Hoyas are popular, easy-to-grow ornamental plants native to Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. The common name of Hoya is “wax plant”. These are fast-growing plants that can be trained to climb objects such as vines or trails over the edge of a planter. It looks beautiful in a hanging basket or in a planter on a bookshelf.
These tropical plants are named after 18th century botanist Thomas Hoy, and Scottish botanist Robert Brown brought them to the Western world. It has beautiful deep green vine leaves, and if you’re lucky, pink and wine red star-shaped flowers will bloom.
Related: Learn to care for Pilea, Calathea, Fiddleleaf Fig, Golden Pothos, Snake Plant, Rubber Tree, Christmas Cactus, and String of Pearls plants.
How often should I water my Hoya plants?
Hoyas hate being submerged in damp water. Therefore, after watering thoroughly, wait until it is completely dry before watering again. Check the moisture level by sticking your finger into the soil border of the plant and water again when the top few inches of soil feel dry.
If you do not allow the plant to dry completely, root rot may occur if the soil is too wet and the plant may die.
Container with drain hole To keep your squirt comfortable, be sure to throw away any excess water left in the saucer after watering, as excess water will drain out the bottom.
How much sunlight do hoya plants need?
Hoyas prefer bright, indirect sunlight, so keep them near a sunny spot, but avoid direct sunlight. Vines can develop leaf scorch, which can cause the leaves to become scorched or discolored.
Although ascidians can survive in low-light environments, low-light ascidians tend to grow longer than ascidians grown near bright light. If you place your hoya in a place where the light is too low, the leaves will begin to turn brown and the plant will stop growing.
Should I fertilize my Hoya plants?
To achieve optimal growth, you can use: All-purpose fertilizer Plant hoyas during the growing season (spring and summer) when new leaves begin to grow. Plant growth slows down in winter, so you can reduce the amount of food you feed, but overall fertilizing should increase the health and beauty of your plants.
Temperature and humidity at Hoya factory
Hoyas prefer temperatures between 68 degrees and 75 degrees, so they are generally quite comfortable indoors. To reduce temperature shock, keep your Hoya away from vents and cold gaps. If the plant is below 68°, it will become dormant and will not flower. On the other hand, high temperatures above 75° can cause the leaves to begin to yellow and fall off, so it is important to try to keep the hoya in the right temperature range.
When grown outdoors, cold hardiness varies by species, with some varieties able to live in USDA zones 8 through 11, but all should be brought indoors once temperatures drop below 50 degrees.
As a tropical plant, ascidians prefer high humidity around 60%, so either use a humidifier nearby (especially if the air is dry) or simply fill a tray with pebbles and water and place the pot on top. But that would be fine. Simply add water just below the top of the pebble, and the pot will sit on top of the stone, allowing the water in the tray to evaporate and create moisture around the plant. Due to high humidity, bathrooms are also good places for hoyas, provided there is sufficient light.
Hoya pruning
Hoyas don’t usually require much pruning, but you can always snip off damaged leaves with sharp sterile shears if necessary to keep the plant looking neat.
However, be careful not to cut the vines that the plant sends out, as they will eventually become full of leaves over time.
Replanting hoya
When choosing soil for your hoya plant, you need soil with good drainage to prevent root rot. cactus or succulent potting mix or General well-drained potting soil some perlite Alternatively, mix in orchid bark (in a 1:1 ratio) for even better water flow. Because they are epiphytes (that is, plants that grow on the surface of other plants) like orchids, they do not particularly like wet soil conditions.
We recommend repotting your hoya in a slightly larger pot with new soil every three years in the spring (at the beginning of the growing season) to give the roots room to continue growing. If you notice roots growing out from the bottom of the pot’s drainage holes, move them to a slightly larger container as soon as spring arrives.
Breeding of ascidian plants
For propagation, ascidians can be easily propagated by cutting a stem with at least one leaf node and placing the stem in water or moist soil. Roots will develop over the next few weeks. It will then continue to fully root, and you can repot the cutting in a pot with well-drained soil and water if necessary.
How can I get my Hoya flowers to bloom?
Hoyas require a lot of light to bloom, so to encourage the blooming of Hoya flowers (also known as “porcelain flowers”) during the growing season, the plant should be placed near bright, indirect light. There is. To flower, the plant must mature, which takes about 3 to 5 years.
Also, when watering plants, you need to water them thoroughly (so that the water reaches the roots of the plant) to ensure that the roots have enough moisture for the flowers to bloom. there is. Remember to fertilize with phosphorus and nitrogen in the spring and summer to encourage flower formation.
You can also use the tips in the humidity section (near a humidifier or a table with pebbles and water) to keep the humidity above 40% to encourage blooms from your plants.
Picking back the stems just before early spring also encourages flower development.
Do not move the planter once flower buds appear. Otherwise, the buds may drop before they bloom.
Different varieties of sea squirt
There are many different species and varieties of sea squirt, but here are some of the most popular varieties.
- Crimson Queen: These hoyas have pale pink leaves that fade to a beautiful cream color.
- Koboya Hoya: This variety has round dark green leaves with silver spots.
- Hoya Kelly: Hoya is proud of its heart-shaped leaves and sweet-scented flowers.
- Hoya australis: This plant has spade-shaped leaves that grow upwards and are soft to the touch.
- Hoya compactor: Also called hindu rope factory The leaves are curled and twisted so that they look like ropes.
- Joya Carnoza: Also called crinkle 8This plant has eight dimples on each leaf.
- Hoya Lacunosa: This plant has small, bright green lance-shaped leaves and clusters of fluffy white flowers.
Diagnosing common problems
- Fallen or black leaves: Hoyas can experience these problems when they become soggy from overwatering or when temperatures are too cold during the winter. If you suspect overwatering, either let the plant dry almost completely before watering again (make sure it has well-draining soil and a saucer to dump excess water), or water it inside your home. Move to a warmer location between 68° and 75°. If the problem is low temperatures.
- pest: If your plants are infested with mealybugs, spider mites, or aphids, keep a small amount. neem oil or some insecticidal soap On hand to fight pests.
- Plants that do not bloom: If a mature ascidian does not bloom during the growing season, lack of light is usually the first cause. Be sure to move it to a location with bright, indirect light and check out our other flower growing tips to encourage flower growth.
- Wrinkled leaves: If the leaves look wrinkled, it’s usually a sign of lack of water, so water the plant, check the water level often, and wait until the plant has dried out for a while before watering again. Please do so.
FAQ
Is the Hoya plant toxic to pets and humans?
Good news! Hoya plants are considered non-toxic to dogs, cats, and humans. However, people with latex allergies may want to avoid some varieties, such as Hoya carnosa, whose milky sap contains latex when the leaves are cut.
Source: A Beautiful Mess – abeautifulmess.com
