Hoya Linearis - Expert Tips - Teak And Terracotta

The key to good hoya linearis care is to replicate it’s natural habitats as an epiphytic plant that grows on tree branches, we’ll go into more detail below…

Hoya Linearis Summary

Light needs:	Lots of indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Water when nearly all the soil is dry.
Fertilizer:	High phosphorous feed when flowering, balanced fertilizer the rest of the time.
Soil:	Mix of orchid bark and cactus soil, plus some perlite.
Humidity:	60%.
Temperature:	15-28°C (59-82°F).
Where to buy:	Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.
Other names:	Wax plant.
Common issues:	Root rot from over watering or poor drainage.

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Introduction

The hoya linearis is known for its really thin leaves on very thin trailing stems. It is epiphytic (meaning in the wild it grows in/on trees), so needs good drainage, but in general it is a fairly easy to care for, despite lots of people saying it is a ‘difficult’ hoya…

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Hoya Linearis Light Needs

Give your hoya linearis lots of indirect sunlight to encourage growth.

How Often to Water

Check it once a week to see if it needs watering and only water if it is nearly all dry.

Tip: always check the soil before watering and make sure it is dry. It is especially important to do this when the weather gets colder as the plant uses much less water, and so it is easy to over water them. Make sure the soil is dry first.

Fertilizer

The best fertilizer for hoya linearis is a balanced fertilizer, except if the plant is flowering or about to flower you can use a feed that is slightly higher in phosphorus. Feed them once a month in spring and summer.

Hoya Linearis Soil

The best soil for hoya linearis is one that is a mix of orchid bark and cactus soil, plus some perlite for even more drainage. They are epiphytes which means that in the wild they live up in trees on the side of branches with their roots in bark, so if you put them in soil they will not do well, they need a very, very well draining environment with lots of bark.

For more on hoya soil (what to buy and how to make your own) see our guide here: Hoya Soil.

When To Repot

Repotting annually is a good idea, even if not increasing the pot size, as it will replace nutrients in the soil. The best time of year for this is in spring. Hoyas actually like to be a bit root bound.

Humidity

The ideal humidity for a hoyas linearis is 60%, as they will grow really well in this kind of humidity, but normal household humidity will be just fine too.

Temperature

15-28°C (59-82°F) is an ideal temperature range for this plant. They also withstand cold at night well, as they are natively from the Himalayas.

Where To Buy

Try one of these Rare Plant Shops.

Other Names

Wax Plant

How To Propagate a Hoya Linearis

It is really easy to propagate a hoya linearis, just follow these steps:

Take some stem cuttings that have 3 or 4 nodes at least.
Strip the leaves from the bottom two nodes, and makes sure there are a few nodes with leaves at the top of the cutting.
Put the cuttings in the soil with the leafless nodes under the soil and the leaves out of the soil.
Put them in a warm and bright spot and spray the soil surface every few days with water.
They should start to root in under a month, then over the next month or so the roots should grow into a proper root system.
Once the roots are established the top part of the plant will start to grow quicker.

Another way you can propagate them is to root them while they are still on the plant. What you do is get a pot with soil in it and put it next to your hoya linearis, then take one or two of the stems from your main plant and put them on the surface of the soil in the new pot. You can curl them around a bit to make sure as much of the stem touches the soil as possible. The parts touching the soil should start to root over the next few weeks. Mist the soil with water a few times a week and once they are rooted you can cut it off from the main plant. This is similar to string of pearls propagation and is is a great method if you are worried about the cuttings not being successful as you do not need to cut the plant until you know it’s a success.

Another way of propagating linearis is you can root them in water before potting them up into soil.

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

Is It Toxic To Cats?

They are toxic to cats if eaten, and can cause vomiting and numbness. So seek vets advice immediately if your pet eats any.

Hoya Linearis USDA Zone

They can live outdoors in zone 11.

Hoya Linearis Vs Retusa

They are similar with their long and thin leaves, but the retusa leaves are much flatter.

Hoya Linearis Vs String Of Needles

These are two are separate plants, the string of needles is related to the string of hearts, and is a succulent. The leaves on the string of needles are shorted with a sparser stem, they are easy enough to tell apart.

Hoya Linearis Vs Rhipsalis

The two plants are similar with really thin leaves, but can be told apart easily as the rhipsalis has denser leaves, and the stem and leaves are all the same width, giving the appearance of hair.

Hoya Linearis FAQs and Common Problems

Common issues are root rot from over watering and/or being in soil that does not drain well enough. Even cactus compost is not well-draining enough for these plants, make sure you have a lot of orchid bark and some perlite too. Just remember that this plant does not live in pure soil in the wild, it is epiphytic and lives in bark up on trees.

How To Root Hoya Linearis?

You can root hoya linearis in water if you like. Moss and leca are also great, just keep it moist and warm and give it indirect sunlight and it should root in weeks.

How Fast Does Hoya Linearis Grow?

Hoyas are not fast growing plants, they tend to grow slower than aroids like monsteras. Give them good light and feed them in summer and you can give them the best chance of growing quickly.

Does Hoya Linearis Flower?

Hoya linearis produces beautiful circular groups of small white flowers that look like they are made from china, hence the names ‘porcelain flower’. A mature plant should flower if given the right temperature and light requirements.

When Does Hoya Linearis Flower?

The hoya linearis can bloom throughout the year, but is most likely to flower late summer.

Hoya Linearis Flower Smell?

This hoya linearis blooms have a sweet lemon smell to them.