How to propagate hoya: 3 convenient methods

Popularly known by the names “wax plants” or “waxflowers” or “porcelain flowers”, hoyas are the widely known vining houseplants that are characterised by their thick, waxy leaves and star-shaped, fragrant flowers. It’s easy to care for maintenance allows many growers to choose it as an exciting option for indoors. These incredibly versatile plants occur in a variety of sizes and shapes, and grow naturally in many parts of Asia. Another reason why they are popular is their unique flowers and the ease to propagate them.

On the question of how to propagate hoya, these plants can be grown again easily, just with the help of cuttings. This attribute of hoya makes it one of the most prominent indoor houseplants among growers. The article below is for the first time hoya owners who are not familiar with how to propagate hoya with some tips to hold onto mind to help the hoya plant flourish.

Hoya Plant Care Tips: A Quick Recap

Parameter	Ideal Condition
Location	Almost all hoya plants grow well in bright, indirect sunlight to promote flowering.
Temperature	Warm and humid climates are suitable with a temperature range of 20-25 °C and high humidity of 60-80%.
Preferred Soil Type	A well-drained potting mix (with cocopeat/peat moss) considered best.
Fertiliser Requirement	Apply fertilizer dose, once in the typical growing season (spring-summer). At the blooming stage, use more of a potash-rich fertilizer.
Propagation Methods	Propagation is possible by stem and leaf cuttings and layering.
Pruning	Any dead/damaged part of the plant should be removed, to control shape and disease prevalence.

How to Propagate Hoya: A Perfect Houseplant

One can start propagating hoyas in spring or summer season when the plant is in its active stage. The following are some methods for propagating this wax plant to yield a rewarding output.

Propagation by Stem Cuttings

It is primarily the most common answer for how to propagate Hoya. The healthy stem of 4-5 inches in length should be selected and have at least 2-3 leaves. The leaves from the lower stem should be plucked off. Then, the stem is to be dipped in a rooting hormone ( to hasten the root formation) and placed directly into a moist, well- drained potting mix ( consists of orchid bark, perlite or succulent mix). The optimum conditions should be provided, which includes warm location with bright, indirect sunlight.

Irrigating the pot is essential to keep the soil moist, all the time. At last, it is all about patience, as it may take few weeks to some months for the development of roots, specifically by this method of how to propagate hoya.

Propagation by Layering Method

Yet another method of propagating hoyas is by layering technique. In this method, a softwood stem of the plant is selected which is still attached to the mother plant, followed by pinning of the stem (by using greening/floral pins) into the pot that contains moist soil. The pot is already filled with some succulent/cactus mix. After some time, little roots starts to emerge on the stem within 2-3 months. At last, the new plant is separated out from its mother plant that grow as an independent hoya.

Propagation by Leaf Cutting

Another common method to propagate hoya plants is by leaf cutting. A healthy leaf attached to a short piece of stem is selected that will grow into a complete, new hoya plant. Dipping of the cutting in a rooting hormone is essential to promote the rooting process which is then followed by transferring it into a pot.

Suitable Varieties for Propagation

The key to success in propagating these lovely hoyas, depends upon the method of propagation, the timing/season in which propagation is being carried out and most importantly the type of variety, the gardener working with. Some varieties can be easily propagated while some takes longer time and hence ,challenging. The below are some of the commonly used hoya cultivars that can be propagated with ease.

1. Hoya carnosa– It is an excellent choice for the beginners and consists of varieties like Krimson Princess,/Rubra, Krimson Queen/Tricolor and Compacta/Hindu Rope.
2. Hoya pubicalyx– It is characterised by the presence of narrow, splash-patterned leaves with a fast growing habit. Some popular varieties like Silver Splash, Black Dragon and Pink Silver are a part of it.
3. Hoya australis– This Australian vining plant exhibits glossy-leaves and produces star-shaped white flowers with red center. The recognised cultivar includes “Lisa” which shows an attractive variegated leaves and a rapid growth habit.
4. Hoya retusa- It is another easy to grow, low-maintenance cultivar with a grass-like foliage. It is more suitable for hanging planters.

Care Guidelines

Propagating hoyas is fun and a rewarding activity to enhance the hoyas collection of any grower. However, the success of gaining these plants depends upon the management practices that one should keep into consideration. Some of the care tips are mentioned below

1. Grower should choose a healthy, disease free stem- cutting with a minimum of 2-3 nodes.
2. The propagation medium ( cocopeat, perlite, sand) needs to be well-drained .
3. The soil has be to moist on a regular basis but avoid waterlogging conditions.
4. A bright, indirect sunlight is optimum for the cuttings to be placed at.
5. A warm environment with a temperature of 20-30 °C , helps roots to grow fast and better.
6. After the establishment of roots, transfer them to a suitable potting mix.

Bottom Line

Propagating hoyas is an extremely rewarding process and an exciting experience for all the hoya plant lovers. Though it takes so much of patience due to the long time required for rooting, but at the end, it can not be assumed as a difficult task. Anyone can easily grow this wax plant from the already existing plants by the above mentioned methods. However, the success of propagation depends upon many other factors too, but still with proper care and maintenance, one can always establish healthy and long-lived hoyas.