Attractive foliage and lightly scented flowers make low-maintenance hoyas popular houseplants.
Looking for an easy-to-care-for houseplant with small but vibrant star-shaped flowers?
Consider the hoya plant(Hoya carnosa), also known as wax plant or porcelain flower.
Credit: Kindra Clineff
These plants are native to Asia and Australia.
Hoyas are prized as low-maintenance indoor plants with beautiful blooms.
They can also be grown outside in USDA Zones 8 through 11.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Want to grow a thriving hoya plant?
Here’s what you gotta know.
A south or west-facing window is ideal.
Credit:Denny Schrock
These plants thrive in humid climates and are good choices for planting near a fountain or pond.
Another option isgrowing a hoya in a hanging basketso the foliage can cascade over the edges.
Soil and Water
Hoya plants need well-drained soil.
Credit: Kindra Clineff
Use succulent soil or potting soil/perlite mix for houseplants.
They do best with apH from 6.17.5, typically slightly acidic to neutral.
Drought-tolerant hoyas don’t do well with soggy soil.
If the soil is wet, they suffer from root rot.
Check to see to it the soil has dried out completely before watering again.
Temperature and Humidity
Hoya plants thrive in warm, humid climates.
Fertilizer
Pruning
Hoyas benefit from pruning after they produce flowers.
Just don’t cut back the flower stalks, as hoyas often grow secondary flowers.
Hoyas don’t have deep roots, so a shallow container is suitable.
Choose a container that is only slightly larger than the plant root ball.
The hoya can stay in the same pot for years.
When you repot, choose a slightly larger container and loosen the root ball gently.
Pests and Problems
These hardy plants can suffer fromaphids,mealybugs, andspider mites.
Frequently check the foliage for insects that may have created their home on the leaves.
How to Propagate Hoya
Propagating a hoya plantis simple with stem cuttings.
Place the cutting in indirect light and change the water every few days.
If you prefer to skip the water step, fill a 4-inch pot with moistened potting soil.
Dip the end of thestem cuttingin rooting hormone powder and insert it in the soil.
Monitor it and water when necessary.
When you see new growth or feel resistance when tugging on the cutting, it has rooted.
It has attractive waxy, oval-shaped leaves and vines that grow 24 feet long.
Flowers are fragrant and have a white or cream hue.
Some leaves don’t have any green at all, making this beauty stand out with the leaves alone.
In addition to the lush variegated foliage, it also produces dainty, mildly fragrant flowers.
The fragrant pink blooms are tiny but spectacular and appear in lovely clusters.
This small plant is ideal as a houseplant for relatively new gardeners because it is easy to care for.
Tip: It loves to be misted.
The flowers are orange and yellow.
Want an easy starter indoor plant?Hoya pubicalyxis drought-tolerant with green pointy leaves.
It is a slow grower, growing only a few inches a year.
Hoyas do best when the soil dries out between waterings.
How frequently you water depends on how slowly or quickly the soil dries out.
Many hoyas are drought-tolerant, and they don’t tolerate wet soil.
