478 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



HOYA CARNOSA (WAXPLANT). 



Fig. 21 So. Hoy.v C.a.rnos.\ in Greexhouse. 



HIS well known greenhouse climber 

 is a native of far eastern lands, 

 having been brought from Queens- 



^pJ land, Australia, about a century 

 ago. There are about fifty species of the 

 Hoya, — all natives of eastern countries, — 

 few of which however, with the exception 

 of Hoya carnosa and the variegated type 

 (Hoya carnosa variegata) have found much 

 favor with floriculturists. The g-eneric name 

 " Hoya" was given this plant to do honor 

 to the name of Thomas Hoy, who many 

 years ago had charge of the beautiful gar- 

 dens -of the Duke of Northumberland at 

 Sion House. 



Although the Hoya carnosa cannot be 

 considered an ideal house plant, it will, un- 

 der favorable conditions and culture, often 

 produce quite a number cf its beautiful wax- 

 like sweetly perfumed umbels of flowers. 



The plant, as shown in the photo, is grow- 

 ing in a bushel pot, and has not been re- 

 potted for four or five years. A compost of 



equal parts of enriched loamy potting' soil, 

 leaf mouLl r.nd sand, suits the Hoyas very 

 well. Thoroughly good drainage is a very 

 essential feature for the successful culture 

 and subsequent flowering of this plant. To 

 secure this, fully an inch of broken pots or 

 similar material should be placed in the bot- 

 tom of the pot when re-potting the plants. 

 When once the plants. are well established 

 frequent re-potting is not necessary, once in 

 every two or three years being- sufficient if 

 the drainage is perfect. A top dressing 

 every spring- composed of three parts of dry 

 pulverized cow manure to one of loamy 

 potting soil makes a good top dressing for 

 these plants when they are not re-potted 

 annually. 



One feature in favor of the Hoya as com- 

 pared with many other climbers is its free- 

 dom from the attacks of insect pests, scale 

 and mealy bug being about the only pests 

 that give any trouble in the culture of the 

 Hoya. The mealy bug is the most trouble- 

 some, and is hard to eradicate, if it once 

 gets possession of its closely packed umbels 

 of flowers. Frequent syringing, or spong- 

 ing- of the leaves with a weak solution of 

 whale oil soap and water will prevent the 

 appearance of these pests. 



The variegated type of this plant (Hoya 

 carnosa variegata) makes a nice addition to 

 a collection of window or greenhouse plants, 

 its fleshy, silvery margined leaves, giving it 

 an additional attraction as a window plant. 

 Both the variegated and the plain type of 

 the Hoya require about the same culture 

 and treatment. To flower them success- 

 fully the plants must be treated liberally, so 

 as to produce as much young growth as 

 possible early in spring. This young growth 

 will usually produce in July or August a 

 wealth of bloom as seen in the photograph. 



Hamilton. W. Hunt. 



