By Marina Welham (February 2001)
Nota bene. The Hoya species, plant and photo by Bob Stone, USA (Family Asclepiadaceae) that accompanied this article in 2001, is not available. Instead, we are adding a Hoya kerrii, plant & photo by Jeanene Tankersley, USA, from 2003.
In response to numerous questions about this plant, I hope the following how-to-grow information is helpful.
Light
Three to four hours a day of direct sunlight are essential for healthy growth and flowering.
Temperature
Normal room temperatures year-round.
Watering
During active growth period, water moderately allowing mix to dry out somewhat before watering again. In winter, the plant has a rest. During that time, water only enough to keep the mix from totally drying out.
Feeding
Give hoyas a high potash liquid fertilizer once every two weeks during the growth period.
Potting and Repotting
Use a soil0based potting mix. Move plants into pots one size bigger each spring until medium convenient pot size is reached, then remove some soil and top-dress with fresh mix.
Propagation
Propagate in spring. Take stem cuttings 3 or 4 inches long. Take cuttings below a pair of leaves. Dip in rooting hormone (optional) and plant two or three in a 2 to 3 inch pot containing equal parts of moist peat moss and coarse sand or perlite. Enclose the pot in a plastic bag and keep in medium light until rooting occurs. This will take from 6 to 8 weeks. After that, uncover and begin to water sparingly. After new growth appears, start regular feedings. Now you can plant them into a regular soil-based mixture and treat as mature plants.
Special Point
When removing spent blooms, be careful to pick off only the flowers and flower stalks. Hoya spurs produce flowers year after year. Destruction of spurs means reduction of future quantities of flowers.
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