The Exotic Hoyas

Hey, plantaholics!

How are you doing? I hope you are enjoying the lovely weather as we wait for spring’s welcoming embrace. Today, I would like to share with you a rather interesting story. A few years ago, I visited my cousin in Texas, and as a plant lover, I was always on the lookout for… you guessed it, plants!

I saw a beautiful plant with lovely, shiny leaves that had an attractive embossed pattern on them. I took a few cuttings back to India with me; placed one in water and another in soil, and voila, they grew! Mind you, at this point, I still had no idea what this plant was, but I was bewildered by its beauty! I resorted to my gardening groups and put up the plant for identification, hoping that someone could help me name this beauty. It turned out to be Hoya!

To add to my amazement, it also has the most amazing fragrant flowers! I got so excited that I even asked my cousin if his Hoya had produced flowers too!

A while ago, another garden-loving friend of mine sent me some cuttings. I set them all together in a pot to root. Lo and behold, when I returned 2-3 months later from a trip, I found them growing absolutely gorgeously! I have no idea what it was, but it indeed was a show stopper! Anyone entering my garden would immediately notice it and comment on its healthy looks!

Sadly, it has been two years since my first Hoya. Although my collection has grown quite a bit, I am eagerly waiting for the first blooms to spread their sweet fragrance in my garden. Until then, I will be enjoying the beauty of the plant. I find them absolutely gorgeous — with or without flowers. Wouldn’t you agree?

Happy planting, gals and guys!