Houseplants - Hoya (Wax Flower)
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  (September) We have a Hoya carnosa that just bloomed for the first time after several years. And it's a most fascinating bloom. My question is: Is this also called a "Mexican Bridal Veil"? When my wife bought it at a garage sale, the woman told her that was the name. In fact, it is only recently that we found out its correct name. 

  Common names can run the gamut. Probably the most common name for a hoya is wax flower, since the flowers look and feel like they are made out of wax. Don't prune it too severely, as the flowers should appear on the same stalk each year.

  Please tell me how to get my fifteen year old hoya to bloom. It is root-bound, in the south window, and I don’t prune it. I’ve tried the drought then watering method -- that only makes the leaves all wimpy. Too much water, the leaves do great, but no flowers. This came off a blooming plant. My mom said it would take five years to bloom. She’s gone now, so I can’t ask her what I am doing wrong. It was my dad’s favorite plant. He is gone also, and I want the memory in my home here that I had in Michigan with my parents. 

  Hoya’s, or wax plant, can be difficult to bring into bloom. They will bloom best when slightly pot-bound. If you haven’t transplanted them in fifteen years, they may be too pot-bound. They like bright light, with some direct sun. They also like warm conditions--a minimum of 60 degrees in the winter, and between 65 to 70 in the summer. They take more water during the growing season, but watering should be kept at a minimum in the winter. If your plant is really pot-bound, it may not be able to retain much moisture. Try using a high potash fertilizer regularly during the spring and summer months. Once they begin blooming, remember to gently remove the spent flower heads, without damaging the spur where they are attached to the stem, since that is where subsequent years flowers will come from.

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