called 'Splash.' Mine will be indoor plants only. I never put mine outside. So I won't have to worry about cold.

Wax Plant (Hoya pubicalyx 'Pink Silver') is also sold as cultivar 'Silver Pink'

Now that's a thread I'm interested in! I know Phelan can be quite an oven in summer (I visited there in spring and it was already hot). Same here, in Riverside. I currently keep my Hoyas indoors. My entire dining table is now a Hoya kingdom. All the plants we have outside have been scorched by the hot sun or just the super-hot air. Still, one of my plumies bloomed for me this year, JJ Super Round. The others not yet, I guess the heat got them really strong.

I want to know, for real, is it better to get potted/rooted Hoyas or cuttings to root? How does it work: is a cutting without the "memory" of the old place and once rooted will thrive in the new place? Or a rooted one will have more "juice" in it to make it?

I've had not a very good experience with Hoyas shipped over the country, especially in summer. Some of them arrived pretty badly shaken and some died soon after arrival. I still managed to root several, and I still have a whole troop of cuttings rooting now. Don't you know any nurseries in SoCal that carries Hoyas? I guess getting them from the same climate grower would be helpful.

Please keep us updated with pics of your new Hoyas.

Oh yes... Riverside can be very hot too. I've lived both places. Phelan sometimes can get up to 106 in May! Other times, it doesn't heat up until late June. We haven't been over 107 this year yet. Very strange. Good luck with your Plumerias! I tried them, and they only died on me. I absolutely love them though.

I've often wondered about the cutting vs "rooted plant." I've only been able to root one hoya, and that was a common carnosa, years ago. The others I've all bought as "rooted plants." Some have died over the years. But I definitely have more luck with plants or cuttings that are already rooted.

I agree, getting them from the same climate does help a lot. I don't know of any nurseries that carry hoyas in CA, which is strange. They are not that easy to find, at least in my area. I've only seen a couple of hoyas for sell around here in all the years I've had plants (over two decades). I don't know why that is. It seems that if I want something special, I have to order online, even with other plants. My Home Depot and Lowes only have common plants like philos and pothos, syngoniums, ficus, etc.