How to Grow Hoya

There are more than 500 different species of Hoya, however, the most commonly grown include Hoya carnosa (the common waxflower), Hoya kerrii with its delightful heart-shaped leaves and the Australian native Hoya australis.  

Hoyas have fleshy leaves, which can be completely green, variegated or have attractive cream, pale yellow or silver patterns. Some Hoyas have interesting crinkled or curly leaves, including the popular Indian rope Hoya Hoya carnosa var. compacta. 

Their intricate flowers range from creamy white to various shades of pink and purple, as well as yellow, red and burgundy. With so many choices, it’s easy to see why Hoyas are a collector’s dream!

For indoor Hoyas, find a spot that receives bright but indirect light. For Hoyas growing outdoors, choose a wind-protected position that is in dappled shade all day or only receives gentle morning sun. Being tropical plants, Hoyas do best in warm, frost-free climates. In cool areas, growing them indoors is ideal.

Hoyas detest wet feet so a well-drained pot is a must. Depending on the Hoya’s size, use a 10 – 20 cm diameter pot. Hoyas are also perfect for growing in hanging baskets, where their trailing stems can cascade down over the sides. Don’t be tempted to put a small Hoya in a large pot, which creates an unhealthy zone around the roots. Hoyas can stay in the same pot for several years.

A free-draining and well-aerated potting mix, such as Yates Specialty Potting Mix Orchids, is ideal for Hoyas.

Partly fill your chosen pot with some Yates Specialty Potting Mix Orchid. Place the Hoya’s root ball on the potting mix and backfill around the roots with the fresh potting mix. The final level of mix should be at the same as the level as currently around the plant. Water in well to settle the potting mix around the roots.

Hoyas can be allowed to grow out and over the sides of pots. However, you can also grow a Hoya vertically, up a trellis or pole. You will need to gently encourage the soft young stems to wind in and out of the trellis or tie the stems to the pole with soft ties as they grow.

Hoyas do not like to be waterlogged and prefer the potting mix to dry out in between waterings. In hot and dry weather, Hoyas will appreciate being misted with water, which helps replicate its humid origins.

Feed Hoyas every 2 months from spring to autumn with Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Plants & Ferns. These spikes contain slow-release nutrients to feed the Hoya for up to 2 months.

If you or a friend have a favourite Hoya that you’d like more of, then it’s time to propagate! Hoyas can be grown from stem cuttings by following these easy steps:

During the warmest months (mid-spring to early autumn), choose a healthy stem and cut off a piece around 10 cm long. Ensure there are at least two nodes (bumps on the stem), where roots and leaves will develop from.

Remove any leaves from the lower end of the stem, cut the stem just below a node and dip the cut end into some Yates Plant Cutting Powder.

Insert the stem end into a pot of moist Yates Specialty Potting Mix Cuttings & Seeds. Place the pot in a warm brightly lit spot and keep slightly moist. Roots will develop over the coming months.

Once each cutting has developed its own root system, carefully plant the cuttings into separate small pots filled with Yates Specialty Potting Mix Orchids.

You can also start Hoya cuttings in water. Place a stem cutting into a small vase of water and roots can develop over a few months. Once a small root system has developed, gently plant the cutting into a small pot filled with Yates Specialty Potting Mix Orchids.

Hoya can be propagated from cuttings (see How to Propagate Hoyas from Cuttings) or simple layering.

Lay Hoya stems still attached to the plant over moist potting mix. Roots will form in a few months. You may need to pin the stem down to ensure good contact with the potting mix. Rooted stems can be cut off and planted in their own pot.

Hoyas are quite at home in a small space and don’t mind becoming a bit pot bound. Repotting is only required every few years.

After the flowers have faded, don’t cut off the old flower stem as the next lot of flowers can develop from the same spot. If you cut off the old flower, you may be removing future flowers.

Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Plants & Ferns are a great way to feed Hoyas. They contain a blend of nutrients to promote healthy green leaf growth, a strong root system and beautiful flowers. Insert a spike into the potting mix, mid-way between the pot wall and the stem, every 2 months from spring to autumn.

Hoyas don’t like a wet root system and should only be rewatered when the potting mix has become dry. Check the moisture level in the potting mix by gently digging your finger into the top few centimetres of mix. You will be able to feel whether it’s still moist or has become dry.

Hoyas can be watered using a watering can with a narrow spout, only applying water over the potting mix and not over the leaves or stems. Alternatively, the pot (the pot must have drainage holes) can be submerged in water, so the water level comes to just under the surface of the potting mix. Water will seep up into the pot through the drainage holes. Leave the plant in the water for a few minutes, then remove it and allow it to drain.

Hoya leaves can accumulate dust. Keep the leaves clean by gently wiping them with a damp cloth.

A Hoya that refuses to flower may benefit from being moved into a more brightly lit spot. And don’t forget to fertilise! Your Hoya needs nutrients to be able to produce flowers. Feed Hoyas every 2 months from spring to autumn with Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Plants & Ferns.

Hoya leaves can turn yellow from overwatering. Check the moisture level in the potting mix and only rewater once the potting mix has dried out.

Also, healthy green leaf growth requires an ongoing source of nutrients, so make sure the Hoya is regularly fed with a fertiliser like Yates Thrive Plant Food Spikes Plants & Ferns.

Small clumps of white powdery or waxy material on Hoya stems are a sap-sucking insect called Mealybug. They can cause leaves to yellow and plant health to suffer.

Aphids are tiny insects that can attack Hoyas. Aphids are sap-sucking pests and can be green, brown, yellow or black and cluster on leaves, stems and flowers. Aphids can cause leaves or stems to yellow and distort.

As soon as Mealybug or Aphids are noticed, spray plants with Yates Nature’s Way Vegie & Herb Spray. Ensure you spray the pests directly, as this spray works via contact action.

Sooty Mould is a black and powdery fungal disease that coats the surface of leaves and stems. It is caused by sap-sucking pests, including Aphids and Mealybugs, that excrete a clear sticky residue known as honeydew. This honeydew is what the Sooty Mould feeds on. Once the sap-suckers have been controlled, the Sooty Mould will go away.