Hoya Heart Plant: The Hanging Heartfull Garden Beauty

Do you want to add something interesting to your garden? Or do you want something romantic and attractive in your home? But what if we tell you both of these things can be done with a single thing? Yes, you can do both of these things with a hoya heart plant. 

The hoya heart plant is one of the most interesting and unique plants which you can add to your garden. What makes them so intimidating and romantic is their heart-shaped leaves, along with the vibrantly colorful flowers. In addition to this, these plants are also one of the easiest to grow options which you can also use in your balcony as hanging plants. 

In the article, we will tell you all about this appealing beauty and how you can grow and care for it. We will also tell you about some of the other aspects like toxicity and pest control for this beauty. 

Hoya Heart Plant

The hoya heart plants are one of the most popular plants which people use for various purposes like expressing their love. Their popularity is so much that during valentine’s week, you can even see single hoya heart leaves being sold in small pots in the form of the natural heart. They are also known by various other names like love heart plant, heart-shaped hoya, valentine hoya, and wax heart hoya. 

The good thing about the plant is that they are easy to grow and care for and can be easily grown in pots or hanging baskets. In addition to this, they are also one of the best plants for dry regions as they are drought-tolerant and handle heat well. 

Uses Of Hoya Heart Plant

There are a number of uses for the hoya heart. Some of the popular uses of it include;

• They are used as sitting tabletop plants. 
• In the form of shelf plants. 
• They are also common in the buffet plants. 
• Credenza
• They are also one of the most popular and vibrantly colorful plants, which are used in the form of hanging plants. 
• Other than this, you can also train the hoya plant to grow in the bamboo hoops or the trellis. 
• They are also used as ornamental plants in romantic decorating ideas. 
• People also use them as romantic gifts during Valentine’s and other occasions. 
• They are also a popular choice for environmentally loving people who want to express their love in an eco-friendly way. 

These are some of the common uses for the hoya heart plant for which people grow this appealing plant. 

How To Care For Hoya Heart Plant?

These are some of the things which you should know for the care of the little heartfelt beauty:

Growth Rate

The hoya plant is a moderate to slow grower and especially the hoya heart variety of the plant. However, their growth rate also depends on the facts that how much you provide them. 

Size 

The hoya heart is most commonly sold in the nurseries in pots measuring 4 inches to 6 inches in size. However, the large variety which comes in the 6 inches pot is more popular as it has more variegated foliage. If you want, they are also available in pots of 8-inch size. Other than this, if you want a cute little plant, then you can also go for their small pot sizes. 

In the small pots, they are mostly grown in the form of a single heart-shaped leaf plant, which makes up a perfect romantic plant. If you provide these plants with good care, they can grow upto the size of 10 inches, but they are slow growers. 

Light 

The hoya heart plant loves bright and natural light, and if you provide them with it, they will bloom their best. To provide it with the ebay natural light, you can keep it near a window where it receives direct and bright light like an east-facing one. 

However, you need to be careful as too much of the direct dun can also lead to burning signs on the beauteous leaves of this plant. So provide it with bright but indirect sunlight. Although in case you don’t have the availability of direct sunlight for this plant, then you can also go for an artificial skylight for it. So, always remember to provide it with a good amount of sunlight but protect it from direct afternoon sun to avoid burns. 

In the winters or other climatic regions where the plant doesn’t get the essential amount of light it needs, then its growth rate is affected. If you live in areas with low levels of light, then you will see a slow growth rate for the hoya heart plant. 

Watering The Hoya Heart Plant

Most of the types of the hoya plant require moderate amounts of water as they are succulent plants. They have waxy fleshy leaves, which help them and store the water. During the summer season, you can water them at the interval of 7 to 9 days for the best results. 

However, the frequency of the watering also depends on the climatic region you live in. for example, if you live in a hot region, then you will need to water it more frequently. Other than this, the soil type you use for your hoya plant also affects the watering schedule was more drainage means more frequent watering. The best thing you can do for the hoya plant care is to water it when the soil feels dry.

Water it when the soil feels dry. This is the best way to keep it blooming as finding out water news, according to the USDA zones, can be sometimes confusing. One of the most important things to remember is never overwater them as it may lead to the rotting of their roots. 

Temperature

The normal home temperatures are optimum for the growth of the hoya plant. However, one thing to remember in the hoya plant care is to keep them away from cold drafts or the heating vents. This is essential as this may lead to burning on their leaves for drying of the plant as a whole. 

Other than this, you should also know that they can’t tolerate too much heat and cold, so keep them away from direct air of ac. 

Humidity 

The hoya plants are native to Southeast Asia’s tropical climate and thus need a humid climate for better growth. However, they also do well in dry climates and are tolerant to drought up to a level. 

For better growth, if you live in a dry and hot climate, then we recommend you to provide it with some misting on a weekly basis. For this, you can use a simple spray bottle so that the leaves of this plant don’t dry up completely. The bs thing you can do is to look at the leaves of this plant. If they look too much dry, then you can go for misting or spraying of water to provide humidity. 

Soil 

The best soil for the hoya heart plant is a type of soil that provides it with good drainage. This is because these plants don’t like to be in the moisture for long. 

For it, you can use the regular potting mix available in the market with good drainage. You can also make soil at home by using simple soil in combination with the sand. This will help in providing it with good drainage. Other than this, also remember that the pot you use for its plantation has plenty of holes in it to provide it with drainage. 

Repotting The Hoya Heart Plant

The repotting of the host of hoya types is simple, and so do the heart-shaped ones. For the hoya heart, you can do the repotting during the summer or spring season. These are the best seasons for the repotting of this plant. You can also go for repotting during the early fall season if you live in warm climatic regions. 

The good thing about these plants is that they do well in a little congested pot like the orchids. This is why they don’t require repotting on a yearly basis. You can go for the repotting every few years, like after a period of 4 to 5 years. 

Pruning 

The pruning of the hoya heart is a thing which you need to do on a regular basis. It is essential to maintain its shape and control its size. Other than this, you will also need to do it for the removal of dead growth or if you want the hoya to be propagated. 

In case your hoya heart plant has flowers, then be careful while pruning to avoid pruning too many short stalks. This is important as these short stalks are the ones that bear those vibrantly colorful flowers during the bloom season. The best thing to do is go for some light pruning of the plant to avoid the loss of the flowers. 

Propagating 

The best method for propagating the hoya-heart plant include:

• Layering 
• Putting cutting into the water. 

Layering

• For the propagation through the layering process, all you need to do is take a stem of the plant. 
• Remember that the stem you take is still attached to the mother plant. 
• Now dip that stem into another pot that contains a succulent or cacti suitable mix of the soil in it. 
• Before pinning the stem into another pot, remember that the soil in the pot is thoroughly moisturized. 
• During the growing process also you will need to keep the moisture inside the new pot. 
• Maintain the moisture until the stem establishes itself well through the development of roots. 

Water 

• Take a cutting of the stem. 
• Dip it in water for at least two weeks. 
• Make sure to dip one or two nodes into the water. Keep them submerged at all times. 
• Do this until the roots appear. 
• After the roots appear, transplant them into a new pot. 

These are some of the propagation steps for the hoya heart plant which you need to follow for its optimum growth. 

Fertilizer

The hoya plants don’t need much fertilizer for their growth to optimum levels. Although for helping them grow faster, you can use light fertilizers for them. 

You will need to provide them with fertilizer during the spring and summer seasons. These two are the growing season for the hoya heart plant and thus best for fertilizing. One thing to remember is that never provide your hoya plant with fertilizer during the winter or the fall season. This is because, during these two seasons, the hoya plants are in rest mode and don’t grow. 

If you provide them with fertilizer during the winters or fall, this may lead to the burning of the roots of this plant. 

Pest 

The hoya heart plants are generally free of any pest problems. However, if you grow them as indoor houseplants, then they can face the problem of mealybugs. These pests can harm the plant and hamper the growth and flower blooming. 

The best thing you can do to avoid the mealybugs is to use a simple water hose. Using the water pressure removes them from the plant. Although you can also go for the use of soapy water as it will lead them to leave the plant or die out. 

Other than the mealybugs, you will also need to watch out for the aphids and scale. If you see any of these pests, then take action as soon as possible as they multiply like crazy. They also spread from one plant or another and can easily affect many plants in a garden. The best thing to do for them is to use a simple insecticide spray. 

Is Hoya Heart Plant Toxic?

No, the hoya heart plants are not toxic, and they are safe for animals and humans. However, if the animals consume them in large quantities, then it can lead to sickness in them.

These are some of the hoya heart plant care tips which you should know for growing and caring for this beauty. The good thing about these plants is that they are easy to grow and give you a number of options to choose from. They also give the option to plant them as hanging plants or pot plants. 

Final Words

Do you want to add something interesting and romantic to your garden or home? If yes, then the hoya heart plant is what you will love for sure. 

These plants have vibrantly colorful flowers and heart-shaped leaves, which make them look appealing. They are also a popular option for gifting during the Valentine and other occasions for expressing love. Duee to their popularity they also have other names such as valentine’s plant, heart plant and more

What are your thoughts on this heartfelt plant? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think about this beauty.