Anyhoo, I just got the Dec/Jan issue of Horticulture, and damn if they didn't have a series of
fascinating articles and pictorials on Agaves, Aloes, Hoyas, AND rock gardens. It was a perfect storm, I tell you! I fell in love with a picture of the compact Agave Victoriae-Reginae, and decided I HAD TO HAVE IT!!!!! And really, who wouldn't want it? It's supposed to eventually get to 2 ft x 2ft, which is good for my, ahem, slightly congested flower beds, and it should be hardy here (the article said zones 8-10), although if you go here to look at Gardenweb member photos of this plant, there is a totally awesome picture of one in a pot... Feverishly, I skipped to the back of the maggie to see where I could buy this specimen, and lo and behold it said Aridlands!!!Wooohoooooooo!
So then I looked for something else to round out my purchase (and justify the shipping cost), and on the page with the Queen Vic Agave there was a list of other plants people purchased, and it included a Hoya kerii----hmmm, didn't the magazine have an article on hoyas?? It did, so I perused that and decided I'd have to give this neato plant a try (although I'm sad that Aridlands only had the one variety, perhaps they'll get more eventually). This has succulent, heart-shaped leaves (hence the nickname Sweetheart Hoya), it forms vines, and has really cool blooms that look like this:
They don't need a lot of water or a lot of light = perfect houseplant.
2 comments:
Woohoo, Vic! The universe is smiling upon you and you're gonna fall in deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
I have 2 forms of A v-r. I got one of 'em on an excursion with you, actually -- we had gone to Concord to see the peonies; we stopped at one of those Rte. 2 places on the way back and there it was... It's a gorgeous plant.
I have a variegated H k. Mine is growing very, very slowly, but, if it ever gets large enough, maybe we can trade. (I'm assuming yours isn't variegated?)
Hoyas are mighty addictive -- watch out.
Hmm. Wonder if that issue of Horticulture's available in stores now...must go look.
A
wow--who knew? I assume your A v-r is in a pot? TWO forms??? How big have they gotten and what kind of light do you give them in winter? PICS!!!!!! And I don't think my hoya will be variagated--it wasn't in the picture. I'm glad they grow slowly, 'cause I've got a lot of hanging baskets to bring in full of things like Passionflower that I'm hoping to tuck it in.
And oops! They apparently shipped it TODAY!!! And we'll be out of town Monday and Tuesday--no doubt when they will arrive! Doh! I'll have to leave a note for the mail man to put the box back on the patio in the shade. He's a good guy--sees me gardening almost every morning, and thankfully it's not cold, so they'll be fine...
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