Miroslav Džigurski from Bečej is a passionate collector of exotic plants, especially the hoya flower, which originates from Southeast Asia and is often called the wax flower or Jesus’ tear. Although he is an architect by profession, Džigurski found his passion in growing rare plants, among which there are about 340 different types of hoya flowers. Many of these species are not grown by anyone else in Serbia. His collection is special because it does not contain duplicates, and Džigurski is constantly trying to acquire new species that are not represented on the world market.
Hoyas are plants that usually require support for climbing, such as a ladder. Some species grow like bushes and need trimming, while others require their leaves to fall. Most types of hoya flowers do best in indoor conditions. Of course, the hoya carnos species is extremely resistant and can be taken outside in spring and summer, as it can withstand external temperatures from 10 to 35 degrees Celsius. However, Dzigurski warns that hoyas are often attacked by mites. These mites are difficult to spot, but abnormal growth of the plant can be observed, which requires treatment.
Džigurski loves to grow exotics
Džigurski paid special attention to the protection of his plants from too many thermal and temperature fluctuations. That’s why he uses tents for rare species, where a microclimate that favors the growth of plants is maintained. For this type of plants, air conditioners are not recommended because they dry out the air, and instead of them he uses humidifiers, to somehow moisten them…
The humidifiers he uses maintain humidity at 50 to 60 percent. In tents, humidity can reach as high as 90%, which is ideal for most types of hiking. Dzigurski also owns a particularly rare type of hoya, hoya microphylla, which has very small leaves and is difficult to find on the market, and he received a specimen as a gift from a friend from Sweden.
Hoya flowers are very diverse in terms of size, color and fragrance. Some species can reach impressive sizes, while others bloom with a single flower, and there are also those that produce inflorescences with 30 to 40 flowers. They also bloom at night, and their smell is specific and attracts certain insects. Some hoyas smell like chocolate, butter or lemon-ginger, while others resemble hyacinth. It is interesting that some species bloom for only a few hours, while others bloom for up to four weeks. Dzigurski concludes that hoyas, as epiphytic plants, require a special structure in which they can grow. They need something like a ladder or wire frame to wrap around and develop.
Source: Good morning
Source: boljazemlja.com
