Overview

Hello Hoyas! Native to several countries of Asia, Hoyas are beautiful plants with over 900 species that come in unique colours and shapes. Hoyas are part of a family known as Apocynaceae; its subfamily is the Asclepiadoideae (milkweeds). Hoyas also go by Wax Plant, Honey Plant or Wax Vine, and it’s likely you’ve seen one in your grandparents’ home. They’re a very popular indoor houseplant with thick – you guessed it – waxy leaves. If they’ve got all their growing conditions checked off, Hoyas will eventually bloom stunning, small clusters of symmetrical star-shaped flowers that are bright in colour with a subtle, sweet scent. Hoyas are slow-growing climbers and creepers that are relatively easy to maintain, so you’ll often see them perched in a hanging basket or wrapped around a trellis when grown outside.

Care Tips

     Care Level : Beginner, Expert or Somewhere in the middle.

Hoyas are excellent plants for beginners since they’re very low-maintenance and don’t require much attention. In fact, if you meddle and hover around a Hoya too much, they won’t appreciate it. No stage-six clingers. Hoyas are classified as semi-succulents – easy to care for and slow to wilt. 

     Light

Hoyas thrive in conditions with medium to bright, indirect light. They can tolerate lower light, but it’s best you give them the light they need – they’ll respond in-kind with vibrant leaves and on occasion flower. If the colour on your Hoya’s foliage starts fading or yellowing, it’s likely your Hoya is getting too much sun.

     Water

Since Hoyas are succulent-like, you should water your Hoya when its soil is completely dry – once every week or two (depending on the climate). Hoyas are very prone to overwatering and root rot, so it’s better to err on the side of underwatering than overwatering. If your Hoya’s leaves start to drop, then it’s a sign of overwatering. If the leaves are shrivel-y or wrinkly, then your Hoya is not getting enough water. Make sure your Hoya is housed in a planter with proper drainage.

     Humidity

Hoyas like humidity. Place them on a pebble tray submerged in water or mist it a few times a week. You’ll want to avoid dry air as much as possible and keep them away from cold drafts or sources of heat. 

     Temperature

Hoyas thrive in warm and moist conditions, 18°C-26°C is best in the spring and summer months. When winter rolls around, they’ll do okay in 13°C-15°C. Avoid going anywhere below 7°C.

     Pets

Hoyas are pet friendly! That said, because of the way some Hoya varietals look (e.g., Rope Hoya), they’re basically begging for Kitty the Kitten to give it a good paw swipe.

     Other fun facts:

• Hoya is an Asian native plant introduced by Scottish botanist Robert Brown and named in honor of the 18th-century botanist Thomas Hoy.
• Hoyas can be quite resilient. Depending on the varietal, Hoyas have adapted different leaf growth patterns to suit the environment they live in… like a chameleon!
• The more succulent-leafed Hoyas are native to drier environments, so they store water – like how your dad bottles his rage – in their leaves and don’t need as much watering.
• Try wrapping your head around this one – if your Hoya has smaller leaves, it won’t need as much sun as the Hoyas with bigger leaves. No, it’s not opposite day – smaller-leafed Hoyas don’t require as much surface area to take in light as opposed to their larger brethren.

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