Wax Plant
Varieties
Hoya Australis / Hoya de kerrii (Heartleaf Vine) / Hoya Carnosa, Carnosa ‘Krimson Queen’ & Carnosa compacta ‘Hindu rope’ / Kentiana / Macrophylla / Publicalyx
Origin
Native to Eastern Asia (India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia), the Philippines, Polynesia, New Guinea, and Australia
General Care
Light
Medium to bright filtered. Avoid low light. Some early morning direct sun (3-4 hrs per day) required to produce flowers and for variegated plants.
Temperature
18-24°C. Keep above 10°C. Protect from hot or cold drafts.
Humidity
Average.
Water
Weekly. Water moderately (spring-fall) and allow thoroughly moist potting mix to dry almost fully or until leaves pucker. Water sparingly (winter) and allow barely moist mix to dry almost fully. Always check moisture level before watering. Aerate mix to improve its condition.
Fertilizer
Every 2 weeks (spring-fall). Use organic high-potash houseplant fertilizer, according to packaging instructions.
Maintenance
Every 1-2 weeks, rotate plant to ensure even growth. Dust leaves with soft, dry paintbrush/shaving brush and inspect for pests when doing so. Remove spent leaves. Trim unsightly or unruly vines at their base with sterile shears.
Potting and Repotting
Soil-based potting mix. Transplant once pot-bound. Every 2-3 years (spring), before blooming, move plant into a planter 1-2” larger (diameter and depth); or, repot in the same planter, using new potting mix, after cleaning planter and partially trimming back roots and foliage. Top dress annually, once maximum convenient planter size reached
Special Points/Common Problems:
- Leaf drop and yellowing or blackening leaves may suggest overwatering.
- Mature plants may produce clusters of fragrant, star-shaped flowers (spring-summer or winter). Remove only spent flowers rather than stalks, which produce flowers year after year. Avoid moving plant at onset of flowering, as this may induce bud drop.
- Propagate from stem cuttings.