CHAPTER XXXIII 



VINES FOR HOUSE CULTURE 



The Hoya 



Hoya carnosa, more commonly known as Wax 

 Plant, is a very good plant for cultivation in the 

 sitting room, because, on account of the thick and 

 leathery texture of its leaves, it is able to withstand 

 the effects of dust and dry air better than most plants. 

 It is also very fond of warmth, and therefore it can 

 be trained about the upper part of a window, where 

 it will flourish, while almost any other plant except 

 the English Ivy would prove a failure there. It is a 

 rapid grower when once it gets a start, but it must 

 be given time to get well established before much in 

 the way of growth can be expected from it. I often 

 receive letters from parties who have owned plants 

 of the Hoya for several years, during all of which 

 time they have seemed to stand still. In most cases 

 I have satisfied myself, on inquiry, that the likings 

 of the plant as to soil, location and care had not been 

 given proper consideration, and it had not become 

 thoroughly established. It lived, and put forth a 

 few leaves, now and then, but it had no encouragement 

 to make vigorous growth. I have always advised a 

 treatment like that outlined below, and in most cases 

 the result has been all that was desired. 



The Hoya has very dark, heavy foliage. It 

 often grows to be twentv or more feet in length. 

 Its flowers are produced at the junction of leaf and 

 stem, and are in drooping clusters of about the size 

 and shape of the Verbena. They are flesh-colored, with 

 a brown, star-shaped protuberance in the center. They 



