Hoya Carnosa

The Hoya Carnosa is one of the most adaptable houseplants you can have in your home. Comes in a 4 inch plastic growers pot, ceramic pot not included.

A very easy to grow trailing plant that can be displayed in many unique ways; from topiary compositions, to trailing and climbing arrangements.

It’s truly a low maintenance plant, and grows very quickly.

Native to Eastern Asia and Australia, the Hoya Carnosa is also known as Wax Plant, and Porcelain Flower, due to its deep green waxy leaves, and its dainty and fragrant porcelain looking flowers.

This plant was named after Thomas Hoy, a British Botanist, who brought attention to Hoyas for the first time in the late 1700′. There are over 600 known Hoya species with different foliage shapes, but the Hoya Carnosa is the most common, and widely spread.

In their natural habitat, many Hoya species, grow as epiphytic climbing vines, requiring different care than others. 

Light

The Hoya Carnosa enjoys medium to bright, indirect light conditions. However, it definitely thrives on bright, indirect light.

North facing windows are ideal for this plant, while it loves bright light conditions, exposure to direct sun will damage the Hoya Carnosa. Too little light will also harm this plant.

Wherever you place your Hoya Carnosa, make sure it is away from any drafts, whether it’s heat or air conditioning vents, or even doors connecting to the outside. Drafts can be fatal for this plant.

Watering

Water once a week or when the top inch of soil feels dry, Hoya Carnosa like good drainage, so make sure that the pot has holes in the bottom, or that you have a rocks or clay beads in the bottom 2-3 inches of the plant pot if your pot doesn't have holes. Mist once a week with a good spray mister, I sell a really great water mister.

Even though the Hoya Carnosa is an adaptable plant, and does relatively well in average homes humidity levels, it’s still a tropical plant. As such, it thrives on high levels of humidity. 

Temperature

As houseplants, average home temperatures are fine. Lack of humidity in our homes can be a problem for other houseplants but not this one. It takes the dry air in our homes just fine.

Feeding / Fertilizing

Hoyas require soil that is well-draining, which means that a mixture of normal potting soil and fine bark works perfectly. You can also use sand or small stones in the base of the pot to help with drainage. And as far as fertilizer, this plant should be fed every two weeks with diluted liquid fertilizer. Make sure to stop feeding it about a month before the winter bloom, which typically means the end of the month of October. 

I have a great one for sale in my shop HERE.  Whatever you do, don’t over-fertilize (too much or too often) and don’t feed in the colder, darker months, because the plant is resting.

Propagation

It is extremely easy to propagate a Hoya Carnosa from its cuttings.

These Hoya come from my massive plant and I propagate them myself.

Simply cut off the stems near their nodes, and place them in a water jug for two to three months, until the roots are well developed. Don’t cut off the tendrils shooting off the stems, as those are the ones blossoming into amazing porcelain flowers.

Once the roots are developed, plant your stems in well draining soil within a draining pot. Within two years, you’ll get a mature plant capable of blooming flowers.

Toxicity

The Hoya Carnosa is not poisonous to humans or cats and dogs, but it always best to keep plants away from children & animals.