A farseeing - time Valentine ’s front-runner for indoor nurseryman , Hoya kerrii is the fresh houseplant around ! Its gist - regulate leaves make it a joy to look at , and to make thing even considerably , it ’s also soft enough to care for that you do n’t ask a green thumb to keep yours active and respectable .
allow ’s go into everything you require to know about sweetheart Hoya care , whether you ’ve received a undivided leaf or a full plant !
Disclosure : If you shop from my article or make a purchase through one of my links , I may receive commission on some of the products I recommend .
About Hoya kerrii
Natural habitat
Heart Hoya is naturally observe in Southeast Asia , specifically Cambodia , Laos , Thailand , Malaysia , and the Indonesian island of Java . It ’s also listed as an introduced mintage in some component of southerly China . Here , it occurs in tropical rainforests .
I had a little hassle finding specifics about this species ’ habitat , but a 1911 horticultural bulletin does describe that the first specimen make love to the westerly world was collected by plant scientist Arthur Francis George Kerr , which explain the plant ’s scientific name . He stumbled upon it in a cragged jungle region in the responsibility of Chiang Mai , Northern Thailand .
Description
Like many other Hoya species — many of which are popular as houseplant , such asHoya carnosa — Hoya kerrii is a vining epiphyte . This think of that in its natural home ground , it develop in a mounting fashion , using taller Tree as accompaniment . ( Other vining epiphytes you might know as houseplant includePeperomia prostrata , Syngonium genus Podophyllum , andMonstera deliciosa . )
Read more : These beautifulHoya varieties are perfect for beginner
The species is not needfully officially consider asucculent , but it ’s definitely succulent - like , with sarcoid farewell that have the capacity to store a good bit of water . It ’s a slow grower and sodding for a hang planter or to guide up a treillage .
The reason the truelove Hoya is such a favorite among houseplant enthusiasts is , of course , the condition of its waxy leave . Two - lob , they look just like stark small hearts !
Do n’t pretermit the blooms either , because as in other Hoyas , those are moderately salient as well . Inflorescences occur in clusters of up to 25 flowers and are especially fascinating up closely . The bloom base is creamy lily-white and slenderly muzzy , with a stark blood-red - regal genius in the center that can produce round droplets of buff - colorise ambrosia from its tips . They free a faint , sweet - smelling sweetness .
Cultural significance
It ’s not that easy to find a full Hoya vine for sales event , even in specialised plant depot . If you do find them , they ’re often quite expensive . What does pop up without fail around Valentine ’s Day are undivided Hoya leaves root and uphold grown in minuscule throne . Some are sold with a message or trope painted on them .
Aside from its romantic significance , Hoya kerrii has also long been used as a folk therapeutic in the areas it ’s of course notice in . It ’s said to aid in heal diabetes , the sap can purportedly help heal injury , and the plant is even used to deal rheumatoid arthritis through ingestion .
I also found one source ( this 2020research paper ) that mentions the leaves are considered an comestible herb and sometimes shake - fried and eaten in Thailand .
relate : You grow thesecommon vegetable and did n’t cognise you could rust them
Not saying you should try any of it at home , but it ’s fascinating how many metal money we view only as houseplants actually have foresightful histories of being used for other design in their country of origin !
Hoya kerrii varieties
Sweetheart Hoyas are sell in two different growth shape , and yes , you ’ll ascertain the departure does count . There are also a few unlike cultivar uncommitted , although you ’ll most commonly find the normal , dark green version for sale .
Where to corrupt
Hoya kerrii plants
Caring for Hoya kerrii
Light and temperature
Wild sweetheart Hoya plant use Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree trunks as a mean value to climb upward and get as much sunlight as they can , so it ’s not surprising that yours will treasure full Lord’s Day indoors . Treat it like a succulent and give it a spot on the sunny windowsill you have to offer up ! Just be sure to acclimate it slowly if it came from a palely lit plant store , just to avoid the risk of shock it .
In a dark location , your Hoya kerrii will hardly uprise . Variegated smorgasbord may revert to green to attempt to photosynthesize more effectively , losing their charm .
Temperature - wise , this is a distinctive tropical . Southeast Asian jungle are red-hot ! It should do perfectly fine at room temperature and high-pitched temps wo n’t be a job either .
Just do n’t get thing get too chilly : Keep your peach Hoya off from drafty windows and A / C whole to prevent things send packing below 59 ° F .
Water and humidity
In footing of watering , Hoya kerrii behaves like a typical succulent . In terms of humidity , it does not !
Let me explain : Because this works naturally grows in trees as an epiphyte , it is n’t used to its roots being trapped in constantly dampish filth . It absorbs what it involve and stack away it in its fleshy leave to sustain itself . However , it is also a rainforest works , meaning it has develop to become used to very eminent air humidness .
you could water your heart and soul Hoya once its dirt has gone almost full dry . It ’ll usually need a beverage once or twice a workweek in summertime and every two weeks or so in winter . Just stick your finger in the soil if you ’re not certain about the moisture floor , for avoid overwatering by accident . If in doubt , give thing a day or two more , as it ’s proficient to irrigate too little than too much .
As for humidity , that should ideally be above 50 per centum year - round . The plant will likely survive fine at lower levels , but its already slow ontogeny can decelerate to a positively frosty stride . Since these atmosphere moisture levels are not something doable in our home in many areas , especially during the winter month , it can be ready to hand to invest in a humidifier . All your tropical houseplants will appreciate it , not just your Hoya kerrii !
Soil and planting
Because it ’s a succulent - comparable epiphyte , Hoya kerrii really does n’t appreciate its roots being choked in dense , wet soil . Instead , you should plant it in a light sensitive that allows excess water to run out easily , as well as the organisation of mountain of air pockets .
It does n’t have to be anything excessively complicated : 60 percent normal potting dirt mixed with 20 percentperliteand 20 percentage okay orchidaceous plant barque should be absolutely fine .
The exclusion would be if you have a single foliage Hoya rather than a vine , which are ordinarily planted in more nutritious - rich soils .
When it comes to containers , the choice is all yours . As long as your preferred planter has a drainage hole in the bottom , it should work fine . Hoya vines are often produce in hang pots , but I in person prefer to go for the more natural option of track it up a trellis or moss pole . A solo leaf does exquisitely in any canonic minor pot you ’ve got on paw .
advocate product for Hoya kerrii plant care :
Fertilizing
ho-hum growers like this one do n’t require too much fertilizer to expand . In fact , as with watering , it ’s good to underfertilize than exaggerate it ! supernumerary nutrients can damage your Hoya kerrii ’s roots .
I use a balanced smooth houseplant plant food , diluted to half - long suit or less , around once a month during the spring and summer arise season . The rest of the class I just allow for my Hoya kerrii vine alone . In the case of a individual leaf , which ca n’t grow anyway , I ’d belike only fertilize doubly a twelvemonth or so .
Recommended fertilizers for Hoya kerrii :
Pruning
As with the absolute majority of houseplant , you do n’t really have to do any pruning on your Hoya kerrii . Just remove any dead foliation and you ’re good to go . You may have to reattach young growth regularly if you apply a trellis though .
Dividing or repotting
This is not a houseplant you ’ll finish up dividing unless it gets very honest-to-goodness and tangled . It does n’t really tend to produce side shoot , so merely repotting is the way of life to go . you may repot once your nerve Hoya outgrows its planter , or every two twelvemonth or so to give it some sweet soil . Repotting is best done during spring .
Hoya hearts will never need a larger plantation owner than the one they come in , but they , too , treasure some new soil once in a while .
Propagating Hoya kerrii
propagate a sweetheart Hoya is not difficult , although it ’s an activity for the more affected role among us since it can take a sound while for the first root to go popping up . You ’ll have to take bow cuttings ; leaf - only cuttings wo n’t turn , as they do n’t have a lymph gland for roots or young foliation to bourgeon from .
The easiest way of life to obtain a carving is to just cut piece of stem that are at least around 4 inches in length and have a few leaves . Then , you may either set up the cutting off in a chalk of weewee ( do n’t submerse any leaves ! ) or souse it in rooting hormone and then embed it in damp sphagnum moss .
Whichever option you go for , localize the whole thing in a warm and brightly ignite ( but not gay ) location and be disposed to look a few month for it to steady down .
Will a single leaf Hoya kerrii grow?
Is n’t that the long time - sometime question ! The forgetful answer is : probably not . Do n’t numerate on it , in any shell . The long answer : As you ’ve read in the section above on broadcast Hoya kerrii , you ’ll need a cutting with a node ( growth detail ) if you ’d like to propagate your plant . They ’re not like succulents , which can be turn into a whole new industrial plant using just a folio .
Most of the individual Hoya leave of absence found for sales event lack a thickening , mean they have the potentiality to root and survive for years , but will never grow . There are occasional exceptions where houseplant enthusiast maintained their single sweetheart Hoya leafage for years and of a sudden found it sprout a new vine . These are cases where the nursery by chance include a bit of bow with a lymph node in the foliage cutting .
It can take sheer age for that node to become active ( and it may actually never do anything ) , but it is technically possible .
Is Hoya kerrii toxic to cats and dogs?
There is actually some word on the topic . Most reservoir , admit theASPCA , list thesweetheart Hoya as safe for animate being . Others heel it as toxic due to its whitish ashen sap . Given the fact that folk music in Southeast Asia traditionally have this works , I ’m going to go with it being dependable .
Sources :
