Hoya fungii is a semi-succulent plant native to China that is quickly gaining popularity as a low-maintenance houseplant all over the world. Its unique velvety leaves and beautiful flowers are irresistible to beginners and expert hobbyists alike.
We asked our experts to share their best care tips with us regarding this plant, so find out how to grow and propagate the Hoya fungii plant successfully in our comprehensive guide below.
What Is Hoya Fungii?
Hoya fungii is a semi-succulent plant that is native to China and has dark green velvety leaves and flowers that bloom twice a year. They are very easy to keep as regular houseplants and are also known as wax plants due to their leaf texture.
Hoya Fungii Care
Care for Hoya fungii by keeping it under indirect bright light and watering it when the top one or two inches of the soil have become dry. In addition, these plants will need loose, well-draining soil, high humidity levels and very good air circulation in order to thrive and be happy in your care.
– Light Requirements
This plant needs bright indirect light at all times. It is also sensitive to being moved around too much.
Choose a good enough spot inside the house for them and then keep them at that spot without any interruption.
– Which Window Is Best for Hoya?
Eastern and western-facing windows are the best for growing Hoya fungii plants. These windows let in only moderately intense sunlight during some parts of the morning and the evening. For the remainder of the day, only indirect light enters through these windows, which is just perfect for these plants.
If this plant is being kept in a room with a southern-facing window, then keep it away from the window so that direct light doesn’t fall on it. This window lets in the harsh afternoon sunlight that can permanently damage your plant. The farther you keep this plant from the window, the better.
– Water Requirements
This plant needs water when the topsoil becomes dry, but never overwater it as it is also a semi-succulent. Find out more about its water requirements below.
– Watering Needs
The Hoya fungii plant needs moist soil at all times during the warm summer months when it is actively growing, so watering every other day is possible.
At the same time, it has short roots that make it highly susceptible to the dangers of overwatering.
You should not allow the soil of this plant to dry more than 50 percent. However, unless the top 2 inches of the soil is dry, don’t water the plant again.
– How To Tell if Hoya Fungii Needs Water
If the Hoya fungi plant needs water, its pot will be unnaturally lighter than usual. By inserting your finger or a stick into its soil, you will be able to tell if it is time to water the plant if the top 2 inches come out dry.
You can also use a moisture meter to determine if water is needed. This instrument will tell you how dry your soil is.
– Water Hoya Fungii the Right Way
Take ample water and direct it towards the base of the plant. Don’t water and bathe the leaves each time. This plant likes deep watering, which means that you should keep watering it until the water starts flowing out through the drainage hole at the bottom.
Allow the drained water to collect in the pan at the bottom of the pot, then remove this pan because it’s not safe to allow the plant to stay on top of water for too long.
– What Type of Water Is Best for Hoya Fungii?
The safest water to use is distilled water as it is free from all types of minerals, chemicals and salt that usually harm the plants. You can also use filtered water as it is your next best option. This water also contains relatively fewer chemicals.
Rainwater can also be used unless your area receives particularly chemical-laden rain. Common tap water in most localities is not safe for plants in the long run. Always get your tap water checked from a laboratory to find out what types of chemicals are present in it.
– Temperature Requirements
The ideal temperature range for growing Hoya fungii plants is between 50 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
– Lower Temperature for Flowering
Although this plant likes to grow under warm conditions, the Hoya fungii flower will not bloom unless the plant has been subjected to a slightly lower temperature.
This plant always blooms during early spring and fall when temperatures drop slightly enough for them to produce flowers.
– Keep Away From Frost
Despite their affinity to flower during minor dips in temperature, Hoya fungii are not frost-resistant plants at all. Temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit are completely intolerable to them.
When left in the cold for long, they will suffer from stunted growth and will produce fewer leaves and almost no flowers in the coming spring.
– Humidity Requirements
The Hoya fungii plant needs high humidity levels of around 50 percent to grow. Your bathroom might just be the best spot in the house for them.
Do remember that humidity and air circulation always go hand in hand. Your Hoya plants should be someplace where air circulation is good, otherwise they will succumb to fungal infections.
– Improving Hoya Fungii Humidity Levels
Keep a pebble tray under the plant’s pot for better humidity. Fill this tray with water but ensure that the bottom of the pot is not in contact with it. Putting plants close together will also improve the humidity around them. However, air circulation should not be compromised.
Why don’t you invest some money into buying a humidifier? This appliance will increase humidity to the exact levels required by your plant.
– Soil Requirements
Hoya fungii plants are epiphytes in nature. This means they grow on top of other trees. That is why you should plant them in soil that is loose, well-draining and coarse.
Such soil will allow the roots of your plant to grow unimpeded like in nature. It also allows all the excess water to simply flow off.
Make the best soil for your Hoya plant by mixing potting mix, orchid bark and perlite in an equal ratio.
– Fertilizing Requirements
Now this is a plant that does need occasional feeding.
Buy liquid fertilizer meant for greens and always use it diluted at half strength.
– Fertilizing the Wax Plant
Always dilute the fertilizer prior to using it on your plants. It is better to fertilize right after watering the plants. This practice saves you from dealing with fertilizers burns.
During the active growth period of the Hoya plants from spring until summer, fertilize with every third or fourth watering. Make sure you are pouring the liquid fertilizer towards the soil and not on the surface of the plant.
– Pruning
It is important to remove any dead or dying leaves from your Hoya fungii plant. This will help the plant conserve much-needed energy for new growths and keep it looking neat and healthy.
Propagation
The Hoya Fungii plant can be propagated using young stem cuttings in an appropriate culture medium. It can also be propagated using seedlings.
Learn about both methods in detail below.
– Stem Cutting Propagation
Here is a step-by-step guide to propagating your hoya fungii plants using stem cuttings:
- The first step is to choose the right stem for propagation. The stem should be a younger one and ideally have three or four nodes at least. It should also be healthy and free of pests and diseases.
- Remove the lower leaves from their nodes but leave the upper leaves intact. These lower nodes will now act as growth centers for new roots to develop.
- Now you have three options for initially planting your stem cuttings. You can use soil in a small-sized pot, water in a container, or sphagnum moss for propagation. Whichever medium you choose, make sure that the leaves on the cuttings should not be inserted in the soil, water or sphagnum moss.
- Move your propagation unit to a bright and warm location inside the house.
- For starters, you should keep the soil moist at all times, but take care that it doesn’t get soggy and runny with water. You can also try enclosing the whole thing in plastic to increase humidity and encourage rapid growth.
- When new roots start to grow, transplant the cuttings to a larger pot with a potting mix meant for adult plants.
– Seedling Propagation
Here is a step-by-step guide to propagating your hoya fungii plants using seedlings:
- Obtain a packet of Hoya fungii seeds from your trusted vendor. A lot of people are reported to be selling fake products, so you should definitely be aware of them.
- Also, purchase a seedling tray and fill it with an appropriate nutrition medium.
- Take the seedlings one by one and gently press them into the nutrition media at a distance of at least once inch from each other.
- Use a plastic wrap to cover the seedling tray in order to increase the temperature and the humidity inside it. Place it somewhere bright and warm in your house. A bathroom is often the most ideal location for placing seedling trays.
- In a couple of months, your seedlings will begin to produce roots and shoots. You can then transfer each seedling to a proper pot individually.
Problems
The main problems that the Hoya fungii plant may face are some fungal diseases and infestations by sucking insects.
– Hoya Plant Diseases
This plant is most commonly afflicted with two different types of fungal diseases that can easily be treated using fungicides.
– Bortyris Blight
This is a common disease of the fungii plant. It causes grey spots to develop on the stem and leaves of the affected plant.
These spots enlarge and combine to eventually form large patches. In later stages, the leaves turn mushy and start falling off at an alarming rate.
– Sooty Mold
This is another fungal infection that attacks your plant when it is undergoing a pest infestation. All suckling pests such as aphids and scales leave a sticky residue called honeydew on the surface of the leaves.
This honeydew attracts spores of the sooty mold, which then covers the entire surface of the leaves, preventing it from carrying out photosynthesis. Eventually, the leaves will start exfoliating.
– How To Treat Fungal Diseases
Here is what you can do if your plant is afflicted by these fungal diseases:
- Remove the leaves that are most severely affected and beyond salvation.
- Use fungicides that are manufactured specifically for these diseases.
- Always follow the instructions given by the manufacturer.
– Insects
The Hoya fungii plant is often attacked by spider mites, scales and thrips that suck its sap and cause yellowing of leaves, often leading to the death of the plant.
– Spider Mites
Spider mites are one of the most common pests to attack the fungii plant. They are small-sized bugs that are either white or green in color. They can be found in clusters hiding under the Hoya fungii leaves or in stem nodes.
Spider mites are sucking insects that feed on the sap of your plant. If left on their own, they will kill a plant within weeks. Read all about how to eliminate them from your plant in the following section.
– How To Get Rid of Spider Mites
First of all, physically remove as many spider mites as you can. You can also try blasting them with a water jet. Some people simply like to pluck them off using a cotton bud. Next, wash your plant thoroughly using a good insecticidal soap with water.
Carry on this procedure at regular intervals every few days until all the spider mites have been removed. Spider mites like to grow under hot and humid conditions so make sure you keep your plant someplace bright and well-aerated. Also, regularly prune your plant to get rid of old leaves.
– Scales
These are brown-colored, tiny bugs with a hard shell that feed on the sap of your Hoya fungii plant and weaken it. You will notice that the leaves will start wilting and turning yellow from nutrient deficiency.
– How To Get Rid of Scales
The first thing you should do is to manually remove these bugs from the leaves and stems of your plant. Now this is something that is easier said than done. The scale insects are practically glued to your plant and you will have to properly scrub them off using a toothbrush or a Q-tip.
Next, you must wash your plant with a good insecticidal soap with water. This will not only kill these bugs but also their larvae. Lastly, top all your effort off with neem oil, which is also a pretty potent insecticide.
– Thrips
Thrips are elongated flying insects that are quite hard to get rid of due to the fact that they can fly away and re-infest your plant again and again. They also move from one plant to the next pretty rapidly.
These insects feed on the sap of your plant and steal nutrition from it. Eventually, your plant will become weak and start dying. That is why it is imperative to get rid of them as soon as possible.
– How To Get Rid of Thrips
First of all, try to wash them away with a water jet. These bugs will fly away but then eventually return, which is why you should repeat this every third day. Eventually, they will stop coming back. Applying neem oil to the areas inhabited by these insects will also kill them off.
– Sunburn
Your Hoya plant might suffer from an irreversible form of sunburn if it is placed under direct sunlight for any length of time. The leaves will wilt and develop yellowish-brown patches. Relocate them to a more suitable location as soon as possible.
FAQ
Is Hoya Fungii a fuzzy plant?
No, Hoya Fungii is not a fuzzy plant. It has smooth leaves and produces waxy flowers.
What insects pollinate Hoya Fungii?
Insects such as bees and butterflies are known to pollinate Hoya Fungii.
What are the signs of root rot in Hoya Fungii?
Signs of root rot in Hoya Fungii include yellowing leaves, wilting, and a foul odor coming from the soil.
Conclusion
We learned a lot of important information regarding taking care of your Hoya fungii plant. Let’s have a quick recap of the topics we discussed in this guide.
- The Hoya fungii plant is a semi-succulent epiphyte in nature. This plant cannot tolerate direct sunlight, so always keep it in a room lit by indirect bright light.
- Water this plant deeply until water starts to flow out of the drainage hole. Never let the soil become more than 50 percent dry, but only water once the top 2 inches of the soil becomes dry. Otherwise, these semi-succulents will become susceptible to root rot.
- Mix potting mix, perlite and orchid bark in an equal amount to make just the right type of loose, quick-draining and coarse soil that this plant needs. Keep the humidity levels around the wax plants at about 50 percent. It is equally important to keep them well-ventilated.
- The perfect temperatures to grow this plant are around 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Below 50 degrees, it might undergo what is called frost shock. Consequently, it will produce fewer leaves and little to no flowers in the coming spring season.
- This plant is best propagated through stem cuttings. Your stem cuttings should be at least 4 to 5 inches long, young and contain five to six nodes.
Why don’t you order some bulbs of the beautiful wax flower today? They will look lovely decorating any corner of your beautiful home.
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