This uncommon Hoya will surprise you with its low maintenance and constant blooming. The Hoya mindorensis is native to the Philippines and it is a vining, flowering Hoya that with perfect care can bloom year-round.
The blooms have the typical hoya cluster look with the addition of little white hairs that make them look even juicier and fluffier. With such a wild flower look it makes sense that the leaves take a back seat with an even green color and no visible veining.
Since it is an epiphyte, it has similar needs to other vining hoyas and its care is relatively easy. Let’s take a closer look at what you should do to take care of a Hoya mindorensis and how to keep her blooming and thriving.
Table of Contents
Hoya Mindorensis Care Guide
Soil
Hoya’s are known for their hate of wet feet. Just like other epiphytes that are used to getting nutrients from the air, their roots are just not made to sit in a dark, humid place poor of oxygen.
Since they are used to vining and grabbing onto tree bark and other organic materials, it makes sense that the perfect growth medium indoors would be something extremely well-draining and chunky.
The usual soil mix we recommend for epiphytes is heavy on orchid bark and perlite, with the addition of some regular growers mix.
The end result should be a chunky, well-aerated soil medium that is still able to retain some moisture so that the hoya can intertwine its roots between the bark chunks and still get in contact with some nutrient-rich organic materials.
Light
One of the key elements to achieve year-round blooms with the Hoya mindorensis appears to be light. All of the growers that experienced ample flowering seem to agree that ample bright but indirect light is crucial for it to be happy and healthy.
Therefore, give your Hoya bright indirect light from a south-facing window, but make sure it experiences no more than an hour or two of direct sunlight. You can always move it further away or closer to a window if you deem appropriate, but shady and low light conditions will definitely not be appropriate for this plant.
Watering
We have already mentioned the Hoya mindorensis dislikes wet feet and overwatering, so what should your watering schedule look like? Although this greatly depends on your particular home and weather, what I can suggest is first and foremost watering from below.
Put your plant with its pot into a bigger container with water and let the soil absorb the water from the drainage holes and carry it to the roots by wicking. This is useful for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, Hoyas have succulent-like leaves that can be susceptible to powdery mildew and other fungal issues. With watering from below you will avoid any unnecessary moisture around the leaves and stems.
Secondly, Hoyas develop quite a substantial root system when planted in a pot, and watering from below will encourage the roots to grow even deeper and stronger.
Lastly, you give the roots a chance to absorb the water they need, you moisten the growing medium just enough, and then let the water drain. This is one of the healthiest ways you can water your epiphytic plants, Hoyas included.
Apart from that, try not to water with tap water to avoid mineral buildup, and always water in the morning instead of later in the day. This is one more precaution against root rot and other issues, as you are giving your plant a whole day to absorb the water and avoiding overly humid conditions during the night.
Temperature
Temperature seems to be another variable you should get right to see those blooms in all of their glory. Since Hoya mindorensis comes from the Philippines, you shouldn’t be surprised it likes warmer temperatures.
If you can, keep your Hoya in a constantly warm greenhouse or a part in your home where there are no sudden drops in temperature or drafts. Strive to keep your Hoya mindorensis is temperatures higher than 50F at all times, but ideally, they will do best in daytime temperatures over 70F.
Another important thing to mention is that they like a significant temperature drop during the night, and experienced growers say this is one of the things that hemp them flower so much. So, ideally, a drop in about 10 degrees during the night will be appropriate for this plant.
Humidity
These Hoyas like it humid, and they need it humid to bloom as much as they would like to. This can be a challenge for most people that live in temperate climates, especially during the winter when our homes are heated and the air becomes even dryer than in the summer.
These Hoyas will thrive in 60+ % humidity, and there are a couple of things you can do to make your home more humid and hospitable for a Hoya mindorensis. Firstly, a humidifier is something any houseplant collector from a temperate climate worth their money should have or should look into.
It is the most expensive way to go, but it will also be the most hassle-free and foolproof way of evenly raising the humidity in your home. Your plants will thank you, and you will breathe a little easier too.
If this is not an option for you, you can always consider a humidity tray. While not the perfect solution, it can provide some much-needed humidity for your Hoya mindorensis.
My last piece of advice is to never mist your Hoyas. This is just asking for pests and fungal issues, and will not help your plant’s humidity needs.
Fertilizer
Hoya’s are not very hungry plants, but the more they bloom the more fertilizer they need, so a good starting point for a Hoya mindorensis would be a liquid fertilizer diluted to a half or a fourth of its strength, given monthly. You can also opt for a bloom boosting fertilizer just as they are about to flower.
Propagation
Just like other Hoyas, the Hoya mindorensis is easy to propagate. You can do it either by root or stem cuttings, and I am going to explain both processes below.
Propagation by root cuttings
Propagating by root cuttings is different from other kinds of propagation because it should be done during winter (or the dormant period of your plant). You simply cut a small root section away and place it in a well-draining but nutrient-rich soil. Keep it moist but not soggy and wait for new growth to appear by the next growing season.
Propagation by stem cuttings
You are probably familiar with this kind of propagation and it is as easy and straightforward for the Hoya mindorensis as it is with other plants. Let’s go through it step by step.
- Pick a healthy stem with a couple of nodes and a couple of leaves. It should be at least 3 to 4 inches in length.
- Remove the bottom leaves to reveal at least one node, possibly two, while keeping at least two leaves on top.
- Leave the cutting air dry and heal the wound for a couple of days to avoid rotting.
- Prepare a growing medium of your choice. This can be water, soil, or sphagnum moss. You will have the best chances with either soil or sphagnum moss in a propagation box.
- If propagating in soil, moisten the soil before you transfer the cutting and keep it moist but not soggy during the rooting process. You can enclose the plant in a plastic bag to keep humidity high.
- If propagating with sphagnum moss, wrap the moss around the stem and the nodes and keep moist and in a propagation box until the roots appear. Always remember to open propagation boxes or plastic bags where you are rooting cuttings to ensure some ventilation and prevent fungal issues and rotting.
- When there are a couple of inches of well-developed roots you can transfer your cutting into the suggested soil mix in the first section. Keep an eye on new and young cuttings as they are especially vulnerable to pests and diseases at this stage.
Growth
These plans have a vining, epiphytic growth habit and they can get over 9 feet long. You can introduce regular pruning to encourage growth, but you should be careful not to cut away any peduncles/spurs.
This is where the blooms are going to come out, so even if they look leggy you shouldn’t cut them away just yet. Every year these peduncles grow and produce bigger and bigger bloom clusters.
If you find it absolutely necessary and your Hoya mindorensis is looking too sparse and spindly, you can cut them to make it denser. You are going to get fewer flowers in the current year, but the new branches will have these peduncles too.
Cut just below a node and the branch will turn into two. Never remove more than a third of the plant’s total mass at once.
It is also worth mentioning that contrary to what you might be used to with other plants, you should not remove spent flowers from your Hoyas. This will inhibit future flowering and you are not going to see it bloom again for a very long time.
Potting
Hoyas love to be a little bit root-bound. They like their roots to be snug in the pot and will appreciate getting repotted only when it is absolutely needed. For the Hoya mindorensis this is every 4 of 5 years.
Yes, you read that right, if your Hoya is otherwise healthy and blooming, even if the roots are crowded there is no need to put it through the trauma of repotting. Also, make sure you are not giving your Hoya too much space when repotting.
Go just an inch or so up in pot size, as too much growing medium around the roots will cause root rot.
Common Problems with plant Hoya mindorensis
The Hoya mindorensis will be susceptible to the usual sap-sucking suspects that like succulent leaves so much. These are aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs.
Apart from that, we have mentioned the dangers of root rot for your Hoya, so we are going to go over each of these issues and what you can do to prevent them or fix them once they occur.
Aphids
Aphids like to appear on blooms that are sticky and sappy where they feed on the nectar of your plant. This feeding causes the death of new blooms and a potential invasion of ants that will come to feed on the sap that these aphids exude.
You can remove them with a strong blast of water and treat your Hoya to an insecticidal treatment right after.
Do not get your Hoya’s flowers wet in the process as this will damage them. Repeat this process if they come back and consider adding Neem oil to your plant care routine.
Spider mites
If you see white spider-like tiny creatures that are constructing fine webs around your Hoya mindorensis, these are spider mites and sometimes they can be hard to get rid of.
Blast them away with water and treat your Hoya with some insecticide, and if they persist change the environment of your plant for a while.
Spider mites like dry and warm environments, so consider increasing the humidity around your plant and lowering temperatures a bit.
I put my spider mite-infested plants in the bathroom (higher humidity, lower light, and colder temperatures) and they seem to disappear there.
Same as with aphids, I suggest regular Neem oil treatments. Neem oil is a feeding deterrent, so even if the pest comes back, they are less likely to stick around. It also contains Azadirachtin, which is a naturally pesticidal compound.
Root rot
Root rot is one of the worst enemies for Hoyas. Once you notice it on the upper half of the plant (yellowing and wilting leaves, dark spots on the stem near the soil) it is probably too late for the roots below the soil.
If you take your plant out of the soil, you will notice root rot as brown and darker looking roots. You can try and salvage the plant by cutting away all of the affected roots and washing the rest of them with water and an antifungal spray.
Repot in sterile and well-aerated soil. Believe it or not, Neem oil has antifungal properties in addition to being a good tool for pest control.
Besides being a pesticide, Azadirachtin helps protect the plant from fungal infections. Mix a tablespoon of Neem oil with a quart of warm water and water your plant with this when trying to combat root rot.
Tips to keep your Hoya mindorensis problem-free
- Give it a well-aerated chunky soil to prevent waterlogging
- Water from below to develop strong roots and prevent fungal issues
- Avoid misting to prevent mildew and pests
- Do not remove spent flowers if you want the same branch to flower again
- Keep it warm, humid, and in bright indirect light for year-round flowering
Frequently asked questions about Hoya mindorensis
How do I know when to water my Hoya mindorensis?
You can stick your finger into the soil and feel how moist it is. Before watering it should be dry to at least your first or second knuckle. Alternatively, get yourself a humidity meter and use it regularly to get to know your plant and its soil, with time you will know exactly when to water.
How do I choose the right pot for my Hoya mindorensis?
The right pot for your Hoya mindorensis will have many drainage holes. This is very important for good drainage. You can also go for a terracotta pot if you tend to overwater your plants, as the clay will absorb some of the water from the soil.
What do Hoya’s mindorensis blooms smell like?
Their blooms have the classic, mild, sweet hoya scent that is most noticeable at night.
Conclusion
This particular and rare plant will make any Hoya lover happy. With its relatively low maintenance and the awesome perk of continuous blooms year-round, the Hoya mindorensis can be a very rewarding challenge for beginner plant collectors.
Ample light and higher humidity are key for it to be happy and healthy, and with regular Neem oil treatments to keep pests at bay, this guide has armed you with everything you need to know to have a beautiful Hoya mindorensis in your home.
If you already have one, please share it with us in our Facebook group, we love seeing your plants!
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.