Hi all

Last autumn I 'rescued' a Hoya compacta from a supermarket sale. It's is growing in a hoop. It's quite a small little circle and I don't understand what you're meant to do with growth when it comes and the wire hoop is 'full'.

This summer is has decided to grow a long (4-5 inches) tendril from the top. It has no leaves and the plant showed no sign of flowering.

What is it doing....? And what do I do with it...?

The plant seems happy enough. Green leaves and I believe I'm giving it the care it needs broadly.

Thanks in advance! 😊

Hi IzzyWizzy,

Can you upload a photo of your Hindu Rope Hoya (Hoya carnosa 'Compacta') so that we can see for sure what you are describing?

In their native habitat, Hoya's scramble and climb high into the trees, it's a normal growth habit for them to sometimes sprout long vines that are used for grabbing onto a tree or other structure to use as a support for climbing. In time leaves should slowly form along the bare vines. It isn't normal for Hoyas to grow on hoops or trellises but when grown as houseplants, many train them in that manner or grow them in hanging baskets and allow the vines to hang down.

I have a few Hoyas and I just allow the vines to twine around each other, sometimes I have to use little clips to clip them together. Little orchid clips work fine but I've also been known to use hair clips.

I would probably FAINT if I saw a hoya in a supermarket!
We never even find them at Home Depot or Lowes 'round here. (So Cal)
I finally did mail order after drooling over countless "haul" videos (in other states) -- huge hoyas for cheap at Walmart, Lowe's and HD. LOL

Years ago, one could always find a few different types of Hoyas at Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes garden centers. They were the Exotic Angel brand from Hermann Englemann's greenhouse in Central Florida but Mr. Englemann passed away in 2012 and I think soon after, the Exotic Angel Brand was sold to Costa Farms in Miami, Fl. I don't know why Costa Farms doesn't grow more Hoyas because they are very popular plants.

annhashoyas said:I would probably FAINT if I saw a hoya in a supermarket!
We never even find them at Home Depot or Lowes 'round here. (So Cal)
I finally did mail order after drooling over countless "haul" videos (in other states) -- huge hoyas for cheap at Walmart, Lowe's and HD. LOL

I have only ever seen one Hoya, a Hoya carnosa compacta, at a physical store and it was a local independent nursery. They had one pot. Apparently, the owner's daughter had trimmed her plant a few months prior, rooted the cuttings, and put it up for sale in the shop. I was bummed to find out they don't carry Hoyas otherwise. Mail order is my only option, as well.

I bought the compacta, by the way.