(Image credits IG:littlegreenfingersnz)
Hoya curtisii is a compact, trailing plant that originates in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand according to the University of British Columbia.
The scientific name for it is Hoya curtisii but it is also referred to as a Wax Flower or Porcelain Flower.
Hoya curtisii plants are part of the Apocynaceae family.
They have a small spade-shaped leaf that is green with silver accents and with some care bloom once or twice a season.
The flowers tend to come out in clusters and are fragrant and can range in color from green/yellow to a light red.
It is a pretty and little plant and can be put in a hanging basket or a regular pot.
It also looks really nice in an outdoor garden and terrarium as a ground cover in areas that are warm and humid.
Hoya curtisii Care
To care for a Hoya curtisii needs a well-draining potting mix using cactus or succulent soil mixed with perlite. Water once the top 2” is fully dry from the top and provide a temperature between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit (18°-24°C ). A humidity above 50% is best and fertilizing once a month during spring and summer using a balanced liquid fertilizer.
Table of Contents
Hoya curtisii Care Guide
Soil
Hoya curtisii grows 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 curtisii care, I use two parts soil and 1-part perlite and have great results.
Light
Hoya curtisii does well with bright indirect light but not direct sunlight as is the case with a lot of plants.
These plants do however benefit from a couple of hours of direct sunlight as well unlike a lot of other plants.
My Hoya curtisii care includes moving the plant to direct sunlight for two to three hours most days and it really thrives.
Watering
Water Hoya curtisii from the top once the top 2” of soil is fully dry.
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 curtisii lets me know it is displeased.
The most effective Hoya curtisii care is to soak the soil completely once it has dried out but allow the excess water to come out of the draining holes in the bottom of the pot.
Temperature
Hoya curtisii plants do best in temperatures of 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit (18°-24°C ) during the day and around 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16°C ) at night.
Aim to keep them warm and never let their temperature drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10°C ).
They are tropical and prefer a tropical environment.
Humidity
Try to keep the humidity above >50% for a Hoya curtisii.
Since Hoya curtisii plants are from the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia they thrive in humid conditions.
I mist my plant’s leaves regularly but not excessively. Part of the Hoya curtisii care I would recommend it having a humidifier if you live in a very dry climate.
They will do okay without it most likely, but I find that a humid environment is best for these plants.
Fertilizer
Fertilize Hoya curtisii once a month in spring and summer using a liquid fertilizer.
I have found that one of the most important things in Hoya curtisii care, is fertilizing.
I use a complete fertilizer for indoor plants that have macro and micro nutrients.
I fertilize once a month through the growing season and maybe once or twice in total during the dormant time.
I mix ¼ of a teaspoon per gallon of water to feed these plants and have excellent results.
Another option is to mix compost in with the soil when it is being planted and then do a top dressing of organic compost in the spring right as the plant goes into it’s growing season.
Propagation
The easiest way to propagate a Hoya curtisii 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.
Growth
If you give your Hoya curtisii care, it will grow to an average size of two to three inches tall and twelve inches wide at its mature stage.
They are a fairly small and compact plant which makes them an excellent choice for city dwellers in small spaces.
Potting and repotting
I always give my Hoya curtisii 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 small trailing plants.
A Hoya curtisii likes 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 curtisii care and growth, 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.
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Common Pests
This plant is a small ground cover plant and as such, it can have problems with small insects that like a close, damp, dark environment such as aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, and fungus gnats.
Most of these bugs are kept at bay by proper watering and making sure the leaves don’t get wet later on in the day.
As part of my Hoya curtisii care, I spray the leaves with insecticidal soap once early in the growing season and once midway through the summer.
I use neem oil on the leaves if I don’t have any insecticidal soap handy. It seems to work quite well.
Hoya curtisii Propagation
Propagation – Let’s dive a bit deeper into the process.
- As with a lot of plants, it is best to wait until the growing season (spring or summer) to propagate.
- 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 have to cut below the node where the air roots are forming. On Hoyas it is easy to spot and they have a lot of air roots to choose from.
- 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.
- Place the cut ends in either a small jar of water or a watery mix of soil and water. Another option is to propagate with wet moss. Soak the moss and put some in the jar, creating a watery moss mix. Gently place the cuttings in the moss, being careful not to damage them as you do.
- Once the cuttings have strong roots, transplant them into small pots with soil and perlite. I find that two months after I place the cuttings in water is usually a good time.
The other option for propagation is to do it in the form of layering.
Layering propagation means that the new growth is still attached to the parent plant until it grows new roots.
To do this, you need to pin down the stem at the node into the soil beside the mother plant.
Once the roots have grown (two to three months) sever the new plant with a sharp knife and gently remove it from the pot.
Plant it directly into a new pot with 2 parts soil and one part perlite.
The average cutting will produce a blooming, full-size plant in two years or less in my experience.
Tips & Tricks for Hoya care
When you are giving your Hoya curtisii 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 curtisii, 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.
Hoya curtisii’s are commonly known as difficult to flower but I find that with the proper Hoya curtisii care mine will produce lovely flowers annually.
It seems to react best when I mist water on the leaves daily in the morning and keep it in direct sunlight for several hours a day.
Once the plant finishes blooming, leave the stalk as it sometimes will produce more flowers from the same stalk.
Removing the stalk causes the plant to use its resources to grow a new one and that may delay any additional blooming.
If a Hoya curtisii is planted in a pot that is too big for its root system, it will not flower.
The best results for a flowering plant are to make sure it is slightly root-bound.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hoya curtisii Care
Where can I buy a Hoya Curtisii 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 Curtisii 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 Curtisii, the vines can get long and scraggly and although pruning it 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.
Are Hoya Curtisii 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 (except for the cat grass) away from my animals.
Do I need a humidifier for my Hoya Curtisii care?
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.
Conclusion
Hoya curtisii are 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 curtisii 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.
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.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.