Day 127: Hoya bella, with its tiny leaves and lavish displays of bloom every six weeks or so, is one of the most rewarding houseplants I have ever owned. I was given a slip several years ago by my hairdresser whose shop-shelf parent plant's stems had reached four feet or more. I figured it would die under my care, but despite far too frequent under-watering and other neglect, it has flourished in my living room's east window. I keep it pruned to approsimately 18" in length to prevent feline nibbling. When it comes into flower, clusters of lightly fragrant white blooms appear at nodes and tips of the stems, dozens at one time. The star-shaped flowers are thick and waxy, giving rise to the common name "wax plant," and each one carries five translucent magenta "beads" around its center. A dainty yet sturdy plant, I have given many slips away to fill my friends' homes with the same delightful beauty you see here.
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