Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata Care InfographicHoya macrophylla albomarginata of the Apocynaceae family is among the most popular hoya macrophylla varieties and it is well-loved because of its variegated leaves and foul-smelling bloom.
The leaf shape of this hoya genus plant may not look like that of other hoyas, but when you go closer to the plant and feel the leaves, you will notice the similar smooth texture of hoya leaves.
Continue reading so that you can learn how to care for this beautiful hoya.
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What Is Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata?
Hoya macrophylla albomarginata is a unique-looking plant in the genus Hoya. These plants have sturdy green leaves with yellow borders, and you will often be able to see tendrils of the plant actively looking for any surface to climb. The flowers of this hoya plant grow in round clusters of little star shapes.
Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata Care
Hoya macrophylla albomarginata might just qualify to be the easiest plant anyone can grow. If you are new to keeping houseplants, this is a recommended choice as it is a low-maintenance but beautiful plant.
Hoya macrophylla albomarginata, or the “Hoya macrophylla variegata,” plants are very popular amongst indoor plant lovers as they are long-lived and low maintenance. Like other hoyas, this plant has succulent vines. Note that this hoya plant is an epiphyte and it needs support to grow. You can also plant it in a hanging basket.
Just like other hoya macrophylla varieties, hoya macrophylla albomarginata is a beautiful houseplant that can beautify any corner you grow it in with its firm leaves. Continue reading to learn the specific care requirements of hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants.
– Soil Requirements
Hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants can tolerate different types of soil, but you want to grow them in a suitable substrate if you want them to grow optimally. First of all, your potted hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants should grow in a potting mix instead of regular soil.
The hoya macrophylla albomarginata potting mix should be alkaline. This means that you have to avoid acidic ingredients such as peat. You can buy a general houseplant potting mix, just add some crushed eggshells or oyster shells so that it becomes airier. The airier and looser the potting mix is, the better.
If you want to grow your plants without feeding them regularly, you should amend the potting mix with compost or other ingredients that can add to the nutrition.
– Water Requirements
You should water your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants just like you would water other succulents; wait until the potting mix is dry and then flood it with water. This watering approach is best for your hoya plant as the plant does not like soggy or consistently moist soil.
If you are doubting whether you should water your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants or not, wait an extra 24 or 48 hours before watering them. If you own an aquarium, you can water the plants with spent aquarium water. However, you will need to stop feeding the plants with extra fertilizer except for those rich in phosphorus.
– Light Requirements
The available light in a specific location is the first factor that you should consider before keeping any plant there or not. Your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants love a lot of light and will not grow quickly if you do not give them access to around five hours of sunlight daily.
If you have a window that faces the east, that is a perfect spot for your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants. They can also grow well in south-facing windows, but you will need to filter some of the light.
When growing hoya plants, try to avoid extended periods of direct sunlight as it can burn your hoya leaves. However, your hoya plants can look leggy if you do not give them enough light.
– Humidity Requirements
After the available light, the next atmospheric condition that you must consider is humidity. The humidity level of a room may not look so important, but it can encourage or limit your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plant growth. However, the good news is that these hoya plants can grow in a wide range of humidity levels.
Hoya macrophylla albomarginata can grow in any room or place as long as the humidity is above 40 percent. However, the optimal humidity range for the plant is 60 percent to 80 percent. To avoid spending extra money on humidifiers, look for the most humid parts of your home and grow your hoya plants there.
– Temperature Requirements
The last but most important atmospheric condition to consider in deciding the perfect location for your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants is the temperature. Keep in mind that these are tropical plants so they love warmer temperatures and cannot tolerate cooler temperatures.
The minimum temperature for variegated hoya macrophylla plants in summer is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The best temperatures for your hoya plants range from 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you do not live in warm areas, you can still grow your hoya macrophylla albomarginata in a greenhouse or other controlled environments.
– Fertilizing Requirements
Aside from watering your plant regularly, you also need to feed them with nutrients. Your hoya macrophylla albomarginata potting mix is airy, so you should feed them once a month using organic fertilizer in the summer and spring months.
Organic fertilizer is best for these hoya plants, but if you want to use inorganic fertilizer, go for balanced ones (10-10-10). Ensure that they are rich in nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, so that the plants can produce fresh green leaves and beautiful flowers.
If your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants are suffering from a deficiency of any nutrient, you can correct the deficiency by misting the leaves with a foliar fertilizer that is rich in the nutrient that they need.
– Pruning And Repotting
Now you know that the conditions you should consider before bringing your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants home are humidity, temperature and light. You also have to ensure that you water and feed the plants regularly while you grow them in nutrient-rich and airy potting mixes.
Another occasional activity to help grow healthy hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants is pruning them. If the hoyas grow out of shape or have some dead leaves, you need to prune them so that they can stay fresh and beautiful.
As for repotting, you do not need to repot your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plant except when you initially brought it home from the store. These hoya plants love to be root-bound. However, if you feel that the substrate needs changing, you have to change it.
– Blooming
The Hoya macrophylla flower is creamy, white or pinkish. The bloom has a sour smell and smells like sweaty socks. However, the hoya macrophylla bloom smell is pleasant to some people as they claim that it smells like orchids.
– Getting Your Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata
Hoya macrophylla albomarginata is common in shops with plants of the hoya genus. You can find them in nurseries, houseplant stores and gardening stores. If you know someone who has mature hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants, you can start yours from them. You can also buy some from the internet, but physical stores are preferable.
Assuming that you will be getting yours from the store, make sure that you select healthy hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants. You can tell that your hoya macrophylla plant is healthy by the nature of its leaves. The leaves of your hoya should not have bite marks or spots that suggest any form of disease.
– How to Plant
After getting healthy hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants as well as the potting mix that they prefer, all you need to grow the plants now are well-drained containers. Buy beautiful containers with three or more drainage holes and then plant your hoya macrophylla albomarginata using the steps below:
- Bring out the container or pot and add substrate into it.
- Remove the hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants from their nursery bags and old potting mix and keep them on the new substrate inside the well-drained container.
- Add more substrate to cover the hoya macrophylla roots.
- Keep the plants in a cool place without direct sunlight.
- Wait for up to one hour and then water the plants.
- Wait for an extra hour or two and then you can transfer the pot to a location with access to more sunlight.
Continue reading to learn how the light, temperature and humidity needs of your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants should determine where you keep the plants.
Propagation
There will surely come a time when you’d need to increase the number of your hoya variety. To propagate your hoya macrophylla albomarginata, you only need a stem or tendril. For proper propagation, you will also need sterile tools for pruning as well as long-fiber sphagnum moss to use as a substrate.
– How to Propagate
Use the sterile pruning tool (scissors or knife) to cut eight or more inches of stem from a mature hoya macrophylla albomarginata plant. Try to remove any leaf attached to the lower region of the stem and then wait for three or four days for the stem to callus.
Callusing the stem before planting helps prevent harmful microbes from attacking your young hoya macrophylla albomarginata plant. When the wound in your hoya plant is dry, it is time for planting. Plant your hoya macrophylla albomarginata on a substrate made of sphagnum moss.
Water the hoya macrophylla albomarginata cutting regularly until it starts to grow. It should not take up to a month for your plant to develop new leaves. If you are in doubt about whether your hoya is growing or not, carefully inspect the root region of the plant.
If you can see roots growing below the surface of the substrate, you can be sure that your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plant will soon produce leaves above the surface. Remember to water the plant regularly. When there are multiple mature leaves in the plant, you can then transfer them into a suitable potting mix or soil.
Problems
Hoya plants are generally easy to grow and care for as long as you grow them in the right conditions as well as water and feed them when you need to. In addition, you also need to pay attention to your plant to avoid certain problems.
Here are some avoidable problems your hoya macrophylla albomarginata can face:
– Pests
Hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants are frequently visited or attacked by pests such as mealy bugs, aphids and fungi, but these pests are easily avoidable. Remember to often wipe your hoya leaves with a damp cloth. Also, handpick the pests off your plants immediately after you spot them.
Do not leave pests on your plants as they can damage the plant leaves or even kill the plants. You can buy pesticides for your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plant from a store nearby.
Just make sure that you carefully read and follow the instructions to avoid other problems. You need fungicides if you see fungi or mold on the surface of your hoya leaves.
– Root Rot
While you can cure your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants when they have a fungal infection, you need to know why there is mold on the surface of your plant in the first place. Mold or fungi in your hoya plant indicates that you are giving your plant more than enough water.
Overwatering hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants can also lead to root rot as the roots of the hoya will start to die and then fungi will start decomposing the plants. You will notice the leaves withering as well. To prevent root rot, reduce your watering rate on the hoya as well as prune off dying or weak leaves.
– Over-Fertilizing
Remember that you should only fertilize your hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants once a month in the summer and spring months. You do not need to feed your hoya plants in autumn or spring. Feeding your hoya macrophylla albomarginata with too many nutrients can lead to over-fertilizing the plant.
You can tell that you are over-fertilizing your hoya macrophylla albomarginata when the leaves look burnt and are turning yellow. Reduce the rate of fertilizing and if your plant looks sick from too many nutrients, remove it from the substrate and then rinse the roots with clean water. After rinsing the roots, replant the hoya in an amended or a new potting mix.
FAQ
Does Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata need a trellis?
Yes, Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata benefits from a trellis to climb on for optimal growth.
What does cutting Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata do?
Cutting Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata can serve several purposes, such as removing dead or damaged parts, shaping the plant, and encouraging growth. It can also be used to propagate the plant by taking stem cuttings, which can root and develop into new plants.
How often do I repot Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata?
Repot Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata every 1-2 years, or when roots start to outgrow the pot. Use well-draining soil.
Conclusion
You now have what you need to know to propagate and care for your Hoya Macrophylla Albomarginata plants. Remember the following when growing your hoya:
- As a tropical plant, you should grow your Hoya in temperatures ranging from 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- To help your hoya macrophylla albomarginata retain its beauty, remember to prune it regularly.
- You do not need to water your plant regularly, but make sure that you water it thoroughly when you do.
- Grow your plant in humidity levels between 40 percent to 80 percent for optimal growth.
- Some problems that you can face when growing hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants are the presence of pests, root rot attacks and feeding your plant with too many nutrients.
Remember to revisit this guide if you get stuck while growing some hoya macrophylla albomarginata plants.
