A whiff of butterscotch

Hoya davidcummingii was described in 1995 by Dale Kloppenburg in Fraterna, and was named in honor of David Cumming, who collected the first cuttings that were eventually introduced to general cultivation. The type locality is said to be 1.5 km. from Lake Bulusan, coming from Irosin, in the province of Sorsogon in southern Luzon. The altitude of the locality is said to be 500 ft. above sea level. 

Photo below illustrates the revolute corolla lobes which curl in a rather coy manner:

This species, despite coming from a high rainfall area, appreciates a drying out in between waterings. If kept consistently moist, the roots from the base of the main stem will rot. The leaves are quite succulent, and can withstand periods of little or no precipitation. The plants are best grown under bright filtered light, and can stunt when placed someplace shadier, and will certainly burn in brighter light.

Hoya davidcummingii is one of those adorable species that will produce flowers even as cuttings, and bloom quite continuously throughout the year. Each peduncle can produce from 10 to 15 flowers, and the entire cluster is about 3 cm in diameter. The silvery trichomes (hairs) that adorn the pink corollas add a subtle attraction, but its scent is quite a convincing reason to maintain it; put your nose very closely and savor a whiff of butterscotch. Now, how many plants can you think of that smells like that? In contrast to many hoyas, the delectable fragrance is present at night as it is during the day.

The same flower cluster, photographed at the latter end of the afternoon. Perhaps you have noticed how chromatically different the flower coloration is, compared to the first two photos of the umbel, and how those first two also differ from one another? The first photo was taken in part shade, with the corollas appearing a vibrant pink. The second photo was taken under brighter lighting, which lent a more washed-out coloration. Finally, the photo below is tinged with orange, which is cast from the rays of the setting sun.

The leaves of H. davidcummingii are smooth and have very obscure venation. Roots are produced on each node and attach readily on any substrate, where the stem eventually climbs. Growth speed is moderate, and coupled with the small size of the plant, will never eventually crowd out a growing space. Because it is a root climber, plants can thrive even with very little substrate remaining on its pot, provided that they are not left without water for very long periods.

 This is an older photo of a flower cluster of this same plant, taken in September 28, 2012. Many people have noticed that the hues are most intense during the hot months than during the rainy season, with the deeper color perhaps attributable to higher anthocyanin production, triggered by elevated light levels.

Same flower umbel photographed at night; the nectar oozing from the corona tips are produced in greater quantities during nighttime, which signify that moths are its possible pollinators:

This is a species firmly entrenched in cultivation, but not as common as, say, H. carnosa or H. pubicalyx. Indeed, it is said to be a rare species in the wild, and it may be that the plants currently circulating in cultivation worldwide can be traced to just a few original specimens. If you are on the lookout for a Hoya and you don't have this species yet, better add it to your list. It practically has all the positive traits one can look for in a Hoya.