There are so many different reasons to love hoyas, plant friends. They are gorgeous, drought-tolerant, and relatively easy to care for once you nail down a few key tips! Hoyas had a moment on social media in 2021 and 2022 due to their incredible diversity—Hoyas can look so different from each other, and if you’re a curious plant collector (see which one are you with my plant personality test), this is the perfect genus for you!

In this ongoing mini-series, I’ll take you through how to care for hoyas indoors and I will also introduce you to my favorite Proven Winners varieties!

 

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:27] Why is Hoya the perfect plant?
• [03:12] How Hoya became part of my wedding!
• [03:49] Where can you find Hoyas?
• [04:43] Hoya care: lighting
• [06:01] Hoya care: watering
• [07:14] Hoya care: soil
• [08:05] Hoya care: humidity
• [08:31] Hoya care: potting
• [09:38] How do you get your Hoya to bloom?
• [12:18] How to trellis/cascade your Hoya?
• [14:03] What are my favorite Proven Winners leafjoy™ Hoyas?

 

 

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Hoya's Popularity

There was one viral moment that featured Hoya blooms in time-lapse videos on Instagram, and you see little star flowers bursting open (often synchronized with music). These blooms have such a lovely scent—one of the things why people love Hoyas.

For me, Hoyas hold a special place in my heart, especially the Hoya kerrii—also known as the sweetheart plant, which has heart-shaped leaves perfect for Valentine's Day. It's a very popular plant and I incorporated it into my wedding. It was part of the tablescape, and everyone it brought home with a special note: “Take a piece of our hearts home with you” because it was heart-shaped!

 

Hoya in the Wild

Before we dive into care tips, let's zoom out and think about where Hoya comes from. Hoyas are mostly epiphytic plants, which means they climb all over trees and other plants in the jungle. They're primarily found in Southeast Asia, with some species hailing from Australia, Papua New Guinea, and parts of China and India.

In their natural habitat, Hoyas send out their stems or vines first, and then the leaves grow afterward. This growth pattern helps them climb and explore their surroundings and search for the perfect spot to settle in.

 

Caring for Hoya Indoors

Lighting

Hoya likes more light than you'd expect. In fact, most Hoya troubleshooting comes down to one thing: more light!

They love bright, filtered light for the best growth. But it can lead to sunburn if you expose them to too much light, so always be careful. Some people also try to expose their Hoyas to too much sun because they want to bring out pink hues, but it’s not always the healthiest choice for your hoyas.

 

Watering

I've neglected my Hoyas so badly, and they've survived! Their leaves are succulent-like and super drought-tolerant. In fact, I have left my Hoya without water for 3-4 weeks before (I don’t recommend doing it, but they've handled it like champs).

Just water the plant when the top inch of soil is dry, and then give it a good drench. Let the water flow through the drainage holes and wait for the top inch to dry out before watering again. Hoya really doesn't like wet feet, so err on the drier side rather than overwatering.

 

Soil and Potting

I like planting my Hoya in a chunky, aerated mix like Espoma Organic potting mix with a little orchid bark mixed in for extra airiness. You should use terracotta pots for Hoya because they help wick away excess moisture!

And when it comes to pot size, Hoyas prefer to be a bit root-bound. So don't rush to repot them.

 

Humidity

Hoyas are pretty chill when it comes to humidity. They can handle high levels (60-80%), but they are also cool with lower humidity.

 

Trellising and Cascading

Because Hoyas are natural climbers, they make great trellis plants! You can use wire, copper, moss, or coir trellises—whatever suits your style. Also, don’t forget that some Hoyas may be better suited as cascading plants, so feel free to experiment.

 

Getting Hoyas to Bloom

The million-dollar question: how to get your Hoya to bloom? I'll be honest—you should change your mindset. I've had Hoyas for years under grow lights, and blooms can still be difficult to achieve. So change your end goal and grow Hoyas for their leaves, shapes, and patterns, and then let the blooms be your bonus when they happen.

That said, if you're determined to see those flowers, here are a few tips:

1. Give them plenty of light (sensing a theme here?)
2. Research your specific Hoya variety—some are sensitive to day length and might need special light cycles to trigger blooming
3. Don't cut off those weird little spikes (peduncles)—that's where the flowers will grow!

 

My Favorite Hoya Varieties

I've been lucky enough to try out some amazing Hoyas from Proven Winners leafjoy™ (seriously, their plants are top-notch). Here are a few standouts:

• • Hoya carnosa ‘Green Light': A tricolor hoya with cream-colored variegation and deep green margins. The new growth is pink!
  • Hoya ‘Endless Cascade Shining Sea Star': For my fellow pink plant lovers, this one’s a vibrant pink Hoya with cream and dark green variegation.
  • Hoya sp. ‘Rangsan' (Endless Cascades Fresh Rain): It's dark green with this light cream splash, and it flowers on the quicker side.
  • Hoya Quinquenervia: It's more of a classic green Hoya and some of the leaves have a reddish purple hue. It’s also known for their fragrant blooms!
  • Hoya callistophylla ‘Black Cat' (Endless Cascade Shadow Falls): The weirdest Hoya in my collection—it has a unique dark green vein pattern on lighter green leaves, and it resembles an alligator skin.
  • Hoya latifolia: It’s larger, almost heart-shaped leaves with interesting veins and texture
  • Hoya curtisii: It almost looks like a string of turtles and is a much smaller, more succulent type cascading plant.
  • Hoya ‘Chouke': It's a cross between Hoya Carnosa and Hoya Serpens, with delicate variegation and light green leaves.
  • Hoya gracilis (a.k.a. Hoya Memoria): Probably one of my favorite plants in my collection. It has long, slender leaves (lancelet) with incredible variegation. It also smells like caramel!

 

I hope this little Hoya crash course has you excited to try out these amazing plants! They're hearty, gorgeous, and so diverse—and there's truly a Hoya for everyone. If you give them a shot, let me know how it goes!

 

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix
• Espoma Organic Orchid Mix
• Growing Joy Ep 226: How to Repot Houseplants
• YouTube Video: How to Repot houseplants // A Step By Step Repotting Tutorial // Repotting vs Potting UP houseplants
• Grow lights
• Endless Cascades™ Green Light™ – Hoya carnosa
• Endless Cascades™ Shining Sea Star™ – Hoya carnosa
• Endless Cascades™ Fresh Rain™ – Hoya rangsan
• Endless Cascades ™ – Quinquenervia
• Endless Cascades™ Shadow Falls™ – Hoya callistophylla
• Endless Cascades™ Sarawak Cream – Hoya latifolia

 

 

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Proven Winners

To care for hoyas successfully, you’ve got to have two things: the knowledge to care for them successfully and healthy plants. Meet my new favorite houseplant grower: Proven Winner’s leafjoy™. With only the best plant genetics grown in a state-of-the-art, European greenhouse, you will not be disappointed in the variety and quality of your favorite plants from Proven Winner’s leafjoy™. This company has taken the guesswork out of plant shopping with plant tags that include scientific names and care guides, as well as color-coded collections for the different areas of your home that you want plants in!

Find plant joy in leafjoy™. Head to provenwinners.com to find your local leafjoy™ dealer and let me know which plant you take home on socials!

 

 

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