Even very small pleasures bring very great joy.

Even very small pleasures bring very great joy., originally uploaded by Melanie Jennifer.

My hoya has started to flower again after years of being blossom free. This is the 2nd round of blooms in about a 2 month period. She now has a 3rd round about to open.

I am beyond content but my allergies however are not very happy.

It actually takes a bit of work to get a hoya to bloom and so when she does flower it means so much to me. I usually take it as a sign that things are right in my little family. And I guess it is a sign that she has only bloomed a few times in the last 10 years.

The criteria is quite simple really; keep the plant potbound, don't move it (at all really) for years, water lots in the growing season, and keep her in bright filtered light.

The first of her blooms this year was hidden behind her leaves and so we didn't even know that she had flowered until we came home late one night. The moment we opened our apartment door we knew and both of us broke into the hugest grins. Hoya's are night bloomers, in that while their flowers are open throughout the day; their scent doesn't come out until dark. And boy is it a strong scent. It's the reason my Mom is happy her hoya has not bloomed once. It is a defnitely overpowering smell, but it is one that I love so much.