If you want a fuzzy Hoya with dangling branches and sweet-scented flowers that adorn your indoors, Hoya Rotundiflora is a great choice for you. It is an easy-to-grow Hoya species from the Apocynaceae family that has rectangular leaves and star-shaped flowers. This lovely vine can be grown in hanging baskets or tabletops. With all its mesmerizing features and easy care routine, let’s add this plant to our home decor.
Hoya Rotundiflora Classification
- Family: Apocynaceae
- Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
- Genus: Hoya
About the Genus Hoya
Hoya is a vastly spread genus of flowering plants that are either perennial vines, creepers, or shrubs. These plants are popular for both their flowers and thick foliage. These plants are native to a wide range of tropical regions, including many countries of Asia and Australia.
Origin and Distribution
This species was first introduced by Michele Rodda and Nadhanielle Simonsson. It was originally found in Thailand and Myanmar.
Hoya Rotundiflora Features
Foliage and Stem
This attractive vine is loved for its deep-green, rectangular-shaped leaves. These leaves are thick and waxy as this plant is succulent. The leaves grow on opposite sides on a vine, and each leaf is 3 to 6 inches long.
Hoya Rotundiflora Flowers
The color of Hoya Rotundiflora flowers varies from fresh-white to thick-creamy with yellow centers. These flowers bloom in early spring to late autumn. Each flower is 15 cm in size.
Evergreen
As Hoya Rotundiflora is an evergreen vine, its foliage remains fresh and green. This plant does not shed all of its leaves in autumn.
Height
This gorgeous vine can get as long as 2 meters long. You can grow this vine on a pole or totem to increase this plant’s height.
Drought Resistance
The waxy leaves of this succulent can store water and use it in periods of low water availability. It is a drought-tolerant plant.
Disease and Pest Resistance
The common diseases that affect this plant are botrytis and other fungal diseases. To prevent this plant from getting these fungal diseases, you should avoid overwatering.
Aphids, thrips, scales, and spider mites are sap-sucking pests that can damage the plant’s foliage in no time. You should use neem oil or bactericidal soap to get rid of these pests.
Growth
The Hoya Rotundiflora growth rate is slower than its fellow species. Unlike other Hoya plants, it grows at a medium growth rate. It does not reach its mature height in just a year; it needs time to grow and thrive.
The recommended USDA plant hardiness growth zone is 10a.
Toxicity
The waxy foliage of Hoya Rotundiflora is toxic for humans or animals. Its sap contains poisonous substances that can trigger severe reactions in a living body. This is why this plant must be handled with care and kept away from pets or children.
Hoya Rotundiflora Maintenance
As this plant has succulent foliage that is tough and sturdy, it does not require premium care. It is an easy-to-maintain, easy-to-care houseplant that does not fuss much about anything. Just provide it with its basic care needs, and it is good to go.
Dormancy
Winters are the periods of stunted growth. As soon as the temperature drops below the average range, this plant goes into dormancy and stops growing. During these days, it does not require frequent watering or fertilization.
Hoya Rotundiflora Care
Hoya Rotundiflora care involves regular watering. It must be watered once every week in summers and once every two weeks in winters. The soil must be kept acidic (6.1-6.5) or neutral (6.6-7.5). The optimum temperature range is 15-30°C, and the ideal humidity is 50-60%.
Watering Requirements
This mini succulent has minimal watering needs. Its stiff, thick leaves store water for extended periods and thus do not require occasional watering. During summers, watering Hoya Rotundiflora once a week would be enough. This is because the days are sunny and the atmosphere is humid, so the soil dries quickly.
In winters, this plant has stunted growth. It does not require as much watering as it requires in the months of active growth. During these days, you should water this plant only once every two weeks. Overwatering and underwatering must be avoided. Squishy leaves indicate that the plant is not being watered properly.
Hoya Rotundiflora Soil Requirements
Just like its fellow species, Hoya Curtisii, Hoya Rotundiflora prefers mildly acidic to neutral soil. The two best-suited pH ranges for this plant are 6.1 to 6.5(slightly acidic) or 6.6 to 7.5(neutral). As long as this succulent is planted in well-draining soil, it stays happy and keeps growing. You can use the regular potting mix for its pot, or you can prepare your own potting mix by mixing potting soil, peat moss and perlite.
These three ingredients are sufficient to increase drainage, improve aeration and regulate the soil’s acidity. The potting mix must be changed every time you re-pot the plant. This practice replenishes the nutrients yearly and keeps the plant healthy.
Hoya Rotundiflora Sunlight
We are happy to tell you that this plant can grow in a wide range of light conditions. The ideal conditions for Hoya Rotundiflora light exposure is a well-lit spot inside a home where bright, indirect sunlight falls on this plant’s foliage. An east or north-facing window would be perfect for its placement.
Correct light exposure is necessary for this plant’s fast growth. If it is present in a low light spot, its growth rate slows down, and if it is exposed to direct sunlight for a long period, its leaves start to turn yellow.
Temperature Requirements
Hoya Rotundiflora temperature requirements are similar to other Hoya species. It should be grown in a room where the temperature stays between 15°C to 30°C. This temperature is not hard to maintain in a tropical household. We recommend you to grow this plant indoors, where this plant will be safe from cold weather and frost in winters. This is because this lovely species is not winter-hardy; it cannot tolerate frost and low temperature. If you are growing this plant outdoors, bring it inside your home as soon as the winter hits.
Humidity
All the Hoya species love highly humid environments. The ideal humidity for Hoya Rotundiflora is the same as Hoya Carnosa Tricolor that belongs to the same family as the former plant. Both these plants need 50-60% humidity to thrive indoors. Humidity near 40% is also accepted by this plant.
For your plant’s best growth rate, you must regulate and increase humidity in your home. This can be done through the easiest tricks and hacks. It can be done through plant groupings or placement of the plant over a pebble tray. You can also use a humidifier, but it is a costly investment.
Fertilizer
This gorgeous Hoya species is picky about fertilizers. You should choose a fertilizer that has the right quantity of nutrients and micronutrients. During the months of active growth, this plant should be fertilized with a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer that has all the nutrients in equal quantities.
However, when the plant produces flowers and starts to bloom, you should feed the plant with a fertilizer that has high nitrogen and potassium content. K and N are needed for beautiful blooms of Hoya Rotundiflora. You can use a water-soluble regular houseplant fertilizer for this plant and add it to the plant’s soil every two weeks.
Grooming and Pruning
If you have never pruned a plant before, let us tell you it is the easiest thing to do. We are here to guide you through the process. You should prune this plant at the beginning of the growing season. It encourages healthier and bushier growth.
- Take pruning shears and disinfect them using ethanol.
- Start by cutting the bottom leaves.
- Move to the brown and old leaves.
- Trim any yellowed branches.
- Do not remove the wax or spurs; it will limit the blooms.
Repotting
Hoya Rotundiflora loves to stay root-bound. This is why there is no need to re-pot it yearly. Here is a tip to know if your Hoya needs repotting: gently pick up the plant from the pot; if there is loose soil, do not re-pot it, and if its roots are holding all of the soil, re-pot the plant right away.
Choosing the right pot is also important. You should move the plant in a pot that is just one inch bigger than the old one. Also, choose a pot that has drainage holes. This way, this plant will hardly get root rot.
Hoya Rotundiflora Propagation
If you have a Hoya plant in your home, you must increase your collection by propagating the plant. Propagation of Hoya Rotundiflora is just as easy as other Hoya species. You can do so in two ways: water propagation and perlite propagation. Both these processes are easy and effective. Some basic steps are involved in both processes. Let’s go through them:
- Take a sterilized blade and cut a small cutting off the plant.
- Make sure this cutting has some leaves on it.
- Cut the cutting just below the stem node.
- Place this cutting in rooting hormone. However, this step is not necessary.
- Move this cutting to water or perlite.
Water Propagation:
Take a bowl or container and fill it with water. Place the cutting in the water. You should change the water regularly so that it stays fresh and bacteria-free. Once new roots grow out of the cutting, move it to a proper pot.
Perlite Propagation:
Take a container and fill one inch of it with perlite. Add water to the perlite until it is damp; drain away excess water. Put the cutting in the center of the perlite in such a way that all the leaves are above the perlite surface. Place the container in a well-lit spot.
Summary
Hoya Rotundiflora is a tropical evergreen vine that is widely grown for its succulent leaves and pretty flowers. It is a low-maintenance plant that has simple care tips. You can grow this plant in a wide range of places in a home: from a living room to a kitchen’s windowsill, from a bedroom to a terrarium, and from a bathroom to a home garden.
