Albert's Greenhouse

This is not your standard hoya. For one thing, it produces a cluster of a dozen flowers or so, each one the size of a quarter. For another, in the evenings, these flowers emit a scent that can only be described as sweetly fruity.

I've had this plant for many years now - it's in a one gallon pot in a warm and sunny part of my greenhouse, climbing up a two foot trellis anchored in the pot.

Hoyas are asclepiads - members of the milkweed family. When their stems are cut, they bleed a white, sticky sap. Also in this family are the Stapelias, Huernias and Ceropegias, all of which have fascinatingly bizarre flower structures.

The typical hoya growth habit involves first sending out a bare tendril to wrap around whatever is nearby. Once the tendril is secured, pairs of leaves begin to grow at intervals, and perhaps flower stalks. The clusters of flowers grow from more-or-less permanent stalks that may produce many flushes over time.