Hoya walliniana

Hoya walliniana was published by Dale Kloppenburg and Torill Nyhuus in 2003.  Christine Burton claimed that Hoya sipitangensis and H. walliniana were the same plant, but Kloppenburg claims the flowers are much smaller on Hoya walliniana. The plant was named for the Swedish Hoya collector Pierre Wallin, and is endemic to Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak) in lowland forests where it is common in very wet environments.

Hoya walliniana came to me from Aleyagarden in Thailand during that unfortunate period when I was attempting to grow all of my Hoyas in coarse orchid bark.  I could not keep the humidity high enough to keep the bark moist enough, or so I thought.  I watered too frequently and caused much root rot.  Hoya walliniana was a casualty of that period and suffered mightily. I constantly struggled with the plant over a two year period.  For every two new leaves grown, I would lose one.  The one saving grace was the phenomenal leaf coloration. I finally flowered it under stress. I have had a few Hoyas over the years that flowered under stress.  It sometimes is a plants last gasp at being able to save itself, hoping to be pollinated, and set seed before it dies.

Hoya walliniana was not a very easy growing Hoya, and unfortunately I did lose the plant, but fortunately not before I was able to flower it.  I would recommend the plant to advanced growers as it is not suited to beginners.  The plant was not forgiving of mistakes, and when I tried to save it through taking cuttings, I was not successful.  If I ever get the chance to try the plant again under different conditions, it might well fare much better.