Know All About The Wax Plant- Grow The Hoya Vine On Your Railing

A wax plant can be the most beautiful accessory boosting the aesthetics of your balcony or garden railing as it gives the most beautiful and dense flowers that look like detailed jewels. However, if you think that ornate plants are difficult to grow, then the hoyacarnosa is here to break that myth for you. It is super easy to start the plant and we are here to introduce the plant with all aspects detailed out as you read.

More...

About the wax plant

wax plant

This plant bearing extremely beautiful flowers belongs to the genus called hoya and is also spelled as Waxplant sometimes. The Hoya genus houses a big group of perennial plants with over 200 species of them. This genus, in turn, belongs to the bigger plant family that is known as the Apocynaceae and shares relations with the dogbane plants too.

The naming of the plants has been done after the waxy texture of its flowers and that has also accrued the name Porcelain flowers to it. These plants are also referred to as the window plants or the greenhouse plants due to their growth locations where they prefer sun in some or the other form.

Distribution of the Hoya plant

The plants of this genus are usually found thriving around the areas of tropical Asia as well as some portion of the Australian continent. The various species of the Hoya genus are spread all around the globe but the known ones have been mostly found across the Western Pacific belt in countries including Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, China, Bangladesh, etc. The hoya vine has been considered a native of the South Indian region where a famous gardener Thomas Hoym found it for the first time.

Species of the Hoya plant

With over 500 scientific names already given to the plant, there are more than 2000 species of the plant and a lot of unknown ones that are expected to exist. The primary reason why these plants are difficult to spot and identify is that most of them grow epiphytically or on the top of different trees and even rocks sometimes. Thus, it is only when they fall on the ground that they can be spotted and observed later.

Some of the major Hoya species include Hoya carnosa, H. lanceolata bella, H. australis, H. bilobata, etc.

Physical attributes of the wax or hoya plant

There are several unique characteristics of this plant that make it stand out.

  • The waxplants are evergreen vines that are perennial and mostly grow as twinning shrubs.
  • You can find the plant to be growing in different ways and few very common structures of this plant are- climbing vine, hanging pendant, shrublike, etc.
  • The hoyacarnosa plant is miniature and very compact.
  • The leaves of the plant are very small and carry the trademark waxy texture in some of the species.
  • It is the stem of this plant that looks like wires and is lactiferous as it produces a sort of sticky, gum-like substance of a light color.
  • The flowers are the most beautiful part of this plant that usually carry a purple center no matter what species they belong to along with a characteristic umbrella shape. These flowers are mostly white but can be light pink, crimson, light purple, etc. too. Some of the species have slightly fragrant flowers too.
  • Hoya has adventitious roots that usually come to the surface as they yearn to absorb the required amount of moisture.

Growing the Hoya plant

wax plant

It has been stated by most of the gardening experts and enthusiasts that growing the waxplant is one of the easiest tasks and if you are a beginner, then it is the perfect plant for you to start gardening with. Right from the propagation till the long-term care of the plant, every step is very easy and the plant is also the ideal choice for an indoor garden. Lets us now give you a detailed guide on growing this plant.

Basic requirements

There are certain needs of every plant which is decided by their natural growth habitat and pattern and here is a list of the things that you need to consider before starting to grow the Hoya plant.

  • Choose a suitable spot for the plant as it tends to cascade or spread along the surface. Usually, the trails or tall structures are good locations for starting the plant nearby since they can then be easily trained to climb up or hang down as per the liking.
  • These plants need ample sunlight for good growth but they can do well in some shade too. The key point to remember is that the sun shouldn’t shine over the plant directly as that can cause leaf burn. Make arrangements for the light to fall indirectly over the plant.
  • Growing Hoya in pots is the best choice since these plants prefer to bring root-bound and that’s how they bloom better.
  • Soil mixes are usually better for the home growing wax plant. The combinations of perlite, peat, orchid, etc. prove to be good for these plants.

Method of plant propagation

Starting the plant with the stem cuttings is the most preferred and easiest way as the growth happens well after that. You can use the plant cutting taken from a fully blooming Hoya plant during the summer or spring season. A stem that is around 15-20cm long and with some leaves will be good enough for the purpose.

Begin with preparing a small pot containing a good soil mix and then insert the cutting into this base. You can do the same in a glass containing some plain water or rainwater if you can arrange that. That’s all you have to do and then wait for the roots to form.

Keep watering the cutting meanwhile and if you need to change the pot, then you can use a pot only slightly bigger than the previous ones as this plant prefers growing in tight spaces.

Caring for the plant

Wax plant is one of the least maintenance plants and it won’t take much from your side to see the plant blooming and get matured in max two years. Flowers appear on the plant depending upon the plantation time, species, and maturity time. Let us now tell you what all makes up to be caring for the Hoya vine:

  • Water the plant enough so that the soil remains moist mostly during the growth periods. You can choose to mist water them which is a more efficient way. Wrinkly leaves indicate water need.
  • Fertilization is important for optimal growth of Hoya and a slow-release fertilizer applied every 6 months is good enough. Apply liquid fertilizer in warmer seasons every third week for better growth.
  • Pruning the plant depends upon the shape and growth that you prefer for the plant and accordingly, you can cut the dead steams or the vigorous branches. Take care not to cut the flower points or tendrils as that are the spot from where the flowers re-emerge every year.
  • Protect the hoya from frost or cold weather as these are tropical plants.
  • The usual problems that occur in the Hoya plants include scale, aphids, and mealybugs that can be treated effectively by any good horticultural oil.

Conclusion

We hope that you are ready to grow your wax plant and have understood that little efforts and patience are the two key elements for making this process successful. As soon as the flowers will begin to bloom, every effort and patience would feel totally worth it and you will have a beautifully decorated garden with a sweet fragrance lingering too.

Related posts:

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 0 comments