Plant Care Guides / Indoor
The hoya is loved for its clusters of small, star-shaped flowers that look almost as though they were carved from wax or porcelain, which is where its common names, wax plant and porcelain flower, come from. It is a trailing, easy-going plant, first described by the botanist Robert Brown in the late eighteenth century. In the wild, hoyas are epiphytes that grow up trees rather than in the ground.
Hoyas are slow to mature and usually only start flowering once the plant is around three years old, so a little patience is rewarded. When it does flower, leave the short flower spurs in place after the blooms fade, because new flowers form on those same spurs year after year.
Hoyas love bright light and flower best near a sunny window. Plenty of light is also what encourages those waxy blooms in the first place.
Hoyas do not like to be overwatered. Let the soil dry out before watering again. The thick, fleshy leaves store water, so the plant will forgive you if you forget a watering or two. If the leaves start to look slightly puckered or soft, that is your cue to give it a drink.
It is not a heavy feeder. A feed twice through summer with a balanced fertiliser is plenty.
Only repot when you really need to. Because hoyas are epiphytes, they like to be a little root-bound and hate sitting in wet soil, so they are happy in the same pot for a year or two. When you do refresh them, use a light, airy, well-draining mix; a good indoor potting soil opened up with orchid bark or a succulent mix is ideal.
Ask about availability. We keep a changing range of indoor plants. WhatsApp us to see what is in store, or pop in and we will help you choose.
