If you need a best-looking trailing plant for hanging baskets then you should go for Hoya Wayetii. It looks very beautiful with its dark pebble-like bloom.
Because it is native to the Philippines Hoya Wayetii likes to live in warm and humid climates. This is the reason it is suitable for indoor growth. Because the general home humidity in our country is perfect for growing this plant.
This Hoya cannot survive in an outdoor environment. Therefore, you need to give it a comfortable growing environment indoors.
This slow grower takes years to get fully matured.
Below is the complete care guide.
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Growth & Size
Because it is a trailing plant, therefore, we measure the height in length. A fully matured Hoya Wayetii can reach a length of 35 inches.
This hoya is a slow-growing plant means you do not need to worry about repotting and pruning. When it reaches near its maturity you will see dense growth and long vines.
Remember that only matured Hoya Wayetii can bloom in spring and summer. If your hoya is not blooming and is in a growing phase.
Do not need to boost it with fertilizers to push it to bloom. This will only harm the plant and result in overfertilization and leaf burn.
To make the growth bushy and dense provide it with perfect growing conditions. Below is the complete caring guide.
Light Needs
Generally, we place hoya plants in low bright light. But Hoya Wayetii is a little different. It needs bright light for 5 to 7 hours per day. Do not expose it to direct sunlight in the afternoon. Morning sunshine is beneficial for the plant.
In its native land, this hoya variety grows in direct sunlight but under the canopy of large trees. Where it keeps protected from afternoon sunlight.
The best place for this plant will be the bright spot where it cannot get direct sunlight. But indirect bright light should not be limited.
If there is no sunny window at your home then you can use grow light to full fill its light needs. 200 watts led grow light will be sufficient for the plant.
Do not use other grow lights for example HPS and MH they are very strong for the plant. It cannot tolerate the high energy and heat released by these lights.
Potting Soil
Hoyas need good aeration with consistent moisture in the soil. Therefore, you need to choose soil that has good aeration qualities. It must contain perlite.
Because perlite is lightweight and absorbs a large amount of water without wetting the potting soil. Moreover, perlite doesn’t increase the weight of potting soil.
To grow your plant healthy and disease-free you need to use well-draining soil. To achieve this quality in the soil you should not use garden soil.
There are many brands that sell special soils for hoya plants. Go to amazon and check some affordable potting soils and order them.
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Watering
For beginners, watering is the biggest headache when they grow hoyas. Because you need to understand their natural habitat to understand their watering needs.
Hoya Wayetii needs slightly moist soil for 365 days of the year. This is only possible when you regularly give water to your plant.
But this will then increase the chances of overwatering and root rot.
To water your plant perfectly you need to do a soil check-up before watering. To check the soil, use a moisture meter or simply poke your finger in it and check the moisture.
If it feels cool and moistened then no need to water your plant.
Remember that your plant cannot tolerate saturated soil. Even an extra cup of water can damage the roots.
To avoid this problem, choose the plant pot with a draining hole. Stop watering the plant when you see the water is escaping from the draining holes.
The quality of water also affects the health of Hoya Wayetii. I prefer using filtered water or rain. Because the tap water in my city contains chlorine and fluoride.
These chemicals are not suitable for plants. I so don’t take risk of my plants and use bottles of water for watering all of them.
Fertilizing
There are many options in the market. But before that, I would like to remind you that this plant does not need any fertilizers. Because it is a slow-growing plant.
Fast growers need a bunch of nutrient support.
If you use compost or other organic material in the potting soil. Then you will not need to buy a separate bottle of plant nutrients.
If your soil does not contain organic material then you need to use liquid nutrients. You can buy any general-purpose houseplant nutrient bottle.
Then read the instructions to dilute the right amount of nutrient solution. Once you prepare it then give it to the plant. The roots will absorb the given nutrients from the soil.
Temperature & Humidity
The general recommended temperature range for Hoya Wayetii is between 50 to 80 F. It will start suffering from cold when the room temperature drops below 50 F.
This clears that you cannot grow it outside in an open environment. The reason is it cannot tolerate cool winds and frost.
While growing it indoors you need to place it away from AC ducts and heating vents. Both artificial cool and hot air is not good for their health.
In both conditions, your plant becomes dry and loses the stored water.
50 % to 65 % is the best humidity range and this is the normal range of American homes. If you live in a low humid area then you can mist water to give some comfort to your plant.
Or you can use an electric humidifier to increase the overall home humidity.
Humidity tray and grouping plants together are two traditional ways of increasing plant humidity.
Repotting
As I mentioned earlier this is a slow-growing plant which means it does not need frequent repotting.
But when it gets matured and you see roots over the top surface it’s time to repot it. Also, when you feel the soil in the pot is depleted and is no longer useful. You need to repot your plant.
When I repot my plants, I always use fresh soil, inspect the roots and wash the new pot with soap before use.
Spring is the best time for repotting. Do not repot or prune your plant during I winter season. Because hoyas take rest in winters.
How to propagate Hoya Wayetii?
You can propagate the Hoya Wayetii by the stem cutting method. Below are the complete steps:
Use a knife to cut the healthy stem just below the node
Remove bottom leaves and place them in the glass of water or plant it in the soil
Place the glass or pot in a warm location away from direct sunlight
Spray water on the potting mix to keep it moist
Within a few days, you will see the new growth
Conclusion
Growing Hoya Wayetii is a little more tricky than other hoyas. Just take care of the watering and light needs of the plant. It will grow bigger and strong.
It does not need much fertilizer because it is a slow-growing plant.
For more info visit our houseplant section or contact us.
