Hoya Rotundiflora — Proven Care Tips

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Hoya Rotundiflora is an epiphytic plant that belongs to the plant family, “Apocynaceae.” This plant originates from Thailand and is considered to be a veiny plant.

Hoya Rotundiflora got its name “Hoya” because of a botanist named Thomas Hoy and got its name “Rotundiflora” because of its round foliage.

Let us now turn our attention to the care requirements for this beautiful Thai native.

Hoya Rotundiflora Care

For optimal Hoya Rotundiflora care, use a well-draining, nitrogen-rich soil to encourage flower blooming. Place your plant in an area with bright, indirect sunlight for best growth. Maintain your soil’s pH levels between 6.1 and 7.5. Water the plant when the soil begins to feel dry to the touch.

Soil

Hoya Rotundiflora has basic soil demands as they prefer soil that is well-drained and moist. You can use any simple potting mixture for this plant; just make sure to provide the plant with proper fertilization. Keep the soil PH range between mildly acidic (6.1 to 6.5) to neutral (6.6 to 7.5).

Watering

When the weather is humid and sunny, then the growing season has arrived, and you should water your plant freely. In winter, you should avoid watering your plant too often as the soil does not dry up as fast as it does in summer.

Hoya Rotundiflora stores water in its succulent leaves, so even if you forget to water it for some days, then it is not an issue.

The basic rule you can follow to avoid overwatering or underwatering your plant is by observing the leaves; if they are stiff, then it is a sign that the plant is well watered.

Remember, even if your plant is well watered, leaving it dry for too long can cause immense damage to your Hoya Rotundiflora.

Light

Hoya Rotundiflora enjoys bright, indirect sunlight. It is capable of tolerating direct sunlight for a certain amount of time, but exposing it to direct light for a prolonged period of time can cause the plant leaves to turn yellow or scorch.

Temperature

Hoya Rotundiflora is not capable of surviving under low temperatures and will die if it is exposed to frost. It can handle temperatures as low as 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) and can grow well in temperatures under 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius).

Humidity

Hoya Rotundiflora enjoys high humidity levels. They tend to thrive in humidity levels above 60%; thus, you must try everything you can to help keep the humidity around this percentage, especially for indoor Hoya Rotundiflora. This plant can also survive in humidity levels that are around 40%.

Fertilizer

Hoya Rotundiflora likes to be fertilized occasionally. The best fertilizer to use is one that is balanced (20-20-20) and is soluble in water. Fertilize your plant with the balanced fertilizer once every two weeks until it starts to grow flowers.

Once your Hoya Rotundiflora starts to bloom, then use a fertilizer that has high nitrogen.

Hoya Rotundiflora flowers need fertilizers that are high in potassium (k) and nitrogen (N); if the plant is not provided with the proper nutrients, then the flowers will grow small, and this will result in fleshy growth.

Potting

Hoya Rotundiflora loves to be rootbound. This means that you won’t have to repot this plant very often. In order to repot Hoya Rotundiflora, you will have to wait until its roots have filled the container.

You can know whether your plant is root-bound by gently lifting up the plant from the pot, and if you notice that there is still loose soil present, then allow your Hoya Rotundiflora to grow more. If the plant roots hold onto all of the soil, then your Hoya Rotundiflora is ready to be repotted.

To repot your Hoya Rotundiflora, just follow these tips:

• Select a slightly larger pot than the one your plant was planted in (approximately one inch larger).
• It is better to repot your plant into a slightly larger pot rather than a much bigger pot so that the plant does not receive excess nutrients, as this can also be harmful to them.
• Make sure your plant has a solid root structure before you try to repot it.
• Select a pot that has proper drainage holes in it.
• Use a soil medium that has equal parts peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite in it. Also, add in a couple of tablespoons of limestones. The limestones will help control the humidity levels.
• Mix the soil well and moisten it with water.
• Remove your Hoya Rotundiflora from its old pot and shift it into the new container immediately.
• Water your Hoya Rotundiflora again and keep it under indirect sunlight.

Repotting your plant does not always mean that it will be repotted into a larger container. Sometimes it means that the plant will have to be repotted into a smaller pot. Excess nutrients can cause the roots to decay.

Pruning

Pruning for Hoya Rotundiflora is extremely simple. The plant should be pruned often to allow bushier growth. Follow these steps to successfully prune your plant:

• Cut off a part of your stem just below the leaf node.
• Do it with clean equipment, meaning it should be sterilized with alcohol.
• Proceed to cut off any unwanted parts of your plant.
• Prune every wilted, damaged, and infected leaf or branch. You will know which parts of your plants need to be pruned by simply observing them. Any leave that appears yellow or brown must be cut off.
• Prune off any excess growth from random areas of your plant. This will create more space for your plant and bring a better aesthetic to your garden.
• Try not to remove the wax from the blooms as the flowers will blossom from the exact same place that they did before. If you end up cutting off the spurs, then you will lose specific flowers for the next growing season.

The pruning of a healthy part of your plants can be used for the propagation of your plant, which will help increase your plant quantity.

Propagation

There are several ways to propagate your Hoya Rotundiflora, but before you propagate your plant by using these several different ways, there are some beginning procedures that are the same for all of the methods; this includes:

• First, cut off a suitable part of the plant. If you are able to, then pick a vine that is not growing or has immature leaves on it.
• Find the node on the plant. The node is the area from where the leaves of your plant grow. Once you spot them, cut them from the last node of the leaf.
• Remember to use sterilized equipment to avoid any damage and reduce the chances of fungal infections.
• You can then dip the end of the stem into a rooting hormone (this is not a necessary step). Rooting hormone will allow your plant to grow roots quickly.

Once you have followed all of these steps, then you can proceed to choose which propagation method is best for you. You can use water propagation or perlite propagation:

Water Propagation: water propagation is the easiest method of propagation for Hoya Rotundiflora; all you have to do is place your cutting in the water and regularly change the water. If you do not change the water, then the water will stagnate, which causes bacterial activity to increase and will eventually kill your cutting due to lack of oxygen and root rot.

Perlite Propagation: While water propagation is the easiest method, perlite prorogation is the better option for Hoya Rotundiflora.

This is because perlite is sterile and allows a lot of air to flow around the cutting, which prevents root rot. To propagate your plant through this method, follow these steps:

1. Find a container to store your cutting in. Any container will work, such as your food containers.
2. Add perlite to the container to about an inch of the container. Proceed to add water and let the perlite soak in it for a few minutes. Drain your perlite so that it becomes damp.
3. Place your cutting into the perlite container. You can bury the stem of the cutting into the perlite, but you must leave the leaves uncovered.
4. Cover the container with plastic wrap or anything that won’t let air in to increase humidity.
5. Place your container in warm and bright, but not direct, sunlight.

Blooms

Hoya Rotundiflora has multiple flowers that are hanging upright. The flowers are white in color, with a pink center. They are star-shaped and grow in clusters, which makes them look like they are made of wax.

The flower also has a fuzzy appearance due to the tiny hairs that cover the surface of the flower. These flowers have a heavy scent that is sweet.

Like every other species of Hoya, the Hoya Rotundiflora blooms also grow from spurs. These spurs appear on the leaves and stems. Initially, flowers may not be present on these spurs, but the buds will grow from them after some time.

Every time the growth season arrives, new flowers grow from these spurs; thus, you need to be extremely careful and not damage them.

The blooms appear in the spring and summer seasons; they can produce umbels of flowers (up to 15). These can take at least two to three days to mature gradually.

Growth

Hoya Rotundiflora has a normal growth rate if it is provided with optimum living conditions. They can grow 12 feet long, and if you take further care of them, then they can grow as long as 20 feet in length.

Common Problems for Hoya Rotundiflora

Aphids

Aphids are also seen as an issue in almost every plant. No plant owner is ever safe from their attacks. Aphids tend to target a large family of plants; thus, avoiding them is almost impossible if you do not practice proper care for your plants.

Once aphids have started feeding off your plant, you need to prepare for the second wave of attacks from other organisms, such as insects and fungi.

This is because after aphids are done feeding, they tend to leave behind something sticky substance that attracts ants and fungus.

Aphids are not difficult to handle; all you have to do is cut off any infected area of your plant and stop over-fertilizing them.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are extremely tiny and almost invisible to the human eye, so if your plants get infected by spider mites, then it will be difficult to figure out the cause of the problems your plant may be facing.

These pests often aim to infect Hoya plants as they have all the optimum conditions they need to survive. High temperatures are a safe haven for spider mites, so if your Hoya Rotundiflora is given poor care and has dusty leaves, it becomes a perfect home for them.

Female spider mites can lay 100 eggs within the span of two to three weeks, which means that once you notice something is wrong with your plant, you should immediately investigate the cause.

Plants that become hosts to a small number of spider mites have tiny white dots on the underside of their leaves, which is where these spider mites are often found.

Spider mites spread quickly from infected plants to healthy plants; thus, if possible, it is best to prune the infected area of your plant.

For further treatment, spray insecticide on the undersides of your leaves to stop the growth of spider mites.

Spraying high-pressure water can also help remove several spider mites from your plant. Using neem oil and insecticidal soap is also extremely helpful.

Scale

Scale insects are of two types: one is soft-scaled, and the other is the armored scale. The soft-scale insects are covered with a wax coating that makes them a little easier to kill as compared to armored scale.

Armored scale insects have a hard shell covering their body to protect against predators. This hardshell is what makes it hard to get rid of them since insecticides can’t penetrate them easily.

You can get rid of scale insects by pruning the plant and using rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab to wipe the plant, and insecticidal soap is also a useful method to get rid of scale insects.

Thrips

Thrips are insects that are capable of flying from one plant to another. These pests stay in large groups and feed off of one plant.

Once they are done feeding on one plant, they move on to the next nearest plant around them, which means that if one of your garden plants gets affected, then all of them can get affected.

The best way to know whether your plant has been infected by thrips is by shaking the plant while holding it from the pot area; if your plant is infested, then you will see them flying in the air.

To get rid of thrips, you need to remove every weed surrounding the plant and remove any plants around the infected plant.

Remember to take a look at every plant you move out of the area, as they may be carrying thrips in them.

You can also cut off any area of the plant that has been infected by the necrotic spot virus or throw away the infected plant.

Tips for Growing Hoya Rotundiflora

Hoya Rotundiflora is extremely easy to grow as it only requires very basic plant care. Some of the most important things you can do to take care of your plant are to:

• Keep humidity levels high around your plant.
• Never over-water your plant, as it can cause the roots to rot.
• Provide bright indirect sunlight for optimum growth rate.
• Never over-fertilize your plant, as it can cause your plant to wilt.
• Keep your plant between 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius).

Frequently Asked Questions about Hoya Rotundiflora care

Why are my Hoya Rotundiflora leaves soft?

If they are wrinkly and not mushy, you might need to water it more often. If the leaves feel firm, don’t water your plant just yet.

Should I mist my Hoya Rotundiflora?

Hoya Rotundiflora loves humidity; thus, misting it can help increase the humidity levels around it. However, ensure the plant does not get infected with fungus due to extremely high humidity levels.

Why is my Hoya Rotundiflora growing slowly?

Your Hoya Rotundiflora may be growing slowly due to the lack of sunlight. To make it grow faster, give it enough sunlight; you can even keep it under direct sunlight for a few hours in the day, but be careful as Hoya Rotundiflora tend to turn yellow if exposed to harsh sunlight.

How often should I water my Hoya Rotundiflora?

When the growing season starts, water your plant once a week. When it is winter, water your plant once every two weeks.

What soil mixture is best for Hoya Rotundiflora?

You can use a basic houseplant soil mixture for your plant and simply add a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen so that the flowers bloom well.