Hoya: Expert Plant Care Tips
Unlock your inner green thumb with our carefully curated collection of plant tips. We're thrilled to share these simple yet impactful insights with you, our dedicated audience. Let’s dive into the art of plant care as we reveal the subtle signs of what your houseplants are trying to tell you.
Whether you're an experienced collector honing your skills or a newcomer beginning your green journey, our wealth of tips and tricks offers something invaluable for every indoor plant parent.
Join us as we explore the secrets of nurturing a thriving indoor garden and embark on a journey of successful plant parenting together. Let's dive into some wonderful tips and tricks on how to care for your Hoya like a pro, and be sure to follow our series of expert blogs!
Pro Tips for Growing a Lush Hoya!
Hoya are a large group of plants found in the humid jungles of Asia, where they thrive in hot, humid environments! When given the right conditions, Hoya are super easy to care for, come in a wide range of varieties, and are just beautiful to look at.
Most varieties have a waxy layer covering their leaves to prevent excessive moisture loss.
Helping them retain moisture for longer periods, meaning they’ll need less watering. Below, we will give you tips on how to know when your hoya is ready to be watered, and things to look out for in Hoya care.
Hoyas are Epiphytic by Nature
Hoyas are epiphytic plants, meaning they grow on other plants or trees in their natural habitat without draining energy from their support plants, like parasitic plants do. They are commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions, which usually have higher than average humidity levels, where they attach themselves to tree trunks or branches using aerial roots. Due to this, they want their roots to dry quickly, so it is best to grow them in Orchid bark.
Do not trim bare stems
Hoyas grow their tendrils before their leaves to enhance their climbing abilities and optimise their chances of finding suitable support structures. The tendrils act as sensitive and flexible exploratory organs, allowing the plant to seek out and grip onto nearby surfaces. Once a stable anchor is found, the leaves can then emerge and grow, using the tendrils for support. This adaptation helps Hoyas efficiently utilise their environment, ensuring successful growth and survival as they mature into beautiful, vining plants.
Therefore, if you have long, unruly vines on your Hoya with no leaves, either guide them up a trellis or leave them free-flowing, and in time the leaves will develop. Do not trim back stems unless they are damaged.
Large spaces between the leaves
If you notice long stretches, which are about 8 to 10 cm between each leaf, called etiolation, this is a sign that your Hoya isn't receiving enough light. To encourage a fuller, healthier looking plant, trim back the stems to the most compact growth and place the plant in a brighter position, where it can receive some soft morning direct sunlight.
TOP TIP: Propagate the stems you have cut using one of the methods in our 5 Easy Plant to Propagate.
Hoyas enjoy being rootbound
Hoyas like to be rootbound, which can encourage them to flower. Though this has to do with maturity, Hoya can take up to 4 years to bloom from a young specimen. If the stem is woody, the plant is most likely close to maturity and flowering.
One characteristic that distinguishes Hoyas from many other house plants is their preference for being rootbound. This can encourage a few things, such as flowering. Though, please note that if your Hoya is relatively young, it can still take a few years to mature and bloom. Woody stems are a good indicator of this.
What do we mean by being rootbound?
When a plant is said to be "rootbound," it means that its roots have grown to the edge of its container and are so tightly intertwined that there is no more room for them to expand. Rootbound conditions are stressful for many houseplants, but Hoyas actually benefit from it for a number of reasons:
- An adaptation to Epiphytic Growth: Many hoyas in their natural habitats are epiphytes, meaning they grow on trees and rocks. They use their roots to anchor themselves to their chosen habitat, but there is not a lot of soil or room for their roots to spread out in these types of environments. Therefore, hoyas have adapted well to limited root zones.
- Water and Nutrient Storage: Hoyas have thick, fleshy leaves that are designed for water storage, and their roots are designed to efficiently absorb and store nutrients. When the roots become rootbound, they can form a dense network that aids in water and nutrient retention, ensuring the plant has a consistent supply even in a limited environment.
- Reduced Risk of Overwatering: Overwatering can be reduced by being rootbound. When there is less soil in the pot, it dries out faster after being watered. This makes it less likely that the roots of the plant will rot, which can happen when the soil is too wet for a long time.
- Encouragement of Blooming: Some hoya species are known to bloom more readily when rootbound. Certain varieties of Hoya can flower more readily as a result of the slight stress the crowded root space causes.
Please keep in mind that Hoyas may benefit from being rootbound to some degree, but there is a limit to how tight their roots should be allowed to grow. It is important to keep an eye on the plant's health and, if necessary, move it to a slightly larger pot with fresh soil that drains well. It is best to repot a plant when it is actively growing, usually in the spring or early summer. This keeps the plant from being stressed out too much.
For more basic Hoya care, check out our Hoya Care Instructions here.
How to know when your Hoya needs water: The Taco Test
Plant lovers use the term "Taco Test" to refer to a specific way to tell if a Hoya plant needs water. Hoyas are succulent plants with fleshy leaves and stems that store water. Since giving them too much water can hurt them, the Taco Test helps avoid this problem.
Here's how you can perform the Taco Test with a Hoya plant:
Ensure the soil is dry
It is important to make sure the soil is dry before doing the Taco Test.
Touch the Leaves
Touch the Hoya plant's older leaves gently with your fingers. If the leaves feel tight, stiff, or firm, and cannot be folded into the shape of a hard shell taco without snapping, the plant has enough water and does not need to be watered right away. If they are soft and pliable, it is time to water.
Perform the Test Periodically
You can perform the Taco Test periodically, once a week is a good start, especially if you are uncertain of your Hoya's watering requirements. Checking the firmness of the leaves will help you assess how often to water your Hoya.
The Taco Test is an easy and reliable way to make sure you are not overwatering your Hoya, which will aid in its growth and prevent issues that could arise from too much water in the soil.
For more on understanding over or underwatering, read: Identifying Over vs. Underwatering.
We hope these pointers will prepare you for ultimate success, and have your Hoyas looking stunning in no time. If you have any interesting facts or tips for us, feel free to share them below.
For more basic care tips, check out our Hoya Care Instructions, here.
Happy growing!
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