Hoya Plants: Care Guide

Hoya Plants are lovely houseplants that are wildly popular, although they can be difficult to care for. In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know about growing Hoya successfully.

hoya

Hoyas can be finicky, especially when it comes to watering them and giving them the right environment. The good news is once you figure out a regular watering schedule and you monitor them regularly, they will grow into healthy plants.

Hoya plants are tropical plants that grow wild in tropical regions of Asia. Hoyas are known for their waxy leaves, which give them their common name “Wax Plant”.

This plant is known for its trailing vines, so for this reason it is most often grown in hanging baskets, although tall containers will work just as well.

The Hoya plant will also produce star-shaped clusters of flowers as long as it’s watered properly and given ample sunlight.

Here are some tips to grow a healthy hoya plant:

hoya plant care tips

Use the Right Potting Mix

Hoyas do best when you mix together Perlite, Orchid Potting Soil and Cactus potting soil in equal parts. The Perlite and cactus potting soil help with drainage while the orchid potting soil will ensure your plant has the right nutrients it needs.

You don’t really need to fertilize Hoyas at all, but if you do, it’s best to go with fertilizers meant for orchids as they have similar nutrient needs.

Keep Your Hoyas in a Humid Place

Hoya plants love humidity, and if you keep your Hoya in a humid place it will grow faster. The more humidity they get the happier they will be. Bathrooms with showers are a great place to keep your Hoya!

In the winter months, it is wise to have a humidifier in the same room as your Hoyas so they don’t dry out too much. There are a number of different humidifiers out there – I absolutely love my AirCare humidifier!

Woman’s hands in garden gloves planting green Hoya plant

How and When to Water Your Hoya Plant

Hoya plants need a lot of water, but it’s easy to overwater them as well. It’s very important to invest in a moisture meter when you have a Hoya so you can make sure it is not underwatered or overwatered.

The most important thing is to make sure your plant dries out completely between waterings. If your soil stays too wet for too long, the roots will rot and the plant will die.

Sticking to a regular watering schedule will help you make sure you take care of your plants. If you keep it in a humid place, you will likely not need to water it as often as you would if it is in a drier part of your home.

The common advice for watering Hoyas is to let it dry out a bit between waterings. You don’t want the soil to get too dry, but you definitely don’t want to water it too often either.

For most people watering on a schedule of about once every 2-3 weeks is a good rule of thumb to start with. Again, invest in a moisture meter to make sure the soil is not too wet nor too dry.

It’s also a good idea to regularly mist your plant with water using a sprayer bottle. This will make it so the Hoya doesn’t get too much water, but adds moisture to the air. Be careful to mist only the leaves and surrounding soil – you do not want to mist the flowers.

Hoya kerrii- succulents, plants
Hoya kerrii- succulents, plants

How Much Sunlight do Hoyas Need?

Hoyas don’t need a ton of direct sun, but the plant will not flower if it doesn’t get enough natural light. Most people will place these plants in a window facing east or southwest to capture either the early morning or late afternoon sun.

If you do not have a lot of light in your house, you can supplement your Hoya’s lighting with a grow light.

Don’t Let Your Hoya Get Cold

Hoyas won’t survive cold temperatures below 60 degrees F, and so it’s important that you take this into consideration during the winter months.

Do not keep your Hoya in a basement or too close to a window in the winter months, as this can be a lot colder than a Hoya would like!

hoya flowers

Pruning Hoyas

Hoyas can sometimes take over and so pruning is occasionally necessary. It’s important to never prune more than 1/3 of the plant at a time, as too much pruning can cause stress to the plant.

Be sure that you prune at the node and not at the stems. Also, be sure that you do not prune the spurs.

Repotting Hoyas

Hoya plants don’t need to be repotted too often, only if it seems like they are crowded in the pot or if you suspect dirt problems. Usually once every 2-3 years is sufficient.

Hoyas are slow-growing plants, so you can usually keep them in the same pot for years without any problem.

hoya flower clusters

How Often Do Hoyas Bloom? Why Isn’t My Hoya Flowering?

The Hoya plant requires enough sunlight in order to bloom, and many people are often disappointed to learn that it may take years before your Hoya actually blooms. It definitely takes some patience!

To help encourage your plant to bloom, be sure that it is getting enough sunlight. If your home is not bright enough, consider adding in grow lights.

Common Hoya Problems

Because the Hoya is a bit of a finicky plant, there are a lot of problems one might encounter if the plant is not getting enough sunlight or too much water. Here are some common issues that can happen with Hoyas:

Black Spots

Black spots on your Hoya are known as edema and are a result of erratic watering. If you frequently water your Hoya too much or too little, black spots often appear on the undersides of the leaves.

Losing Leaves

If your Hoya loses its leaves, this usually means it is not getting enough water. You may be waiting too long in between waterings.

Root Rot

Root rot happens when the plant is either watered too much or too little, but more often from overwatering.

Common Pests

Some common houseplant pests that can affect the Hoya and its ability to grow include aphids, mealy bugs, and spider mites. These insects are easy to spot, either on the leaves or around flowers.

It’s important if you spot these pests on your Hoya plant that you eradicate them immediately. You can usually use an organic pesticide to get rid of them.


Hoyas are a great plant for your home and their beautiful vines and flowers make a great addition to any room. Just be sure that you’re aware of the needs and requirements of this plant in order to enjoy it for many years!

If you have any additional questions about Hoya plants, ask in the comments section below! And if you grow Hoyas and have any plant care tips to share, we’d love to hear those as well!

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