More Hoya Questions Answered

My Hoyas Haven’t Flowered

Hi Molly,

My Hoyas have not flowered this season.

Would it be because of the wet weather we have experienced.

I did have one bloom on one plant about 6 weeks ago.

Hi,
Sometimes Hoyas will miss out an entire flowering season if conditions just aren’t right. The cloudy, wet summer we’ve all been having is a perfect example of this, with many Hoyas not being warm enough or getting enough light to trigger flowering.

Don’t give up hope though, as if there is a warm period later this summer, your Hoyas could spring into bloom!

Henry

Molly’s Tropical Plants

My Hoya Has Never Flowered

Hi Molly,
I have had a \”hindu rope\”plant for about 5 years.It is growing a lot but has never bloomed. I gave one to my daughter-in-law earlier this year and it is already starting to bloom. what might I be doing wrong? Thanks for any help you can give me.
Carlene

Hi Carlene,

Thanks for your message.

There are many factors that affect flowering. Here are a few suggestions:

Sometimes Hoyas can be provoked to flower by warmer conditions and a little more light – does you daughter-in-law keep hers in different conditions?
Hoyas will soak up quite a lot of water in the warmer months, so make sure you don’t let the soil dry out completely.
Consider top dressing the pots with fresh compost to provide some food, and maybe even applying a little weak tomato feed in the warmer months.
Hoyas like to be pot-bound. Have you re-potted it in the last few years? If so, this could prevent flowering for a few years.
Sometimes people are just annoyingly lucky!

Thanks again,

Henry

My Hoya is Taking Over!

Hi,
My husband is complaining that my Hoya is taking over the living room. How do I go about safely cutting it back?
Pat

Hi Pat,
Thanks for your message. Apart form getting a new husband 😉 you can deal with this problem by pruning your Hoya carefully.

Read this post for advice: Pruning Hoyas.

Thanks,
Henry

My Hoyas Looks Sick

I have a 15 yr old hoya carnosa which grows very happily in the conservatory, this year however there has been fewer flowers and lots of the leaves are yellowing. Please help I would hate to lose it. Many thanks.

Betty

Hi Betty,
It isn’t uncommon for Hoyas to miss a flowering year, but the yellowing of your leaves is a worry. This can be a sign of various things, including over-watering, under-watering, too or even much direct light. If it has been too cold or wet, it would suffer too.

If the leaves do not improve, consider using a weak general fertiliser to give it a boost, making sure the compost is well drained, and keep it well in good conditions throughout the rest of the year. You may get a later bloom, or you may have to wait until next year and hope you get a doubly nice display!

Kind regards,

Henry

My Hoyas Leaves Are Small

Molly, Hi. I received my first hoya carnosa cutting 18 years ago and now have 8 plants. In the past 7-8 months the new leaves are getting smaller and smaller (some are real tiny).
I have no idea why?
I was hoping you might be able to help.
Thank you. Sincerely, Jan

Hi Jan,
I got my first cutting from my grandmother too – they are so great to pass on!
It may not be anything to worry about even though they are quite small.
Another possibility is that the leaf growth may have slowed if the weather has been poor for a while?
Are the vine tips in good condition? Another reason for stunted growth is stem damage.
Hopefully the leaves will fill out in time – please let me know how it goes.
Kindest regards,
Henry
Henry,
Thank you so much for your time. Maybe I just worry too much about loosing them since like you they ultimately came from my grandmother 18 years ago (one cutting). On the bright side one has had 33 blossoms so far this summer.
I will just give them time and let you know.
Thank you again,
Jan
It’s a good thing to worry about your plants, and I’m sure your grandmother would be proud!
Your Hoya sounds marvelous.
Always happy to help,
Henry

How Do I Take Hoya Cuttings?

Hi Molly,
We have a Hoya plant that is 30 plus years old.(bella Or carnosa)The question I have is we do have a mother plant and a hanging plant above it that grew together.

We had to cut them a part not knowing which belong to which due to a window a/c unit in the back room that was blowing to much hot air into that room. the hanging one was not doing well. Now when I separated the vines I found a lot of cut off ones. I have them in water to root. Some have a little root on them.

Should I keep them in water till they root more or put them in the pot? Please help I don’t want to lose this hanging one. We live in Tampa, Fl. This plant did not bloom until 3 years ago after a very bad cold year in Fl. Now it blooms a lot. So strange how this stared blooming. It was my boyfriends grandmothers plant, were she lived in Denver, Co.
Betty

Hi Betty,

Thanks for your message.

Your cuttings should be ready to pot up once they have several roots that are about an inch or so long.
You could wait a little longer before planting your cuttings up but the risk of rot (as the roots are immersed in water) is quite high, so I prefer to get them into compost as soon as I can.

When you plant them into compost, use an airy mix and make sure that you water your cuttings in well, with room temperature water. Other than that, keep doing what you are doing, as the hardest bit is getting roots at all. You should find that once a cutting starts to root, it doesn’t stop!

As for the flowering of the parent plant – some plants like a cooler winter to encourage them to make the best of a warmer period. It could well be that it is Hoya bella, as this is a Hoya that prefers cooler conditions, which is a reason it is so popular in the UK!

Good luck, and please let me know how you get on.

Kindest regards,

Henry

My Hoya Is Dripping Nectar

My Hoya’s soft pink waxy flowers drip nectar everywhere Is this normal?.
Margot

Hi Margot,
Yes – this is completely normal. The sweet nectar can be a problem if it drips all over the leaves. Wipe it with a damp cloth before it hardens up to prevent it attracting ants and mould.
I’ve collected Hoya carnosa nectar before and had it in tea- it has a slightly floral taste, which is not unpleasant. It is also a reason why Hoyas are so good for butterfly enthusiasts – they are nectar rich and are an excellent food source for butterflies and moths.

When Do I Fertilise My Hoya

Hi Molly,
I have 2 hanging Hoyas that are fairly root bound. They have grown a lot this summer in the gazebo. I water only with rain water. When do I start to fertilize them for possible flowering?
Doris

Hi Doris,
I always give my Hoyas a dose of fertiliser in spring when the weather warms up a bit and they are about to start actively growing. Some Hoyas will benefit from a second or further doses throughout the summer, but make sure you dilute the fertlisers by a third or so to prevent over-feeding. Another way to feed your Hoyas is with a foliar feed, or even top-dressing the pot with fresh compost.
I hope this helps,
Henry

What Has Eaten My Hoya Flower?

I have one Hoya that resides in a hanging pot under an orange tree. Been in same pot for several years, probably should be repotted. Been at this house for 18 months. When I moved it lost all its flowers-taken all this time to adjust. It got one new flower/cluster on it. Overnight the flower is gone. Not on the ground – I trying to figure what happened. Do birds take/eat them; would rats (I have a real rat problem) Have had some oranges hollowed out. I figure rats. Do you have any experience with this issue?
Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth,
That sounds very much like rats to me, especially if you know they are around. It’s not out of the question that birds or other rodents took the sweet flower as a little treat, but the evidence in pointing towards the rats.
Good luck dealing with them!
Henry