The Hoya Bella is a beautiful type of plant that has many benefits. Unfortunately, there are many people who don’t know how to properly care for their Hoya Bellas. Here we will teach you the basics of how to properly take care of your Hoya Bella plant so it can thrive and grow as big as possible.
Watering
The first step in caring for your Hoya Bella plant is watering it. The soil should be moist but not wet and you can water the plant every day or once a week depending on how often it needs more moisture. You’ll want to check with a dropper to tell if the topsoil is dry on the surface.
Lighting Requirements
This plant prefers a bright, but not direct, light source and can handle periods of low humidity better than high humidity. If your Hoya Bella starts to brown around the edges or yellow from lack of water or too much sun it may be time to replace the potting soil with fresh compost mixed with perlite for drainage in order to prevent root rot.
Humidity Requirements
Humidity is the single most important factor in hoya plant care. Hoyas are native to humid parts of Asia, so it’s crucial for them to have access to high levels of humidity throughout their lives. For this reason, they should come with a pot saucer that allows water from the bottom tray up into the pot and makes sure there is always a moist atmosphere.
It’s important to note that hoyas don’t like it when the air is too dry, so make sure you’re using distilled water and not tap or bottled water which could contain chlorides from the chlorine in tap water or contaminants from plastic containers of bottled water.
Fertilization
After your plant has been established, you can fertilize it once a month in the spring and summer months with an all-purpose fertilizer at half strength to keep its leaves healthy and lustrous green. You may also need to repot or divide the Hoya Bella every two years if it becomes too large for its pot or container.
Potting Mix
Hoya plants are typically grown in pots with a potting mix that drains well. They need to be watered frequently, but since the soil dries out quickly keep them on the dry side rather than soaking wet. A peat moss-based potting mix is ideal for this purpose.
The following ingredients can be used to make a potting mix for your Hoya:
- Peat moss or coir (coarse, medium, and fine)
- Milled sphagnum peat
- Perlite
- Turface
A small amount of ground bark as an amendment to improve the drainage properties of the soil will also help. Add lime if your potting mix becomes acidic.
It is important to choose the right type of soil for your Hoya plant because it will have a big impact on its growth potential and health. A good potting mix should drain well, not be too drying or wet and contain nutrients that are easy for roots to absorb.
Repotting Your Hoya Bella
- If your pot has been dry for a while and the roots have grown out, it may be time to repot. To do this, remove the plant from its current container by loosening or breaking free any of the root ball at the base that is attached to both pots. Gently pull up on each side of the root ball until it is free from its container.
2. Once loose, find a new pot with drainage holes that have not been blocked by any other plants or soil and place your plant inside of it. Repotting Hoya Bella doesn’t need to be complicated as long as you follow these steps: loosen and remove the old pot, place Hoya Bella inside the new pot.
3. Gently pat down the soil around your plant so that it is evenly distributed and firmly packed in place, not too tightly or loosely however as you don’t want to damage any roots. Avoid packing the dirt underneath or on top of leaves because they need air circulation for optimal growth.
4. Water your plant with room temperature water that has been left to sit for about 20 minutes so it is not too cold or hot. The soil should feel damp, but not drenched after watering and you may need more than one cup of water. Allow the top inch or two inches to dry before adding any new water as this will help keep the foliage dry and prevent it from rotting.
5. Hoya Bella plants love to be in bright light but will tolerate lower levels as long as they have sufficient airflow (which we’ll talk about more below). Keep them away from hot windows and doors where there’s lots of heat coming off the glass.
6. When it comes to fertilizer, Hoya Bella plants only require a monthly feeding with an all-purpose plant food at half the strength recommended on the label. If you notice any yellowing leaves or other signs of distress, then your plant needs more water and less fertilizer for now. You can gradually increase the fertilizer over time.
7. You’ll want to keep your Hoya Bella plant in a shaded area for at least 12 hours per day, and out of direct sunlight except when watering or fertilizing it. They don’t need much light other than this, so they’re happy with east or west-facing window.
Pruning Hoya Bella
Hoya plants are low-maintenance houseplants that do not need a lot of care. However, if you want your Hoya to grow and look great, some pruning is needed from time to time. Below we will discuss how often should be done as well as other important tips for taking care of the plant.
When to Prune Hoya Bella Plants
There is no specific time of year when you should prune your plant. Sometimes a plant will need more frequent or sporadic attention, so it’s important to use common sense as well. If you notice any browning on the leaves (from overwatering), yellow leaf tips, spider mites, or signs of disease, it’s time to take action.
How Often Should You Prune Hoya Bella Plants
The answer really depends on how big the plant is as well as what your goals are for its growth. If you’re happy with the size and don’t want it to grow any taller, then monthly pruning may be all that is needed. However, if you plan on growing this into a large potted tree in just a few years’ time, more frequent (or even daily) trimming will be necessary.
Flowering
Hoyas are blooming plants. A mature hoya will produce a flower stalk about once every three years, and it is the first time in their life that they will ever bloom. The plant produces new leaves and flowers from buds or bulbils that grow on the stem of its mother plant. Flowers are often pinkish-white with dark spots on top of them, but can also be red-tinged or white to yellow depending on your variety.
After flowering has ceased for most varieties (some varieties continue to produce flowers), the stems turn brown at ground level before dying off entirely; others form aerial “pups” which fall away after releasing another round of pups into the soil below where they eventually root into a new plant.
Hoya plants are grown for their foliage which is often used as ornamental houseplants or outdoor container plants, and in cold climates can be stored indoors over the winter. Hoyas typically grow to about three feet tall with most of that being leaves, but some varieties will produce flowers during certain seasons if left outside on warm days so don’t expect one to flower every year.
The leaflets (leaves) themselves are long and thin-lined with serrated edges; they’re either light green or dark green depending on your variety, sometimes giving off an iridescent sheen when placed under direct sunlight. They also have waxy hairs covering them to help retain water content in dry conditions – something you might not notice at first glance because they’re so good at conserving water.
The flowers themselves are petite and usually white or yellow in color with a light, sweet scent that only lasts for about a day; these will bloom on the tips of new shoots during the springtime (especially if left outside), but it’s not uncommon to have one or two blooms pop up all year long without any sort of intervention.
The plant is also known as Hoya carnosa when grown indoors – just make sure you give it enough natural sunlight by placing them near windowsills where they’ll receive six hours or more per day.
There’s no need to worry about over-watering this tropical native because their leaves act like little sponges soaking up excess moisture; you can water them as little as once a week or even less, depending on the time of year and how fast your soil dries out.
Common Problems
One of the most common problems that affect Hoyas is overwatering. When a plant remains in the water for too long, it starts to rot and turn brown. This becomes more likely if you place your Hoya next to a warm window or radiator, which causes them to absorb moisture from the air instead of what’s leftover in their potting mix.
To prevent this problem set cyclical timers with a day/night cycle so they only get watered at night after they’ve had time to dry out during the day. That way excess water can evaporate without causing any rotting sills. If leaves start turning yellowish-green and falling off, cut back on watering until new growth appears again (usually within one week). If that doesn’t work, you may need to repot your plant.
Pest and Disease Control
It is not uncommon for Hoyas to develop pests or diseases. To prevent this, it’s important to regularly inspect the plant and remove any pest eggs or adult insects you find on the leaves of your Hoya Bella plant. You can use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe down any surfaces that may be harboring pests.
For any pest infestations, you can use neem oil to wipe down the leaves of your plant (full strength) or dilute it with water and spray it on the surface. Neem is an organic pesticide that will help control insects as well as fungi and viruses. Be careful not to allow any neem solution to come in contact with your plant’s flowers or leaves, as it can be harmful to the plant.
If you see any signs of disease (such as yellowing leaflets), there are a few things that may help control these pests and diseases: pruning diseased foliage; removing stems infected by botrytis; if watering is an issue, try to increase the amount of water that you’re giving your plant.
If your Hoya is beginning to droop and has a combination of yellowing leaves with brown edges along with dark spots on them, this may be due to overwatering or root rot (which can also cause wilting). To help avoid these problems in the future, try to water your plant less frequently or only when the soil is dry.
If you notice a foul smell coming from your Hoya and it’s beginning to droop (or if there are signs of pests), then this may be due to root rot that has caused damage to the roots system – which in turn can lead to wilting. You can try to salvage the plant by trimming off all of the diseased foliage and pruning away infected stems, but if you notice any signs that your roots system is also damaged (such as wilting), then it may be time for a new plant.
Hoya Bella Propagation
Some Hoya Bella plants can be propagated from leaf cuttings, but they often have a difficult time staying healthy. It’s best to use the plantlets that grow on the bottom of new leaves as these are considered much healthier and more likely to survive in their own pot with good care.
This technique is called “air layering.”
Air-layering is a simple process where you cut the bottom off of an older leaf and place it in water. Rootlets will eventually form from holes on the underside of the leaf, which attach themselves to whatever they are touching – at some point this could be your potting soil or moss if you prefer them over plain water.
If you have a large plant, it will be necessary to use multiple leaves for each air layer because the leaf may dry out if there is not enough moisture in your potting soil or moss, this could lead to the death of the new plant.
How do you know when a Hoya Bella Propagation has taken? Try looking at any indentations on the stem near where it was attached to the mother Hoya Bella Plant; these are called “calluses.”
When they have hardened and bulged past their original shape, that means roots have grown into those calluses and quickly attach themselves as water (moisture) seeps through them. The best time for rooting cuttings is during periods of high humidity.
How to Propagate In Water
If you are interested in propagating your beloved hoya plant, then the best method to do so is by submerging it in water. Fill a container with cold tap water and leave about an inch of air space at the top for good measure. Carefully place your hoya into this tray or bowl without any worry of damaging its leaves as they have a tendency to float on their own accord.
Leave it submerged for 24 hours before removing it from the water completely and placing it on a paper towel that has been allowed to fully dry out first (to prevent mold). You may need some patience because propagation can take up to six months when using this method!
Climbing and Support
Hoya is a climbing and support plant that needs to be attached to something else for it to grow. It can climb up walls, trees, or any other vertical surface, but also grows well when trained as a standard houseplant by tying the stems in place with string or wires. Hoya plants have tough leaves so they don’t need much watering if left outside during warm weather. But make sure your hoyas are always getting enough water when grown inside as this will result in healthier foliage and faster growth rates!
Growth Rate and Size
The Hoya is a slow-growing plant with the potential to grow up to three feet in height. It can take anywhere from two years, or never at all for this growth rate. The size varies depending on how much light it receives and its potting mix composition. For example, if you have your Hoyas sitting atop sandstone (a porous rock that retains water) they will be larger than if they were planted in bark chips (the most common mixture).
