Hoyas, or wax plants, are climbing and trailing plants with thick, waxy leaves and clusters of star-shaped, often fragrant flowers. There are hundreds of species, most of them epiphytes from Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Australia, and they are among the easiest tropical plants to keep and propagate.
This guide explains how we care for the hoyas in our nursery in Blitar, how to root hoya cuttings, and what makes a hoya bloom.
Hoya at a glance
- Family: Apocynaceae
- Habit: epiphytic climbers and trailers with semi-succulent leaves
- Light: bright, indirect; many take a few hours of soft morning sun
- Water: let the mix dry most of the way between waterings
- Potting mix: chunky and fast-draining
- Humidity: 50% or higher is ideal; thick-leaved species tolerate less
- Temperature: 18–30 °C (65–86 °F); most dislike temperatures below 12–15 °C
Light
Bright, indirect light keeps hoyas compact and is the main trigger for flowering. An east-facing window with some morning sun is ideal. Leaves that turn reddish are reacting to strong light, which is usually harmless; pale, yellowish leaves or long bare stems mean too much or too little light respectively.
Potting mix and pot
Hoyas grow on trees, so their roots need air. Use a chunky mix of orchid bark, perlite or pumice and coco chips with a little potting mix, in a pot with good drainage. Small pots are better than large ones: hoyas like to be slightly root-bound, and a big pot of wet mix is the most common cause of root rot.
Watering and humidity
Water thoroughly, then let the mix dry most of the way before watering again. Thick, succulent leaves that start to wrinkle or feel soft mean the plant needs water. Thin-leaved species dry out faster and need watering more often. Most hoyas grow best above 50% humidity, but thick-leaved types cope well with normal room air.
How to propagate hoya
- Cut a stem with at least two nodes (the points where leaves grow). A single leaf without a node can root but will rarely grow a new vine.
- Remove the lowest leaf so the node is free.
- Root the cutting in water, moist sphagnum moss or a perlite and bark mix, with the node in contact with the medium.
- Keep it warm, bright and humid, out of direct sun. Roots usually appear in two to six weeks.
- Pot the cutting in a small pot of chunky mix once the roots are a few centimetres long.
You can also layer a hoya: pin a stem onto a pot of moist mix next to the parent plant and cut it free once it has rooted.
How to get a hoya to bloom
Hoyas flower once they are mature, often after two or three years, and need bright light to do it. Keep them slightly root-bound and do not move them around while they form buds. Most important: do not cut off the old flower stalks (peduncles). Many hoyas flower again from the same stalk year after year.
Some of the rare hoyas we grow
- Hoya coronaria: large, cup-shaped flowers and thick, slightly hairy leaves
- Hoya verticillata: a variable species with waxy leaves and white flowers with a dark centre
- Hoya sp. Sulawesi: burgundy-flushed foliage, especially in bright light
- Hoya callistophylla: long leaves with dark, contrasting veins
Common problems
- Yellow leaves and soft stems: overwatering or a mix that stays wet.
- Wrinkled leaves: thirst; water thoroughly.
- No flowers: not enough light, or the plant is still young.
- White cottony tufts: mealybugs, the most common hoya pest; see how to protect indoor plants from pests.
Frequently asked questions
How do you propagate a hoya?
Take a stem cutting with at least two nodes, remove the lowest leaf and root it in water, moist sphagnum moss or a perlite mix. Roots appear in two to six weeks.
Can you grow a hoya from a single leaf?
A leaf will often root, but without a node it rarely grows a new vine. Always include at least one node.
Why is my hoya not flowering?
Usually too little light or a plant that is still young. Give it bright, indirect light, keep it slightly root-bound and leave the old flower stalks on the plant.
Our hoyas travel bare-root, wrapped in moss. See how to help plants recover after shipping for the first weeks after arrival.
Buying for a plant shop? Labijo grows and exports hoyas and 1,000+ other tropical species from Indonesia, with the phytosanitary certificate included. Wholesale pricing, 25% below the catalog price, starts at 20 plants of one species or 100 plants mixed. See our wholesale Hoya plants or browse the full wholesale tropical and rare plant catalog.
