Hoya Heuschkeliana - Care And Propagation

Welcome to our guide to the hoya heuschkeliana and the hoya heuschkeliana variegated. The key to good care is to remember it’s epiphyte, we’ll go into further detail on care and propagation below…

Hoya Heuschkeliana Summary

Light needs:	Medium to bright indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Check soil once a week and only water if dry.
Fertilizer:	Balanced fertilizer once a month in the growing months
Soil:	Equal parts soil, perlite and orchid bark. Very well draining.
Humidity:	60%
Temperature:	15-28°C (59-82°F).
Where to buy:	Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.
Common issues:	Root rot from overwatering.

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Introduction

Welcome to our guide to hoya heuschkeliana care. These are small-leaved trailing epiphytic hoyas, they grow fairly easily, you just need to make sure they’re in a well draining orchid mix as it lives in tree bark in the wild and not soil, so you must be careful not to let the roots sit in soggy dirt!

They can flower for long periods of time if given the right conditions. Depending on your plant they can have red, ink r even yellow blooms. They are known for their scent that smells like buttered popcorn.

Tip: we recommend Etsy for buying plants. Look for the best rated seller you can, and try to buy as close to your home as possible so the plant does not travel too far.

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Hoya Heuschkeliana Light Needs

Hoyas like the light range from medium to bright indirect sunlight. They can take some direct sun the mornings or evenings, make sure you acclimate it slowly over time though, by moving it a little bit each day.

For more on hoyas see our hoya category with all our hoya care guides.

How Often to Water

This is an epiphytic plant, it grows up in trees in bark in the wild, not in soil, so let it almost dry out fully between watering. They really do not like to sit in wet soil. Check the soil once a week in winter, and twice in summer.

Fertilizer

Use a balanced fertilizer once a month in the growing months to encourage growth. Make sure it is over-diluted rather than under-diluted as you don’t want fertilizer burn.

Soil

Make sure your hoya heuschkeliana is in a very well draining medium, equal parts soil, perlite and orchid bark will be great, as these epiphytic plants need a lot of drainage. For more on hoya soil (what to buy and how to make your own) see our guide here: Hoya Soil.

Tip: make sure you give them a soil mix suitable for epiphytes that has plenty of orchid bark, as they hate to sit in heavy wet soil and will get root rot easily. Remember that they grow on tree bark in the wild and not in soil. For more info see our guide: Hoya Soil.

When To Repot

Repot once a year in spring to refresh the soil. The roots will not outgrow the pot very often, but it is a good idea to give the plants new soil for nutrients.

Hoya Heuschkeliana Humidity

They will grow in most household humidity levels, but will do best at 60% or over when it will grow fastest. Try to up the humidity if you can, they will thank you for it.

Temperature

15-28°C (59-82°F) is ideal, do not let them get cold at night and in the winter, so 10°C or 50°F as a minimum temperature. They are fairly tolerant of most household temperatures.

Hoya Heuschkeliana Propagation

Take stem cuttings with 2 nodes, take the leaves off the bottom node, and keep them on the top node. Root them in water, then move to a hoya soil when the roots are well developed. You can propagate a lot at a time by taking one branch and then cutting every 2 nodes to get a lot of small cuttings, just make sure the bottom nodes are all submerged in the water.

Hoya Heuschkeliana USDA Zone

You can grow them outside in zones 10 to 11.

Hoya Heuschkeliana Pink

There is a version with an all-pink flower soften sold a hoya heuschkeliana pink flower.

Hoya Heuschkeliana Variegata Vs Krimson Princess

They are similar variegated hoyas with dark borders and variegated centers to the leaves. The Hoya Heuschkeliana Variegata can be told apart as it is much paler and lighter, with the variegated parts being a very light pale green. The krimson princess has more bolder coloring and is not pale.

Hoya Heuschkeliana Albomarginata

The Albomarginata version has a bright green colored leaf with a cream variegated border around the leaf edge.

Hoya Heuschkeliana Variegata

The hoya heuschkeliana variegata is a variegated version of the climbing and trailing hoya heuschkeliana. It grows in the same way, except it has really light green patches in the center of the leaf, making it a stunningly elegant looking plant. It needs similar care instructions, just be careful that the leaves do not get direct sunlight as they are slightly more sensitive due to the variegation.

Where To Buy

Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.

FAQs and Common Problems

Common issues with the hoya heuschkeliana are overwatering, they need to drain, even more so than cacti and succulents. You must not let these plants sit in wet soil give them a very well draining mix with plenty of orchid bark to recreate their natural environment as much as possible.

Are They Toxic To Cats?

Good news pet lovers, they are non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Additional Resources

Buy: we recommend a digital thermometer hygrometer (amazon affiliate link) to measure humidity.

Links:

More info on the Kew Gardens plant page.
More info on the Vermont Hoyas plant page.