I've been a plant person over 50+ years, inspired by my granny and African Violets, begonias and geraniums littering every window sill in the house, with one pound coffee and "lard" can as planters all around the walkway and steps to the cellar. My constant, solid favorite has been a spider plant❤️. but.........I have recently discovered Hoyas. Omgosh. I'm obsessed. What's the one thing I need to know? Thanks for passing on your knowledge💋
Be patient with them. They are slow growers.
2 likes I think I bought one that's faster, but I'm old so patience is all I got 😉
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I’m no Hoya expert, but I started collecting them last year, so I thought I’d share what I’ve learned so far since caring for mine: - they don’t have to be on a trellis if you don’t like the look of them on one. They make for beautiful trailing plants and they’re still perfectly capable of climbing if they want to. - As they’re epiphytic and have shallower root systems, they can be more prone to shock from being repotted. I’d cover any exposed roots liberally with rooting powder during any repottings, especially Hoyas of smaller leaf varieties. - Each one can be different in terms of how dry it wants to get between waterings, especially depending on what type of soil mix it’s in. If you’re new to Hoyas, a h. Serpens, h. Curtisii, or h. Tengchongensis is likely too finicky even for plant experts when starting with these (learned this the hard way with the curtisii). My favorite Hoya so far is my H. Pubicalyx. Works on new leaves every week and likes completely drying out between waterings. She’s the hardiest I’ve had in terms of repotting. Never went through shock. H. Carnosa is another popular starter hoya. Aside from the Curtisii, they seem to enjoy almost completely to completely drying out between waterings depending on the cultivar. - I keep mine in cactus mix if they didn’t come with pre-mixed soil for epiphytes where I got it, and I swear by Espoma’s Organic Cactus and Succulent Mix for mine. - if you’re new to trellising a plant, be careful not to wrap them too tightly around one. If you get one at Lowe’s, they’re often damaged or soon-to-be damaged by being wound too tight on their trellises. I’m a frequent box store plant rescuer, so I like to see if there’s ones of the Hoyas I already have there to rescue to add onto ones in my current collection. This helps them look fuller in less time for the slower-growing Hoyas. - if you really can’t stand a Hoya taking an eon to grow anything new, I’d start with a Pubicalyx or Carnosa. They grow quite frequently for me with a new leaf in the works just about every week. - last one. When bringing a new one home, wait a month before repotting it if you can. Also helps lower the risk of shock when you repot. You can inspect it for pests and such, but I’d avoid changing the soil or touching the roots at all for at least 4 weeks. Hope this helps! 😊
3 likes Couldn't ask for a better reply, thank you
1 like No problem 😉 My favorite ones since starting out with Hoyas are my H. Mathilde and H. Pubicalyx. If you can get a Mathilde from a nursery or seller that puts it in proper soil to begin with, they can be beginner-friendly as well, but I’ve read they can be the type that doesn’t enjoy a repot, so I might pass on one from a box store like Lowe’s.
Matilde is on my list!
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Not all Hoyas are the same. Most are epiphytes but not all. Be wary of gimmicky names. research and look up the real scientific names and buy that way. There are a lot of hoya carnosa all be sold under different names for instance and they’re all legit the same plant. Doug Chamberlain (Vermont Hoyas on YouTube) is a great resource for learning.
4 likes Oh and my favorite Hoya is Hoya thomsonii. Best smelling flower in the whole world in my opinion 🤣
I noticed this in all my big box stores!
1 like Yup! Theres very little laws sadly that inhibit sellers from selling plants under fake names. I have personally stopped buying houseplants from box stores and instead go to local plant exchanges, small plant businesses, or buy online. The box stores are way out of control on the plant deception.
1 like Thank you
0 likes I got three different ones. Hoping for a good smelling one ❤️
0 likesCongratulations for falling down the Hoya rabbit hole. Just don’t let them dry out. Some are more particular than others. Google it and find out where it came from. Find out light and origins. And yes you can get is Hoyas. And yes you can fertilize all year round. You don’t need half strength fertilizer. Check frequently for pest and treat all plants you bring in he food. Most places don’t have a treatment plan. You can find good plant at Home Depot and Lowe’s. There are great online places.odes and Gabriella’s plants are two of my favorite online places to buy plants. I’ve never had plants come from there without any pests. But I spray with a insecticidal soap spray. Then I put them I also put them in a different room. I have mine on my night stand with two grow lights. I keep them in there about two months to make sure they are pest free. Good luck you’ll love them more and more.
1 like Thank you
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I became obsessed with them last year, my favourite has been my Hoya Mathilde. One thing I’ve been happy that I’ve done is taking pictures of them consistently so you can properly see how much they’ve grown!
Nice!
1 like Just bought wire, gotta make one of these!
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