Blooming Hoya: A Family Heirloom
Saturday, April 12th, 02008Elisa and I have a Hoya carnosa that started to bloom for the first time this week. I'm very excited about it:
This plant is the most common Hoya species and a very popular house plant, so you wouldn't think that yet another example of it blooming would be a big deal. However, this particular plant has a lot of history in my family, making it a big deal to me. I got it as a cutting off a plant that was owned by my grandmother Letha. Letha's plant was in turn taken as a cutting off a plant that was owned by her grandmother Augusta.
![Letha Marie Rau (Born) [1908 - 1991] - My grandmother](/data/photos/new/000000003903__231x333.jpg) |
![Augusta Charlotta Born (Raasch) [1841 - 1907] - My great, great grandmother](/data/photos/new/000000003860__239x333.jpg) |
| Letha Marie Rau (Born) [1908 - 1991] My grandmother |
Augusta Charlotta Born (Raasch) [1841 - 1907] My great, great grandmother |
The plant's full lineage detailed below for future reference:
- The original plant - "Hoya A" - was owned by Augusta. Acquisition date/place unknown.
- When Augusta died in 1907, the plant was transfered to two of her daughters: Emilia Augusta Born [1868 - 1952] and Lydia Louise Born [1881 - 1969]
- Sometime around 1945, Letha received a cutting of "Hoya A" from Emilia or Lydia. This cutting - "Hoya B" - remained with Letha until her death.
- After Lydia's death in 1969, Berta Bohnsack (Rau) acquired "Hoya A" from Lydia. It remains with her to this day. A cutting of "Hoya A" was also given to Barbara Born Kraai at this time. She reportedly still has it and her two daughters have cuttings of it.
- After Letha's death in 1991, Carol Rau acquired "Hoya B" and has it to this day.
- Sometime before 2006, Carol took a cutting off of "Hoya B", creating "Hoya C".
- Carol gave me "Hoya C" when I visited Watertown for the 2006 Tour de Kota.
I have two photos of Letha's "Hoya B" in her rural Watertown, SD home [one, two]. I don't know when they were taken. Probably in the mid 1970s to late 1980s.
In December, my brother Craig and I made a plant stand for "Hoya C", attempting to partially emulate the plant stand that my Grandfather Carl made for Letha's "Hoya B":
And so Augusta, born in Pomerania in 1841, has in me a fifth generation ancestor who's made an offshoot of her house plant bloom in New Mexico more than one hundred years after she first made it bloom in South Dakota. This is very important to me.
It becomes even more important now that Elisa and I have our first child on the way. We'll try to be good parents and good care takers of the plant. Then, as a result, I hope that one of our ancestors can continue the line by someday treasuring a related Hoya blooming for the first time in their own home.
