Another weekend break for me... Hehehe... Over-slept just now... So now it's 1.25 am and I'm wide awake...
Been thinking about doing some cleaning especially around the balcony area... It looks like my balcony's been hit my a tornado... Haih...
It used to be so green and beautiful and orderly... And to get me in the mood to do some balcony-cleaning... I'd like to share a plant.
The name is Hoya verticillata. Before we venture more into this species, we need to know a bit about the scientific name...
Basically, in biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species.
The system is called binominal nomenclature (particularly in zoological circles), binary nomenclature (particularly in botanical circles), or the binomial classification system.
The essence of it is that each species name is in (modern scientific) Latin and has two parts, so that it is popularly known as the "Latin name" of the species, although this terminology is frowned upon by biologists and philologists, who prefer the phrase scientific name. Instead of using the seven-category system in naming an organism, Carl Linnaeus chose to use a two-word naming system.
He adopted the binominal nomenclature scheme, using only the genus name and the specific name or epithet which together form the species name.
For example, humans belong to genus Homo and their specific name is sapiens. Humans are then as a species classified by Linnaeus as Homo sapiens.
Note that the first name, the genus, is capitalized, while the second is not.
OK?
Moving on... The genus Hoya... Hoya is a genus of 200-300 species of tropical climbing plants in the family Apocynaceae (Dogbane), native to southern Asia (India east to southern China and southward), Australia, and Polynesia.
Common names for this genus are waxplant, waxvine, waxflower or simply hoya. This genus was named by botanist Robert Brown, in honour of his friend, botanist Thomas Hoy.
Hoyas are evergreen climbing vines or shrubs growing to 1-10 m (or more with suitable support in trees). They have simple opposite leaves 5-30 cm long that are typically succulent, and in many species are flecked with irregular small silvery spots.
The flowers appear in axillary umbellate clusters at the apex of 2-3 cm peduncles, with repeated clusters of flowers developing sequentially on each peduncle.
The flowering peduncles get 2-3 mm longer with each flowering, and can eventually reach 7 cm or more long; the base of the peduncle is smooth, with growth subsequent to the first flowering of the peduncle is rough with numerous tiny bracts.
Each flower is about 1 cm diameter, with five thick, waxy, triangular petals; colours range from white to pink or yellow. They are sweetly scented and produce abundant nectar.
Many species of hoya are popular houseplants in temperate areas (especially H. carnosa), grown for their attractive foliage and strongly scented flowers.
This variety is also called the Heirloom Plant due to the fact that this plant is very long-lived (if their basic needs is met, that is).
Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use. Hoyas grow well indoors, preferring bright but not direct sunlight, but will tolerate fairly low light levels at the expense of rapid growth and blooming.
Hoyas commonly sold in nurseries as houseplants include cultivars of H. carnosa- The one with white flower and red centre (Krimson Queen, Hindu Rope − compacta), H. pubicalyx - the one with deep maroon/purple flower, (often mislabeled as carnosa), and H. kerrii- heart-shaped leaves.
Hoyas are easy to purchase on the internet, and are commonly sold as cuttings, either rooted or unrooted.
In Langkawi, they can easily be seen around the rain tree infront of Langkawi Fair Shopping Complex (look for climbing vines with sharp ovate leaves that end in sharp point), Lubuk Semilang (Hoya verticillata, Hoya carnosa and some other species awating identification), Durian Perangin (Hoya lacunosa, Hoya lacunosa Langkawi Island, Hoya verticillata, Hoya lacunosa "small-leaves").
To spot them, you need to look up and hard. Once you know what you're looking for, you'll be surprised to see that they're all around you... If you are looking for them, here's how you can ID them easily...
First look for a climbing vine with thick leaves... The leaves usually grows in pairs, side by side and will secrete milky white sap (caution- this may cause skin and mucous irritation and maybe poisonous! Dont be tempted to taste this!), then, the most telling part is the flower stalk. This usually looks like a long leaf stalk with blunt end.
Hoyas usually bloom on the same flower stalk over and over again. This flower stalk will continue to grow longer in time and this will result in more flower...
Now you know what a Hoya is... Moving on to how to care for them... Hoyas are basically trouble-free. They're easier to care for than my previous obsessions (pitcher plants, American pitcher plants, sundews, herbs).
Provide the hoya with some direct sunlight. These plants do tolerate the moderate light from a west window, but for the best growth and most frequent production of flowers, place them in front of unshaded south or east windows.
Place hoyas in a range of different temperatures. Hoyas will tolerate cool and hot temperatures, so they make good plants to grow in areas other plants will not.
Water hoyas when the top several inches of soil have dried. Use your finger to gauge the moisture. It is best to water hoyas less frequently, allowing their soil to dry in between waterings. I usually wait until the leaves are slightly wrinkled before watering...
One note: Do make sure the soil is free-flowing and do not stay moist for too long... This will cause root rot!
Leave long, leafless stems on the plants. Hoyas send out long shoots of stems without any leaves on them. Although it may be tempting to cut these off, leaves and blooms eventually fill the stems. Trimming them slows the growth of the plant.
Consider staking hoya plants you grow in pots. Place a piece of wood or bark in the middle of the pot and wrap the stems around it. Keep the wood or bark moist for additional humidity.
In case you accidentally caused some fresh leaves to drop... Fret not, poke these into a pot of soil and place this in shady area and forget about them, watering every now and then. You'll may end up with little Hoyas... Works well with H. verticillata, H. publicalix and H. carnosa. I'm currently experimenting on other species...
So there you go... A very long post on 1. Scientific Naming System. 2. The genus Hoya. 3. Hoya verticillata. 4. Hoya basic care.
Good info on Hoyas and related species can be found here.
Basically this is a four in one post... Hehehe... Now for the pix...
The name is Hoya verticillata. Before we venture more into this species, we need to know a bit about the scientific name...
Basically, in biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species.
The system is called binominal nomenclature (particularly in zoological circles), binary nomenclature (particularly in botanical circles), or the binomial classification system.
The essence of it is that each species name is in (modern scientific) Latin and has two parts, so that it is popularly known as the "Latin name" of the species, although this terminology is frowned upon by biologists and philologists, who prefer the phrase scientific name. Instead of using the seven-category system in naming an organism, Carl Linnaeus chose to use a two-word naming system.
He adopted the binominal nomenclature scheme, using only the genus name and the specific name or epithet which together form the species name.
For example, humans belong to genus Homo and their specific name is sapiens. Humans are then as a species classified by Linnaeus as Homo sapiens.
Note that the first name, the genus, is capitalized, while the second is not.
OK?
Moving on... The genus Hoya... Hoya is a genus of 200-300 species of tropical climbing plants in the family Apocynaceae (Dogbane), native to southern Asia (India east to southern China and southward), Australia, and Polynesia.
Common names for this genus are waxplant, waxvine, waxflower or simply hoya. This genus was named by botanist Robert Brown, in honour of his friend, botanist Thomas Hoy.
Hoyas are evergreen climbing vines or shrubs growing to 1-10 m (or more with suitable support in trees). They have simple opposite leaves 5-30 cm long that are typically succulent, and in many species are flecked with irregular small silvery spots.
The flowers appear in axillary umbellate clusters at the apex of 2-3 cm peduncles, with repeated clusters of flowers developing sequentially on each peduncle.
The flowering peduncles get 2-3 mm longer with each flowering, and can eventually reach 7 cm or more long; the base of the peduncle is smooth, with growth subsequent to the first flowering of the peduncle is rough with numerous tiny bracts.
Each flower is about 1 cm diameter, with five thick, waxy, triangular petals; colours range from white to pink or yellow. They are sweetly scented and produce abundant nectar.
Many species of hoya are popular houseplants in temperate areas (especially H. carnosa), grown for their attractive foliage and strongly scented flowers.
This variety is also called the Heirloom Plant due to the fact that this plant is very long-lived (if their basic needs is met, that is).
Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use. Hoyas grow well indoors, preferring bright but not direct sunlight, but will tolerate fairly low light levels at the expense of rapid growth and blooming.
Hoyas commonly sold in nurseries as houseplants include cultivars of H. carnosa- The one with white flower and red centre (Krimson Queen, Hindu Rope − compacta), H. pubicalyx - the one with deep maroon/purple flower, (often mislabeled as carnosa), and H. kerrii- heart-shaped leaves.
Hoyas are easy to purchase on the internet, and are commonly sold as cuttings, either rooted or unrooted.
In Langkawi, they can easily be seen around the rain tree infront of Langkawi Fair Shopping Complex (look for climbing vines with sharp ovate leaves that end in sharp point), Lubuk Semilang (Hoya verticillata, Hoya carnosa and some other species awating identification), Durian Perangin (Hoya lacunosa, Hoya lacunosa Langkawi Island, Hoya verticillata, Hoya lacunosa "small-leaves").
To spot them, you need to look up and hard. Once you know what you're looking for, you'll be surprised to see that they're all around you... If you are looking for them, here's how you can ID them easily...
First look for a climbing vine with thick leaves... The leaves usually grows in pairs, side by side and will secrete milky white sap (caution- this may cause skin and mucous irritation and maybe poisonous! Dont be tempted to taste this!), then, the most telling part is the flower stalk. This usually looks like a long leaf stalk with blunt end.
Hoyas usually bloom on the same flower stalk over and over again. This flower stalk will continue to grow longer in time and this will result in more flower...
Now you know what a Hoya is... Moving on to how to care for them... Hoyas are basically trouble-free. They're easier to care for than my previous obsessions (pitcher plants, American pitcher plants, sundews, herbs).
Provide the hoya with some direct sunlight. These plants do tolerate the moderate light from a west window, but for the best growth and most frequent production of flowers, place them in front of unshaded south or east windows.
Place hoyas in a range of different temperatures. Hoyas will tolerate cool and hot temperatures, so they make good plants to grow in areas other plants will not.
Water hoyas when the top several inches of soil have dried. Use your finger to gauge the moisture. It is best to water hoyas less frequently, allowing their soil to dry in between waterings. I usually wait until the leaves are slightly wrinkled before watering...
One note: Do make sure the soil is free-flowing and do not stay moist for too long... This will cause root rot!
Leave long, leafless stems on the plants. Hoyas send out long shoots of stems without any leaves on them. Although it may be tempting to cut these off, leaves and blooms eventually fill the stems. Trimming them slows the growth of the plant.
Consider staking hoya plants you grow in pots. Place a piece of wood or bark in the middle of the pot and wrap the stems around it. Keep the wood or bark moist for additional humidity.
In case you accidentally caused some fresh leaves to drop... Fret not, poke these into a pot of soil and place this in shady area and forget about them, watering every now and then. You'll may end up with little Hoyas... Works well with H. verticillata, H. publicalix and H. carnosa. I'm currently experimenting on other species...
So there you go... A very long post on 1. Scientific Naming System. 2. The genus Hoya. 3. Hoya verticillata. 4. Hoya basic care.
Good info on Hoyas and related species can be found here.
Basically this is a four in one post... Hehehe... Now for the pix...
Hoya verticillata blooming
Hoya verticillata cuttings
Various Hoya cuttings
Hoya kerri "variegated" (The valentine Hoya)
Hoya finlaysonnii
Hoya finlaysonnii bloom
thanks for sharing..
ReplyDeletethat beutiful flower