Confession: I once tried to kill a hoya by drying it out- with good reason! It was a pair of white leaves, with no clorophyll to take in the sun. It would've grown super slowly, with only the green stripe of its original leaf to act as a solar panel. As the weeks passed and the problematic plant sat without water, I ran into a problem. The thing wouldn't die!
Most of the more common hoyas are incredibly easy to care for. They really don't need much attention, they look beautiful on a trellis, and they're pet-friendly, too!
Hoya rosita is one of the plants I've chosen as a staple for my shop. The way I prepare these plants is pretty silly to me. They take a trip to the tanning bed!
Lighting for Red Leaves
To get these stunning dark cherry leaves, the plant needs some time in the brightest ight you can give it. I'll set a hoya aside under one of my industrial grow light panels and let it hang out there for a few days to change color. This can also be achieved in a much more practical way- keeping it in the sunniest spot you can find. Think succulents- if a succulent would be happy there without getting all stretched and funky, chances are it'll work for turning your hoya red.
These plants can also be kept in more typical lighting for a tropical houseplant- somewhere with at least a bit of a sunbeam going on. They'll happily take any window you've got.
The Hoya Rabbithole
Now, for some fun hoya info if you're new to it. Hoyas are a bit of rabbithole. There are a ton of varieties to collect, from $16 plants like the ones at my shop, to a $60 unrooted pair of leaves on a stem. It's a whole thing. Within the category of hoyas, there are a lot of "rare" plants. I call them "fancy" plants or "collector" plants. They're not really all that rare, and I'm not a huge fan of valuing something based on how few other people have it. I think it's good to share the joy rather than taking pride in exclusivity.
Hoyas are pretty easy to propagate. Just make sure you've got a piece of stem in there, with a leaf or two. Then, you're good to go!
Add a Trellis!
Now, when it comes to climby vines like these, I'm not a fan of the trendy coconut poles or moss poles. Those are more helpful for encouraging large leaves in philodendrons and pothos. Personally, I'm a tiny plant gal. I want my plants small and cute, so they're not too overwhelming to care for. Gotta keep all those leaves clean and pest-free!
Instead of coco poles, I go for plastic, stainless steel, or bamboo, and I pick something with a fun shape. For clips, I go with colorful butterflies and dragonflies. Much like planting in a cute container and adding crystals and figures, adding a cute trellis with cute clips will do wonders for the beauty of your plant. Accessories complete the look!
Is this plant a fast grower? I've yet to find out. When a hoya is newly potted, it'll spend a bit of time settling its roots before it goes into leaf mode. I'm excited to see how these colorful plants grow!
Do you grow hoyas?
I'm a collector! Gimme the fancy stuff
I like the less expensive ones. We're on a budget!
No, but I want one!
Nah, they're not my vibe
Comments