As tropical epiphytes, hoyas have special cultural needs. Start with an appropriate growing medium. Hoyas absolutely require a light, coarse growing medium that will allow excess water to drain away quickly. A quality succulent medium is a good choice.
How much water should you give your hoya? A good rule of thumb is to water the plant rarely, but, when you do, water it thoroughly. Keep watering until you see water draining out the bottom of the plant. At that point, let the plant drain completely, dump the saucer, then don't water again until the soil is completely dry. On the other hand, hoyas like humidity, so consider bringing in a small humidifier if your air is very dry.
These plants don't need a lot of elbow room in their containers. In fact, they prefer to be pot bound so don't be too quick to transplant to a larger container. Many people keep their hoyas in the original pot for a decade or more. Whether you have one already or are looking for a new plant companion, here is your guide to hoya care!
Hoyas have thick, waxy leaves that overflow from a pot in beautiful trailing vines. They bloom in clusters of sweetly smelling flowers like those of their distant cousin, the milkweed. The flowers themselves are dense and waxy, like finely sculpted porcelain, often appearing in pink or white. Native to tropical Asia and Australia, they live a long time and will quickly become some of your favorite houseplants.
Most hoya plants prefer medium to bright, indirect light. Some do well with about two hours of direct sunlight in the morning or evening, but too much sun exposure may burn their leaves or turn them yellow. They can tolerate low light, but in those conditions, they may focus their energy on growing more leaves rather than producing blossoms.
However, proper light will give them enough energy to bloom. Letting the pot become flooded is not a smart idea. Permit the soil to completely dry. Allowing the top one or two inches of soil to dry before re-watering is a good idea. Use water that has been sitting in an open container for at least 24 hours.
As a result, chlorine, fluoride, and other contaminants in tap water will not affect the flower. The excess chemicals will diffuse into the air over time. Hoyas are exotic plants that grow well in comparatively warmer temperatures. Even certain plants thrive in mild daytime temperatures, yet flowers will not bloom if the temperatures drop below their optimum range. While some Hoyas like temperatures below 80 degrees, some enjoy warmer temperatures.
Always try to keep away from any air conditioning or heating vents that have a temperature variation. Potting soil is essential when it comes to growing Hoyas. Planting Hoyas in a light, well-draining soil mix is recommended. Combine two parts of potting soil , one part perlite , and one part orchid bark to make the soil mix for better bloom. Alternatively, you may also use pine bark, perlite, and peat moss mixture.
To reduce acidity, a pinch of dolomitic lime will have to apply. Pertile is a material that is used to lighten and increase the drainage capacity of potting soil. Aerating additives such as pumice , perlite , or gritty sand can also be added to the succulent potting soil. Blend equal quantities of coconut coir and aerating materials into peat moss to enhance nutrient-holding capacity.
There are some advantages of growing hoya: it does not require regular repotting because the plant prefers to be root-bound. Hoya might grow well to develop flowers in terra cotta, plastic, or glazed ceramic pots as long as they include bottom drainage holes.
Any repotting should be done when the hoya is actively developing, which is from spring to summer. Hoyas are susceptible to insect and disease infestations.
Aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites are sap-sucking parasites that are attracted to Hoya. Several caterpillar species devour the flowers of the hoya. Whiteflies and thrips can become a nuisance and infect your Hoyas if spread in a large population.
Fungus infections can also affect the Hoya. Botrytis blight , which shows grey patches on the leaves can decay the flowers. The most common disease among Hoya growers is sooty mold. This black mold thrives on sticky leaves that have come into contact with plant saps or nectars. To keep the Hoya plant healthy, use neem oil. This may be used to treat pests and illnesses of many kinds.
Insecticidal soaps, such as Safer soap , can be used to manage whiteflies and thrips. Use Monterey BT to get rid of caterpillars on your plants. In the case of H. Some stems of Hoya are woodier, some have chlorophyll, some are fuzzy, some are thick, and still, some others are really delicate. Observing the stems of your Hoya can help you know how to better care and how best to propagate the plant.
Hoya stems are often wiry and lactiferous—producing a sticky substance that can often be white, clear, yellowish, or some other color. If you give these hoyas higher humidity, the adventitious roots will often grow outwards and begin to cling to certain surfaces. A common question people ask is whether you should cut those off or let them grow, and my answer would be—let them grow. Give the hoya its own time to clasp and tendril around something. The flowers of hoya, which have three main parts—the calyx , the corona , and corolla , are arranged in umbels, which is a flower cluster that emanates from the center to form some type or curved convex or flat-topped surface.
The corolla, which are the petals of the flower, also have six types, including spreading, revolute, reflexed, campanulate bell-shaped , incurved claw-shaped , or urceolate urn-shaped. This is partially how certain plants, like Hoya pubicalyx has so many different cultivars, or cultivated varieties of plants featuring such a wide range of flower colors.
Hoya multiflora has a reflexed corolla and a convex umbel that contains flowers. As I shared above, many hoya have adventitious roots along their stems and these roots are used to both adhere to surfaces as well as absorb moisture.
Upping the humidity will likely form more roots and make them larger, which will benefit the hoya. Since most hoya are epiphytic—growing on the surface of trees—they are accustomed to drying out, so they are a bit opportunistic when it comes to getting water, and these adventitious roots can serve as a way to soak water when they have it.
However, giving hoya too much water for too long will not serve the plant. More semi-succulent varieties of Hoya carnosa were my first hoya that I grew and I made the mistake of putting them too near my southwest-facing window, which caused leaf burn. Since most species grow in the gaps of forests—among and between the treetops—they are more accustomed to getting dappled or diffuse light—and that should be recreated in the home.
In some cases, certain varieties might begin to redden their leaves e. I have most of my hoyas growing in one of several locations in my home: pulled away feet 0. Instead, I just refresh their substrate every second or third year or so. Because they like to dry out more than most plants, I prefer to use terracotta pots since they are porous and can more readily remove water from the soil substrate or potting medium—but do be sure to thoroughly water them so the entire soil ball becomes wet and is allowed to dry.
I have one of these displays in my bathroom of a Hoya pachyclada and I find I need to spray the roots every few days, and I treat it much in the way I do my Tillandsia, or air plants. Putting the mounted hoya on the same watering schedule as my Tillandsia has helped a lot. Otherwise I find it easier to care for hoya in substrate.
In Asia, it is customary to grow hoya in pure coco chips. I find this gives a fairly airy mix. They require intermittent drying out. More on this in the Troubleshooting section. Crushing up eggshells or using oyster shells on top or within the soil mixture should suffice, as the substrate will slowly get more alkaline as you water the plant. If your soil mix is too heavy—say a really peaty mixture—then you risk the substrate holding too much water.
Those closer to my southwest facing window definitely get a higher frequency of watering—and definitely more so in the summer months.
0コメント