Hoya
Also known as: Wax Plant, Porcelain Flower
Light
Bright Indirect
Water
Low
Humidity
Average
Size
Medium
30-90 cm (1-3 ft)
✓ Pet Safe
Hoya is non-toxic and safe for homes with cats and dogs.
Care Requirements
About the Hoya
Hoya carnosa, the Porcelain Flower or Wax Plant, is native to the subtropical and tropical forests of eastern Asia and Australia, where it climbs trees and rocks using twining stems and adventitious roots. Its thick, waxy, oval leaves may be solid green or variegated with white, pink, or cream. The star-shaped flowers form in pendulous, spherical clusters (umbels) of 20-40 blooms, each exuding sweet nectar droplets and a chocolate-vanilla fragrance. These fragrant blooms appear on persistent spurs, so old flower stalks should never be removed. Its vining habit and eventual spectacular blooms reward patient growers.
Origin: Southeast Asia
Care Tips
Provide bright indirect light for best flowering; some morning direct sun is beneficial. Allow the soil to dry almost completely between waterings -- Hoyas store water in their fleshy leaves and are prone to root rot in soggy conditions. Use a chunky, well-draining mix with orchid bark, perlite, and peat. Moderate to high humidity encourages growth. To promote flowering, keep the plant slightly root-bound and provide a cool, dry rest period in winter. Never remove old flower peduncles, as new blooms emerge from the same spurs. Feed monthly during the growing season. Propagate by stem cuttings.
Is This Plant Right for You?
Best For
- Bright rooms with good natural light
- Beginners and busy plant parents
- Homes with cats and dogs
- Forgetful waterers
Not Ideal For
- No major concerns!
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