Hoya Arnottiana Care – A Complete Guide

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Hoya Arnottiana plants come from the Himalayan regions of India and Nepal as well as China. They are a member of the Asclepiadaceae family.

When they bloom in hotter climates, the flowers are pale and white and if they bloom in a cooler region, the flowers are a pale yellow. They bloom in clusters and each flower has an orange calyx.

Hoya Arnottiana care requires well-draining soil. I personally use a mix of succulent soil and perlite. In terms of lighting, bright indirect light is best.

Optimal temperatures are. between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-24 degrees Celcius). Hoya Arnottiana is quite drought-tolerant. Water when the top 1-2 inches of soil are completely dry.

Use a liquid or fish fertilizer with higher phosphorus content twice a month in Spring and Summer.

Its leaves are large, dark green, and waxy with a prominent vein. They can be happy climbing a pole or trellis or in a hanging pot and are relatively easy to care for.

There are over two hundred species (between 200 and 300) in the Hoya family. Hoyas are reputed for being excellent air purifiers and as a result, are a great addition to any home nursery.

 

 

Hoya Arnottiana Care Guide

 

Soil

Hoya Arnottiana care is simple, just like most of the Hoya family. They grow well in any high quality, fast-draining soil.

They are epiphytes and because of that, they need a very sharply draining soil mix. I like to use a good cactus or succulent soil mixed with perlite. For my Hoya Arnottiana care, I usually use two parts soil and 1-part perlite and have great results.

One recipe I read about recently for Hoyas that seems to get excellent reviews is to mix 1/3 good potting mix, 1/3 perlite, 1/5 orchard bark, and 1/5 horticultural grit or sand.

Having both grit and perlite ensures that the soil doesn’t settle at the bottom of the top of the pot and get compact.

The bark prevents the perlite from floating to the top of the pot or from being washed out the bottom. I am going to try this mix when I replant my Hoya Arnottiana again.

 

Light

These plants do well with bright and indirect sunlight. These plants do however benefit from a couple of hours of direct sunlight if it is not the hot midday sun.

My Hoya Arnottiana care includes moving the plant to direct sunlight for two to three hours in the morning just after sunrise or the evening before sunset.

 

Watering

The best Hoya Arnottiana care is to water from the top. I allow at least the top two inches to fully dry out between watering.

They tend to be drought-tolerant and prefer to be a little dryer overall. They don’t like having wet feet and any time

I overwater, my Hoya Arnottiana lets me know it is displeased. The most effective Hoya Arnottiana care is to water moderately in the summer months and more sparingly when the weather gets cooler.

 

Temperature

Hoya Arnottiana plants do best in temperatures of 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-24 degrees Celcius) during the day and around 60 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

Aim to keep them warm and never let their temperature drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. They tend to suffer if the temperature goes over 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Humidity

Since Hoya Arnottiana plants come from a relatively humid environment, they can tolerate it better than some plants. Part of my Hoya Arnottiana care is to keep a humidifier in the room during the winter months since it tends to be dry where I live. I keep the humidity at 60-65%.

 

Fertilizer 

I have found that one of the most important things in Hoya Arnottiana care, is fertilizing. I use one with a higher phosphorus content when it is blooming season.

A complete liquid fertilizer or a fish emulsion is the best. I find that twice a month in the spring and summer months works well for my Hoya Arnottiana care.

 

Propagation

The easiest way to propagate a Hoya Arnottiana is to use a stem cutting. I find that the best time to do it is in the summer or even the early spring.

Put the cutting in a glass of water or a glass with some very moist soil in it. The roots will begin to grow quite easily and before long, the cutting can be planted in a pot.

These are vining epiphytic plants and they root extremely easily and quickly. Their succulent leaves allow them to handle the stress of not having a root system well.

 

Growth

If you give your Hoya Arnottiana care, it will grow to an average size of 8-12 cm long and 6-8 cm wide. They do very well in hanging baskets or with a climbing pole to grow up.

 

Potting and repotting

I always give my Hoya Arnottiana a fast draining and good quality pot. I like a ceramic pot or a hanging basket. I think the hanging basket works best for these trailing plants.

All Hoyas like being slightly root bound so one of the most important things is to not put it in a pot that is too much larger than its roots.

They can stay in the same pot for a long time although like most plants, eventually they will need to be repotted.

For proper Hoya Arnottiana care, only go up one pot size when you transplant. For example, if your plant has outgrown a four-inch pot the absolute maximum size it should be moved to is a six-inch pot. 

 

Common Pests

Hoya Arnottiana are mostly affected by spider mites, scale, and thrips. The succulent foliage mean that they are an ideal home for mealybugs as well.

I use neem oil on the leaves of my Hoya Arnottiana. I also sometimes use an insecticidal soap and water mixture on the leaves.

 

Propagation of Hoya Arnottiana in more detail

1. As with a lot of plants, it is best to wait until growing (spring or summer) season to propagate.
2. Inspect your plant. A good time to propagate your plant is when you are pruning it back or shaping it. To cut a stem for propagation, you only must cut below the node where the air roots are forming. I try to cut a stem that has immature leaves on it as that stem will drain plant resources if left attached.
3. With sharp scissors, make clean cuts on the stems that you plan to use for propagation. The node is where the leaf or aerial root grows out of the stem. Make sure your cuttings have a stem and leaves are healthy and vibrant in color.
4. Place the cut end in rooting hormone and plant it in damp perlite or moss. Perlite is a good option because it is quite sterile and allows air in, preventing rot. To use perlite, soak an inch of it in a Tupperware container. Drain the perlite after five to ten minutes so that it is just damp. Put your cutting in, burying the stem and leaving the leaves out. They can also be propagated in water, but the water must be changed regularly to prevent root rot.
5. Once the cuttings have strong roots about 2 inches long, transplant them into small pots with soil and perlite.

 

Tips & Tricks on Hoya Arnottiana Care

When you are giving your Hoya care, a good thing to remember is the humidity levels. I find that my plant flourishes when I have a humidifier in the room with it during the winter months or year-round if it is a new plant I have just propagated.

Another way to get more moisture into a new cutting is to drape a plastic bag over the cup or pot in the shape of a tent to hold the moisture in until the roots are growing.

Before you water a Hoya Arnottiana, dip your finger into the soil to test moistness. These plants are very susceptible to root rot if they are overwatered, so you want to make sure it is partially dry before you do.

I do not water until at least two inches of the topsoil is dry and when I do water, I add enough until it comes out of the drainage holes.

If your Hoya Arnottiana has thin or wrinkling leaves, it is a sign that the plant is stressed. Usually this is solved by checking the soil.

If it is compacted or too wet, it can cause this issue. If the plant seems very dry, and it has wrinkled leaves, it is underwatered. Yellowing leaves usually means it has been overwatered or isn’t draining properly.

Another common effect of water stress is that the Hoya Arnottiana will grow misshapen leaves. If this happens, adjust the water schedule, and make sure the pot and soil are draining properly.

A change of environment or being re-potted can send a Hoya into partial dormancy and new growth will stop, sometimes for weeks or even months. Give the plant time to adjust if it has just been brought home or in a new environment.

 

Frequently asked questions about Hoya Arnottiana

 

Where can I buy a Hoya Arnottiana plant?

You don’t have to make any special trips for this plant. They are available regularly at garden and home gardening stores. I have also seen them at grocery stores and even on Amazon!

 

Does my Hoya Arnottiana care need to include regular pruning?

The short answer is not really but removing unhealthy leaves from any plant is a good idea. With a Hoya Arnottiana, the vines can get long and scraggly and although pruning is not necessary for its health, regular pruning can manipulate the shape of your plant. Use the stems that you prune off to propagate the plant.

Always make sure when you are cutting the stems, that the knife or scissors are very sharp and are disinfected. Taking off scraggly legs can encourage the plant to grow faster because it is no longer wasting its energy and resources on maintaining the leggy bits.

 

Are Hoya Arnottiana plants toxic to animals or small children?

Generally, they are not toxic to animals or people however a cat or dog’s digestive system cannot break down the leaves if they do eat them so it will make them throw up. I keep all my plants away from my animals.

 

Do I need a humidifier for my Hoya Arnottiana?

If you live in a naturally moist or humid environment, you shouldn’t need one. If you live in a dryer climate, I suggest you put one in the room your plant is in.

I live in an environment where the winter is dry and the summer humid, so I run a humidifier during the winter months only.

Remember, most plants thrive in an environment that is like their native one. I don’t ever let the humidity drop to less than 50% in the room my Hoya is in.

 

Can I plant my Hoya Arnottiana outside?

Yes, but it is not a frost tolerant plant so if you live in an environment where the weather gets cold, it is not a good idea. If you do plant it outside, plant it in a location that is not direct sunlight but that is bright without the chance of the sun burning the leaves.

Conclusion

Hoya Arnottiana is an easy to grow plant that does not require a lot of special care. It is a smaller plant and works perfectly in a small urban space or in a small area of the garden as a ground covering.

It thrives in bright light but not direct light for more than a few hours a day. It looks great in a hanging basket, planter, or even a regular pot. They are easy to propagate and they tend to be forgiving of any care mistakes.

Hoya Arnottiana care can include pruning it regularly but usually, this is just to manipulate the shape of the plant so if you don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to it that is okay as well.

It prefers to be root bound and as a result, there is not much care needed when it comes to repotting. It prefers to get a bit dryer between watering, so it is the ideal plant for someone who is busy and doesn’t have a lot of time to dedicate to tending to plants. It also works well in an office, even if you are not there every day.

They are an inexpensive plant and with the speed that the stems grow when you propagate them, you will probably never need to buy more than one mother plant. Because of this, these are really the perfect plant for an urban living person that loves greenery but does not have the time to spend caring for plants.

All in all, this makes them one of the best houseplants ever in my opinion.