Update: Two Months of Hoya Eriostemma Cuttings
I missed the first day of August by a couple of days (or weeks)…Still, there was some great progress on these Eriostemma cuttings over the last month that’s worth sharing. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but I am a huge Eriostemma lover. They aren’t exactly the first houseplant choice for many indoor growers - maybe it has something to do with their large size at maturity, maybe it has something to do with being mostly terrestrial (different needs than what we might consider classic Hoya), maybe their natural habitat is simply an opposite extreme from the typical household environment. Maybe it’s all of the above. Regardless, I love them and I wholeheartedly accept the challenge of creating a happy and hospitable environment for my many Eriostemma. This is the progress update on the following cuttings from rare-horas.com: Optimistic, Hollrungii, Sp. Gold Star, Isabella, Ruthie, Obtusifoliodes, Ciliata and Affinis.
The one month update was bleak. I had nearly lost hope, and I considered composting them in the throes of a weak moment. Thankfully, I didn’t go that far. I am happy to report that after two months, things are looking up. Ciliata and Affinis did in fact end up in the compost, but I attribute that to operator error (me) and nothing else. Those two cuttings began showing tiny baby roots when growing in gel beads with water, so I became overeager and threw them in the pots with my larger Ciliata and Affinis plants, respectively. That didn’t go well at all, and the lesson I learned from that is that consistency and patience are key. I also learned that cuttings that are working to grow a solid a root system have wildly different needs than a mature Eriostemma, so they won’t be compatible enough to share a pot for a long time. This is something that seems like total common sense now, but at the time I was blinded by visions of my plants doubling in size in an instant. I totally recognize the plant parent failure of that choice, and I learned to pump the brakes with my remaining cuttings which probably saved them from a fate similar to Affinis and Ciliata.
Onto the cuttings…
Back Row, L to R: Optimistic, Ruthie Front Row, L to R: Hollrungii, Obtusifoliodes, Sp. Gold Star, Isabella
Gel Beads with Water.
Three plants remain in gel beads: Hollrungii, Sp. Gold Star, and Isabella.. I top off the beads with fresh water every couple of days to prevent the uppermost beads from drying out and shrinking. Two or three times per week, I take the glass jars to the sink, rinse the beads in a colander, wipe the jars clean and then put everything back together. When returning the cuttings to the gel beads, I make sure the cutting is not touching the glass jar at all. For some reason, they seem more likely to get mushy on the ends if the cutting is in contact with the hard surface. This is one reason why I will use the gel beads again in the future.
Gel beads getting a bath.
Hollrungii.
This hasn’t been a plant of many ups and downs like some of the others. It’s been in the gel beads with water since June, and it’s been low drama.
Sp. Gold Star.
I was worried about this one for a while. I was sure it wouldn’t make it, but it’s looking better now.
Isabella.
Isabella was one of the worst off when it arrived, so I have been surprised to see how vigorously it has fought to come back. It’s looking so much better! It looks like a small growth tip is forming at the top of the cutting.
Cuttings in Soil.
I was nervous about planting the cuttings in soil because I really wanted to be able to see the roots forming. There’s really no reason why I need to see, it was just curiosity getting the best of me. The cuttings in soil have been more consistent than the cuttings in gel beads. I chose to put the cuttings into plastic nursery pots to help maintain moisture during the rooting phase.
Optimistic.
The tag for this plant has the spelling “optomistic” and I’m not sure if that’s what the plant has been named or if it’s the handwritten version of a type-o. I’m going with Optimistic for now until I get further clarification. This plant is hasn’t done as well as the other cuttings in soil. The leaves are still shriveled and it hasn't had any new growth.
Obtusifoliodes.
This is the plant I was most excited about, so I really had my fingers crossed for it to work out. I would love to one day have a mature version of this plant. After weeks of wrinkled, limp leaves, I am so thrilled that Obtusifoliodes is finally showing healthy, firm leaves. The plant has a healthier glow about it, and I think if I just keep the watering schedule on track then it’ll make it.
These little leaves were like a couple of limp noodles. I thought I was going to have to cut them off, but they’ve filled out now and finally look healthy.
Ruthie.
My Existing Ruthie plant is a consistent grower, and I hoped for as much from this cutting. Of all the cuttings listed, Ruthie has been the most stable throughout the journey. If you are looking to dip your toe into Eriostemma cuttings, Ruthie would be a great choice. This cutting has two new points of growth.
The past month gave me the Eriostemma cutting morale boost that I needed. I was worried that they weren’t going to survive for about six weeks, but suddenly they all started to turn around near the same time. I’m really excited to see what the next month brings with these cuttings.
Here are some notes I’m jotting out loud about Eriostemma cuttings:
If I had it to do over again, I would probably put them all in soil. I learned a lot about the gel beads and I will use them again, but probably not for Eriostemma cuttings.
I don’t regret keeping them inside. I considered putting them outside to expedite the process, but I would transition them inside eventually. Seeing how tentatively these plants have transitioned, grown and lived, I don’t think that would be the right choice.
Putting the cuttings in the south window (where they will always live) from the beginning seems to have been the right choice.
Rooting Eriostemma takes a long time in the average household environment (no grow lights, tents or humidifiers)
Maybe consider lights or humidifiers next time
If you have rooted Eriostemma cuttings indoors, I would love to hear about it!