Hoya Coronaria Care

Sharing is caring!

(image credits, IG: hoyabug)

If you are fond of unique Hoyas, the Hoya Coronaria is for you. This beautiful evergreen climber has star-shaped flowers arising from thick, lush green stems.

It is not only famous as a lovely houseplant but is also used as medicine.

The Hoya Coronaria prefers moist, well-drained soil that has moisture-retaining properties. It likes growing in partial sunlight and moderate humidity, up to 100%. It has a tropical nature; therefore, it likes approximately 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius). Keep temperatures in the range of 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 degrees Celsius). Humidity should be high. 60% to 80% is ideal for daytime humidity.

Hoyas are a vast group of plant species that are popular for various reasons. This genus has hundreds of species, each different in terms of size, shape, and color.

The Hoya Coronaria specifically originates from mangrove swamps and lowland forests of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Southeastern countries.

The Hoya Coronaria plant further has two types- Hoya Coronaria Red and Hoya Coronaria Pink.

It naturally grows in the wild, but its beauty persuaded the plant-lovers to bring it to their houses and grow it as a houseplant.

 

 

Hoya Coronaria Plant Care

Soil

The Hoya Coronaria plant has moisture-retaining characteristics. Therefore, watering its soil repeatedly is not required.

However, like most Hoyas, the Coronaria plant also likes well-draining and well-aerated soils. Both the soil properties help the plant grow better and minimize the probability of infections.

Specifically, the Hoya Coronaria plant likes humus-rich fertile soils. Another option for the Hoya plants, in general, is sphagnum or peat moss-based soil. It is reasonably light and drains well, and so fits the Hoya Coronaria plant’s needs perfectly.

The alternate options are peat-vermiculite and peat-perlite. Whatever soil you use, please make sure it does not allow any water to accumulate. If you wish to show some extra love to your Hoya Coronaria plant, add a few pieces of fine bark pines.

The ideal pH range for the Hoya Coronaria plant is 6 to 7 (slightly acidic to neutral). The acidic soil helps the minerals and nutrients in the soil dissolve better and, resultantly, lead to efficient absorption.

Moreover, I suggest you wash out the soil at the end of the growing season, so no salts build up.

I recommend you allow the soil to dry out before watering it again because wet soils promote bacterial growth and may even cause root-rot.

 

Water

The Hoya Coronaria plant’s leaves lock in plenty of moisture when watered. Therefore, watering it over and over again is not necessary.

What I do is that I add water to my precious Coronaria plant when its soil’s top layer is somewhat dry.

If you are having a problem assessing the soil’s moisture content, you can use a moisture meter. Another way is to make use of your fingers to feel the soil.

One of the two methods mentioned will most likely help you determine when to water your Coronaria plant.

On the contrary, if the plant’s soil seems moist to wet, avoid watering it till it dries out a bit. Usually, watering for the Hoya Coronaria becomes necessary after about every 5 to 6 days. The watering schedule also depends on the seasons.

During the warm seasons of summer and spring, which is also the growing seasons, the plant requires water weekly.

However, in the colder winter and fall seasons, the place mostly enters the dormant phase. Therefore, lower your watering frequency for the Coronaria plant to about once every 12 to 13 days.

 

Light

The Hoya Coronaria plant grows best in bright, dappled sunlight. It thrives in areas where filtered natural light hits it throughout the day. However, sunlight that is too harsh or direct will adversely affect the plant’s growth and structure.

You can keep your Coronaria plant close to a southwest or an east-facing window sill. An alternate option is to place it in front of a preferably dark sliding glass-door. Such a setting will allow sufficient sunlight to come into contact with the Coronaria plant.

If you do not have such a spot in your house, you can use artificial growing lights.

Another way is to place it next to a window with blinds, which only allows filtered light to come through.

Filtered and bright sunlight will help the Coronaria plant grow taller and produce more leaves.

I suggest you keep a close eye on the plant for any signs of stress, such as leaf scorching and leggy stems.

This often occurs when the plant tries to move towards more sunlight. If you notice any such changes, move your plant to another location that receives more sun.

 

Temperature

The Hoya Coronaria plant can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. Naturally, this plant grows in mangrove swamps and lowland forests, where the temperatures are considerably warm.

Thus, it prefers temperatures ranging from 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 degrees Celsius) during the day.

During the night, the Hoya Coronaria likes cooler temperatures, ranging from 54 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit (12 to 18 degrees Celsius).

The maximum temperature most Hoya plants can withstand is 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius), and the lowest goes to 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius).

Fortunately, most households already fall within this temperature range. Therefore, you do not need to make any extra efforts to maintain the Coronaria plant’s preferred temperatures.

However, if you live in an area where the temperatures are extreme, it is best to take extra care of your Hoya Coronaria plant. Please use fans or heaters, whatever is appropriate.

Remember to keep your Coronaria plant away from direct drafts of air from air-conditioners and heaters. They may cause extreme temperature fluctuations leading to immense damage.

 

Humidity

Most of the Hoya plants love high humidity levels. This includes the Coronaria plant variant.

The Hoya Coronaria plant has succulent leaves, and thus, can store ample water. This property allows the plant to tolerate low humidity levels for a fairly long period.

The ideal humidity level for a Hoya Coronaria plant is 60% to 80% during the day and 80% to 100% during the night.

This range may be a little too high to establish for a typical household. However, there are several ways by which you can sustain these moisture levels.

One way is to mist the Coronaria plant’s surroundings or the leaves directly. You can also set the Coronaria plant on a tray with pebbles and water. Or simply group all your houseplants in one room; this will aid in even humidity distribution.

Just keep a vigilant eye on the Coronaria plant’s leaves. The thicker and more succulent they appear, the lesser the moisture they need.

If they seem a little out of shape, it is time to sprinkle some water.

 

Fertilizer

This compact sub-tropical beauty has moderate feeding needs. For this particular Hoya species, over-fertilizing causes more significant damage than under-fertilizing.

You can decide upon an appropriate fertilizing routine and follow it regularly for a happy Coronaria plant.

I would advise you to use a good-quality balanced fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium in a 1:1:1 ratio.

You can add a dash of fertilizer to the Coronaria plant’s soil every other week during the growing seasons of summer and spring. It is best to apply the fertilizer to moist soil, which leads to better nutrient absorption.

Alternatively, at the beginning of the growing season of summer till early spring, you can feed your plant with a diluted liquid fertilizer or a slow-release fertilizer.

You can skip fertilizing the Coronaria plant during the winter and late fall seasons, as it does not grow much during this time.

Please be careful not to over-fertilize the Hoya Coronaria plant as it may lead to toxicity or deficiency of nutrients. Excess nutrients can also sometimes cause leaf-spotting in Hoya plants.

 

Repotting

Surprisingly, the Hoya Coronaria plant grows better when it is slightly root-bound. Therefore, for repotting it, choose a pot that just fits its root-ball.

After you have repotted it, sit back and relax for at least a year and allow the Coronaria plant to grow. However, please do not completely forget to repot it when needed.

I suggest repotting your Coronaria plant during the springtime every 1 to 2 years. Please do not be anxious about looking for a huge pot, as even if it is on the smaller side, you will not be causing your plant much harm.

If the plant’s roots seem to be doing fine, you can even continue to grow the Coronaria plant in its existing pot. However, before doing so, arrange the plant’s roots if needed and make sure they are not too compact.

For preparing the repotting soil mix, add half of the new potting mix into the container, put your Coronaria plant in it, and spread the roots carefully into it.

Next, add the other half of the old soil mix and firm it gently with the help of your hands. Lastly, add some water and leave the Coronaria plant to enjoy its new pot and fresh soil.

 

Pruning

The Hoya Coronaria plant may look delicate, but it is a durable plant that can tolerate pruning reasonably well.

You can prune your Hoya Coronaria plant for size control, the removal of dead and yellow leaves, or merely for it to look more aesthetically pleasing.

If you are short on space for your Coronaria plant or some of its vines, have outgrown their given space, cut off a vine or two with some pruning scissors/shears.

I suggest cutting old vines from the bottom, as the new vines mostly form at the top.

Occasionally, the Coronaria plant may also fall prey to disease and damage, resulting in abnormal or yellow leaves.

Please remove the damaged foliage or vines carefully to prevent damage to the healthy parts and limit the spread of infection.

Another reason to prune the Coronaria plant is when some of its leaves are yellow or brown due to nutrient deficiency.

If you notice any such foliage, I recommend you get rid of it. This will keep this star-shaped beauty looking colorful and attractive.

However, always make sure your pruning tools, such as shears, are disinfected and clean. Infected tools increase the susceptibility of the Hoya plants to diseases and encourage the spread of infection.

 

Propagation

The propagation of a Hoya Coronaria plant is not too complicated. I suggest propagating it during the active growth months of summer and spring.

It requires some gardening tools, such as a plant-blade, a pre-prepared soil mix, root-hormone powder, and lukewarm water.

To keep everything germ-free, make sure your planting equipment is clean and sterilized. I also recommend wearing protective clothing.

 

Stem Cuttings Method

Follow the steps below:

• Please start by preparing a container with a coarse, well-draining soil mix. You can also use perlite and vermiculite.
• Next, add some lukewarm water to this potting mix until moist but not fully water-saturated. Now set the potting mix with your fingers.
• Please cut a healthy stem off the Coronaria plant that has at least two or three leaves. The cutting should be 4 to 5 inches long (10 to13 centimeters).
• Next, remove the leaves on the lower stem.
• Dip the cut stem into some powdered rooting hormone. This will promote root and stem growth.
• Plant this stem cutting into the soil mix and fix the soil around the cutting with your hands. Add some water if required.
• Please ensure that no leaves touch the potting soil.
• Place this container in bright indirect sunlight and water every other day. Please do not water unnecessarily as the soil may become soggy and rot the Coronaria plant’s stem.

The roots of the baby Hoya Coronaria plant should form in about three to six weeks.

 

Blooms

The Hoya Coronaria plant has not only beautiful foliage but also lovely blooms. The flowers begin appearing in the summers and often stay throughout spring. The Coronaria plant is widely famous for its unique star-shaped flowers.

The Hoya Coronaria plant’s flowers have a waxy appearance. The new flowers frequently grow from old flower spurs; each flower initially is a green-colored bud.

The flowers start with a lime-green shade and then turn an attractive shade of white. Each flower is considerably large and forms a perfect star.

Most of the Hoya Coronaria plant’s flowers spread to about 1 to 1.4 inches (2 to 3.5 centimeters).

 

Growth

The Hoya Coronaria plant grows actively from summer till late spring or early fall. Each Coronaria plant reaches a height of about 5 feet on average. Most Hoya plants prefer a USDA Hardiness Zone of 12.

This sub-tropical beauty also has thick, light-green leaves, which grow to about 5.5 x 3 inches (14 x 7.5 centimeter).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sieh dir diesen Beitrag auf Instagram an

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ein Beitrag geteilt von Melissa (@hoyabug)

 

Common Problems for Hoya Coronaria

 

Pests and Bugs

The Hoya Coronaria plant is quite a resistant plant. However, mealybugs may attack its leaves, often residing on their undersides.

If your Coronaria plant is infected, begin treatment with direct water sprays to bring the bugs down the plant. Follow that with using insecticidal spray or soap; use this thoroughly on the Coronaria plant’s leaves.

Another common attacker is Aphids. They can be present on the Hoya Coronaria plant’s flowers, particularly the ones producing nectar abundantly. For killing the aphids, just as for the mealybugs, use insecticidal spray or soap.

You can also use horticultural oil or neem oil to get rid of the mealybugs and aphids.

 

Stunted Growth

A frequent problem several Hoya Coronaria houseplant owners face is the slow or stunted growth of the Coronaria plant. There can be a wide variety of reasons for this problem; however, it frequently occurs due to overwatering or under-watering.

Please adjust the watering schedule of the plant and water it only when necessary.

 

Yellow Leaves

Your Coronaria plant’s leaves may begin to yellow due to various reasons. The primary reasons include nutrient deficiency and excessive/inadequate watering.

Please ensure that you apply only the needed amount of fertilizer to moist soil. Similarly, add water only when required.

 

Tips for Growing Hoya Coronaria

• Place the plant in bright partial sunlight.
• Allow the soil to dry out before watering it.
• Do not leave the plant in standing water.
• Ensure its potting soil is well-aerated and well-draining.
• Let it stay slightly root-bound.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Hoya Coronaria

 

What is the best fertilizer for Hoya Coronaria?

Please use a good-quality, balanced fertilizer with a 2:1:2 ratio, containing phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium. You can also opt for a high phosphorous content fertilizer for promoting blooms.

 

How can I make my Hoya Coronaria plant grow faster?

For relatively faster and healthier growth, let the Coronaria plant remain slightly root-bound and fertilize the plant biweekly during the growing months. Moreover, keep the plant in a favorable environment and water the plant regularly.

 

How long does this plant take to start blooming?

Most of the Hoya species, including the Coronaria, bloom when fully mature. This may take a few weeks or months.


 

Conclusion

The Hoya Coronaria plant is an exotic species with ideal houseplant characteristics. It is disease-resistant and attractive.

It prefers bright, dappled sunlight with moderate temperatures (75 degrees Fahrenheit). The plant is human-friendly with its moderate humidity requirements and non-toxic nature.

Its star-shaped flowers are sure to lighten up your day in the darkest of times. As mentioned, it is not poisonous. However, please keep it away from pets and children, and admire it from afar to prevent any allergies.