Hoya Cultural Notes
This tropical indoor plant is often called a “Wax plant” due to its thick waxy leaves. It is a classic because it lives forever, grows to be enormous, and creates beautiful, porcelain-like fragrant flower clusters. Hoyas originate from tropical Asia, the Pacific Islands and Australia are usually trailing or climbing vines although some will grow in an upright fashion. They are most often found growing as epiphytes in tropical forests where they climb into or hang from the branches among a mix of other epiphytic plants.
A Hoya is a combination between a succulent and vining plant like a Pothos or Philodendron in the sense that they look like they're tropical plants, but they actually prefer to dry out, like a succulent. Though many swear Hoya plant care is among the easiest of all indoor plants, we’ve cared for many Hoyas in the nursery over the years, and have learned that each has its specific likes and dislikes.
GROWING CONDITIONS
Most Hoyas are tough plants and can be grown indoors or outside, in warm frost-free environments. They’re tolerant of mid-levels of light (although need moderate light or some morning sun to flower well) and prefer to be kept in the same pot for years – less repotting for you, woohoo!
Lighting: Hoya loves bright indirect sunlight, but the brightness of direct sunlight is too much. If you do want to put your Hoya in a spot where it gets some direct sunlight, make sure it only gets direct sunlight in the early mornings or late afternoon. This type of sunlight isn't strong enough to burn the leaves on your Hoya. If you see the leaves on your Hoya turn yellow and it's in a bright spot, you might want to find a spot where your plant gets a little less sunlight. The perfect place for your Hoya is a spot in the middle of a room with a south or west facing window.
Soil Choice: Hoyas can be grown in an airy, well-draining mix and need water more frequently, or they can be potted with a more traditional houseplant or succulent soil blend with less frequent waterings. Although chunkier mixes require more attentive care, plants grow faster and stronger with airy soil blends. Common Hoya soil blends succulent soil with perlite and orchid bark.
Pruning: Don't cut the long tendrils! These plants send out long tendrils that fill in with leaves and peduncles over time. Hoya are unusual in the fact that they flower from the same point every year, so don’t prune off old flower spikes when they finish flowering.
Propagation: Propagate Hoya plants from stem cuttings or by air layering. Be sure to include a couple healthy leaves! It's not impossible to propagate Hoyas from a leafless cutting, but its way more risky!
Repotting: Hoyas don’t mind being root bound. Keep in the same pot for years, but remember to fertilize throughout spring and summer. When you choose to repot, be extra kind to the plant: Repot in spring, wait to repot 2-3 days after your last watering, and be very gentle with the roots. There's no need to strip away all the old soil, just knock off anything that's loose. Hoyas like to be quite tight in the pot and are quite at home in a small space.
Watering and feed: On average, you should water your Hoya once every 14 days in the spring and summer. Before you water your plant, it's important to check whether the soil is completely dry. Your Hoya needs to dry out completely before you water it again to stay happy and healthy. Like many succulents, the Hoya is quite sensitive to over watering and will develop root rot if you water it too much.
You can check whether the soil is dry by touching the soil. If the soil gets indented and bounces back easily, your soil is still moist and you won't need to water your Hoya yet. When you touch the soil and doesn't indent easily any more, you can water your plant. In the winter, when your Hoya goes into dormancy, you won't have to water your plant as often.
During the winter months, you should water your Hoya every 3 to 4 weeks. If you notice the wrinkling in the leaves and you haven't watered your Hoya for 14 days, you can water it a little earlier. Make sure to keep checking the soil before watering your Hoya to prevent root rot.
You can use Tuckers Orchid Nursery Growing Orchid Tucker when watering to help boost growth, follow the directions on the pot. Use this solution as your one step water and feed.
Keep the leaves clean by wiping with a damp cloth, when required.
Hoya plants are prone to sap-suckers like aphids, mealy bugs, scale insects, and spider mites. Use an insecticidal soap with warm water and neem oil to kill these pests. We stock GroVentive and BioNeem.
CARE SUMMARY FOR CERTAIN VARIATIONS
Hoya carnosa and pubicalyx Care Summary
Hoya carnosa - variations including: Krimson Queen, Krimson Princess, Snowball, Strawberries and Cream, Minibelle
Hoya pubicalyx - variations including: Red Buttons, Royal Hawaiian Purple, Pink Susi, Splash, Black Boy
Hoya sp. “Ban Ngong Ngoy”
Origin: South East Asia and Australia
Soil: Lightweight, well-aerated, fast-draining growing medium.
Container: Use a small sized pot that keeps the roots tightly packed; Drainage holes are a must.
Light requirements: Select a place that gets bright, indirect light. They will grow in lower light situations but it’s unlikely they will bloom.
Temperature: Keep the room temperature warm year-round, try not to let it drop below 15ºC
Humidity: 50-60%. Use a humidifier to bring the humidity levels up, especially in winter when indoor air tends to be dry. A saucer with gravel and water also provides humidity as the water evaporates. Misting with room-temperature water also helps but avoid spraying the flowers.
Watering: Water when the soil is almost dry during growth phase, infrequently during winter.
Fertilising: Feed monthly with diluted water-soluble fertilizer only in spring and summer.
Hoya australis, Hoya nicholsoniae, Hoya skinneriana and Hoya dasyantha Care Summary
Origin: Borneo, Fiji, New Guinea, Australia, South West Pacific Islands
Soil: Naturally epiphytic, so demands a loose, well-draining potting mix.
Container: Use a small sized pot that keeps the roots tightly packed; Drainage holes are a must.
Light Requirements: Provide mainly bright, indirect light. A few hours of early morning or late afternoon sunshine can help improve the chance of blooming.
Temperature: Does best in temperatures of 18 – 26°C. Avoid exposure to temperatures below 7°C.
Humidity: Keep humidity around 40%. More tolerant to lower humidity than some Hoyas.
Watering: Water once the top few inches of soil dries out. Can tolerate drought, but won’t tolerate over watering.
Fertilising: Feed every two to four weeks with a well-balanced fertilizer during the growing season.
Hoya compacta (Hindu Rope) Care Summary
Origin: Southern India
Soil: Lightweight, well-aerated, fast-draining growing medium.
Container: Use a small sized pot that keeps the roots tightly packed; Drainage holes are a must.
Light requirements: Although this plant will survive in low light conditions, bright indirect sunlight is best.
Temperature: Daytime 21ºC and above, night time 16-18º C.
Humidity: 40-60%. Use a humidifier to bring the humidity levels up, especially in winter when indoor air tends to be dry. A saucer with gravel and water also provides humidity as the water evaporates. Misting with room-temperature water also helps but avoid spraying the flowers.
Watering: Water when the soil is almost dry during growth phase, infrequently during winter.
Fertilising: Feed monthly with diluted water-soluble fertilizer only in spring and summer.
Hoya shepherdii Care Summary
Origin: Assam and East Himalayas 
Soil: Naturally epiphytic, so demands a loose, well-draining potting mix.
Container: Use a small sized pot that keeps the roots tightly packed; Drainage holes are a must.
Light Requirements: Like most Hoyas, the shepherdii prefers medium to bright, indirect sunlight. Exposing it to a little morning sun is okay to help the plant bloom.
Temperature: This plant prefers a cool atmosphere. It will thrive in temperatures ranging between 10°C and 25°C.
Humidity: Use a humidifier to bring the humidity levels up, especially in winter when indoor air tends to be dry. A saucer with gravel and water also provides humidity as the water evaporates. Misting with room-temperature water also helps but avoid spraying the flowers.
Watering: Water once the top few inches of soil dries out. Can tolerate drought, but won’t tolerate over watering.
Fertilising: Feed every two to four weeks with a well-balanced fertilizer during the growing season.
Hoya polyneura Care Summary
Origin: Himalayas to northwest Yunnan. 
Soil: Naturally epiphytic, so demands a loose, well-draining potting mix.
Container: Use a small sized pot that keeps the roots tightly packed; Drainage holes are a must.
Light Requirements: Provide mainly bright, indirect light. A few hours of early morning or late afternoon sunshine can help improve the chance of blooming.
Temperature: It will thrive in temperatures ranging between 10°C and 25°C.
Humidity: Likes it above 60%.
Watering: Water once the top few inches of soil dries out. Can tolerate drought, but won’t tolerate over watering. Hoya polyneura’s foliage is relatively thin; hence it does not hold moisture. As a result, don’t let it dry for too long.
Fertilising: Feed every two to four weeks with a well-balanced fertilizer during the growing season.
HOW TO INDUCE HOYA BLOOMS
It’s hard to predict when these plants will flower, as it occurs when the plants reach maturity. When are they mature? Depends on the growing conditions! But rumour has it that keeping your plant tightly root-bound (in a smaller than normal pot) will accelerate blossoming.
Method 1, the Happy Method: If a plant feels secure in its pot, is receiving appropriate light, is receiving appropriate water, and is being fertilized through the spring and summer, you will be rewarded with huge gorgeous blooms.
Method 2, the Stress Method: When a plant is very stressed, it tries its hardest to procreate before it no longer has the opportunity. Hoyas with thick, succulent leaves respond well to this method, but be careful trying this with thin-leaved varieties without proper research.
Give your Hoya bright, indirect light (some direct is okay) and withhold watering for 4-5 weeks. There is some danger of developing desiccated or dry-rotted roots, but you should see blooms before that!
Many Hoyas are succulent because they have adapted to seasonal droughts, like Hoya carnosa.
Withholding water for a few weeks in the spring is an easy way to help Hoya carnosa bloom.
