Hoya Curtisii
Welcome to our care guide to the Hoya Curtisii, the key to caring for it is to grow it in a mix of orchid bark, perlite and normal potting compost, and to let the soil dry out before watering it again.
Hoya Curtisii Care Summary
| Light needs: | Bright indirect sunlight. |
| Watering needs: | Check weekly, only water if soil is 100% dry. |
| Fertilizer: | A balanced feed once a month in spring and summer. |
| Soil: | A mix of equal parts soil, perlite and orchid bark. |
| Humidity: | 50-60%. |
| Temperature: | 15-28°C (59-82°F). |
| Where to buy: | Try our list of Rare Plant Shops. |
| Common issues: | Overwatering, root rot. |
Introduction
The hoya curtisii is an easy to grow hoya, originally from Southeast Asia, but now all around the globe as houseplant, known for its small and pretty silver speckled, almost heart shaped leaves.
See also: Hoya Heuschkeliana, Hoya Rebecca, Hoya Compacta, Hoya Lacunosa, Hoya Kentiana, Hoya Linearis, Scindapsus Treubii Moonlight, Hoya Burtoniae, Hoya Callistophylla Care, Hoya Chelsea, Hoya Sunrise.
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Hoya Curtisii Light Needs
Bright indirect sunlight is best. Give it some direct sun light to encourage flowering. They are ok with less light but may bloom less.
Tip: keep it humid and give it plenty of light and it should thrive, but be careful of overwatering.
How Often to Water
Check the plant each week but only water it if the soil is totally dry. They really do not like to sit in soggy wet soil. Tip out any excess after watering. I would under water these rather than over water them, they can get root rot very easily if you let the soil get too wet for too long.
Fertilizer
Feed it a balanced feed once a month in spring and summer which will encourage growth and flowering.
Soil
Use a mix of equal parts soil, perlite and orchid bark. They need a chunky and very well draining potting medium, and should not sit in heavy soil. For more on hoya soil (what to buy and how to make your own) see our guide here: Hoya Soil.
Tip: give them a soil mix that has plenty of orchid bark in it, as they will get root rot quickly from normal soil, see our guide: Hoya Soil.
When To Repot
Hoyas do not mind being a bit pot bound, but check them each year at Easter time and give them a new pot if the roots are crowded. They want to have space to grow when it gets warmer, but they probably wont need repotting each year.
Hoya Curtisii Humidity
50-60% is ideal. They do best in this range, so get a humidity meter and monitor them in the drier months when you may need to mist them.
Temperature
15-28°C (59-82°F) is the best range to aim for. They will do well in most homes, and will be ok if the temperature drops ore than this at night. Try to keep them above 10C or 50F at night or in the winter and avoid cold drafts.
Hoya Curtisii Flower
The blooms of hoya curtisii have a citrus smell to them, the flowers are really intricate half moon crescents.
Hoya Curtisii Propagation
You can propagate hoya curtisii easily using sphagnum moss, follow these steps:
- Take a cutting with at least 3 nodes (the joint where the leaves grow from)
- Take the leaves from the bottom two nodes and keep them on the top one.
- Plant the cuttings in moist sphagnum moss with the naked nodes under the surface and the leaves over the top.
- Keep it humid, warm and well lit (but no direct sun) until it roots. You can put it in a plastic bag to help with the humidity, just refresh the air every couple of days to avoid rot).
Hoya Curtisii USDA Zone
It will be ok outside in zone 10.
Where To Buy
Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.
FAQs and Common Problems
Over watering is a big issue for hoyas, they hate to sit it in soggy wet soil. Be careful!
Why Is My Hoya Curtisii Yellowing?
The most common reason for yellowing is root rot from over watering. Hoyas must be in a really well draining bark based soil mix and allowed to dry out before watering again.
How Fast Does Hoya Curtisii Grow?
It is fast growing for a hoya as long as you don’t overwater it and give it plenty of indirect sun light. However, remember that hoyas are is slower growing that most aroids so compared to most other houseplants it will not grow very quickly.
Is Hoya Curtisii Toxic To Cats?
Hoya curtisii is not toxic to cats (source).
Hoya Curtisii Vs String Of Hearts
The hoya curtisii and strong of hearsts are separate plants but can look similar from afar. They both have silvery green and dark green leaves. You can easily tell the difference as the SOH has a boarder around the end of the leaves but the curtisii does not.
Hoya Curtisii Vs Krohniana
These are really similar hoyas and if they are not flowering it is difficult to tell them apart, but the curtisii has longer points at the end of its leaves.
Additional Resources
Buy: we recommend a digital thermometer hygrometer (amazon affiliate link) to measure humidity.
Links:
- More info on the Wikipedia page.
- More info on the Kew Gardens plant page.
- More info on the RHS plant page.
- More info on the Vermont Hoyas plant page.
Other Articles You Might Like
Hope you found this guide useful, you might also like our other articles: Hoya Linearis, Scindapsus Treubii Moonlight, Jessenia Pothos, Philodendron Camposportoanum Care.
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