Hoya Heart Care Guide

This plant can tolerate medium light conditions but will bloom in brighter indirect light. If they aren't growing, move them to a brighter light condition.

Treat this one as your other succulents. They are hardy and undemanding plant but still needs watering when the soil dries on top. Water and let drain well approximately every 7-10 days depending on the climate, pot size location, and your home's indoor temperatures. Water less frequently in the winter during dormancy.

Average humidity levels in the home that reach 40% are sufficient for this plant, although it is not mandatory. A pebble tray underneath the pot is sufficient to humidity levels high enough.

Growth is optimum for the Hoya when the temps are warmer. Keep away from cool drafts.

Protect them from temperatures below 50°F.

This plant is pretty self-sufficient in fertilization. Use succulent fertilizer twice during the growing season.

When receiving the Hoya kerrii (Sweetheart Plant), do not repot immediately but wait at least 6-12 months. Repot every three to four years or when the roots are beginning to get crowded and growing through the drainage holes. With young plants with only one leaf, they may never grow past their current size to maintain their statuesque form. Otherwise, a vining hoya will bloom when their roots are snug within the pot so there is no hurry.

Repot in the spring, using a 2 inches bigger pot with drainage holes to keep the roots drier. Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow them to drain. Use cacti and succulent potting mix or an aerated soil mixture to prevent any root rot in this indoor plant.

Add the cactus and succulent soil mix to the bottom to elevate the root ball. Lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen. Inspect the root ball. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim off with sterile pruners. If the plant is rootbound, cut through the roots to alleviate continued encircling. Ensure the plant is sitting about 1 inch below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Fill up to the soil line but not over. Water thoroughly, and let the pot drain. If settling occurs, add more soil.

For single leaf Hoyas, a simple wipe with a clean cloth will do. If you have a vining Hoya, after flowering, do not remove the stalks from which the blooms will emerge next season. To control size or length of vine, prune during the spring and use the cuttings to propagate. To clean, shower them with filtered water or non-fluoridated water.

If you have a vining plant versus a single leaf, you can propagate and divide Hoya kerrii plants in the early spring when emerging from dormancy. Pull from the container and brush or wash away the soil carefully around the roots. Carefully divide and repot in a cactus and succulent mixture. Use a container that has good drainage. Layering is also an option. Since the stems have tiny roots protruding out, pin a branch to a pot with moistened soil and keep them moist until they takes root. At that time, you can clip the stem away from the mother plant. Set them in medium to bright, indirect sunlight while they are rooting. Check the moisture weekly and water as before, letting the soil dry a bit between waterings. After 6-8 weeks, roots will begin to establish. You can tug onto the stem to ensure the roots are anchoring well. These plants are slow starters, but once they establish their roots, they will produce vines quickly, and new leaves will form.