Full name & Status Hoya lacunosa ‘Ruby Sue’ is an accepted name for a unique cultivar. It was published by Antone Jones in 2009 in Stemma Journal 2(3)11 via pdf download*, as described by Jayson Opgenorth. This publication was distributed in print and the name established under Article 27 (Brickell et al.), no later than 2012*.
Classification A selected sport mutation of Hoya lacunosa. It was developed through successive propagation.
Originator Hermann Englemann Greenhouses, Apopka, Florida (now owned by Costa Farms), and by circumstance of position, Jayson Opgenorth. He was the head grower in charge of general quality control.
Nominant Hermann Englemann Greenhouses
Description Hoya lacunosa ‘Ruby Sue’ was selected for consistent high anthocyanin content in the new growth. This appears as vibrant red ranging to deep purple leaf blades which mature to dark green, as well as deep purple vines, and deep purple petioles, of the new growth. The form is overall alike the nominate species (which is highly variable).
‘Ruby Sue’ is most similar to the newer selection from the same nursery, Hoya lacunosa ‘Royal Flush’, but differs by having leaves with no splash to those with only the occasional speckle of splash found on any Hoya. It is not the dense splashing of ‘Royal Flush’. Just as we see many ‘Royal Flush’ sold and labeled as ‘Snow Caps’, it is common to see the more common and further selected ‘Royal Flush’ labeled as ‘Ruby Sue’.
Availability Hoya lacunosa ‘Ruby Sue’ was released in 2009 the United States by Hermann Englemann Greenhouses. It is still produced for box stores by Costa Farms in the spring-summer months, and has made its way around the world where Hoya are grown. It is popular but more scarce than other mass-produced cultivars of Hoya lacunosa.
Sources
Brickell, C.D. & Alexander, C. & Cubey, Janet & David, John & Hoffmann, M.H.A. & Leslie, A.C. & Malécot, Valéry & Jin, Xiaobai. (2016). International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants.
Jones,A. (2009). Talking with the experts. Stemma Journal, 3(2)4-11.stemma-v3-2/
The full color photograph serves as the nomenclatural standard for the cultivar. A full color print edition is held in the registration and standards folder for this cultivar labeled Hoya lacunosa ‘Ruby Sue’ A.Jones & Opgenorth MHC0064 designated R.C.Conroy.
*The Stemma Journal download itself has been seen and shared countless times over the years by and is still freely and widely available at stemma journal.org and several other websites. This type of publishing is highly encouraged as it is can be filed in print to libraries or distributed in print to individuals with permission from the Editor.