Hoya Macrophylla - Teak And Terracotta

Welcome to our guide to hoya macrophylla care and propagation…

Hoya Macrophylla Care Summary

Light needs:	Bright indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Check the soil once a week and water when totally dry.
Fertilizer:	A balanced fertilizer once a month in the spring and summer.
Soil:	A mix of equal parts soil, perlite and orchid bark.
Humidity:	60%.
Temperature:	15-28°C (59-82°F)
Where to buy:	Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.
Common issues:	Root rot.

Introduction

The hoya macrophylla is a relatively easy to care for hoya with large (for a hoya) tear drop shaped leaves. They grow in the wild on Borneo, but also make a good houseplant as they are relatively easy to grow in most homes. We run down all you need to know.

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Hoya Macrophylla Light Needs

Bright indirect sunlight is best, they will be ok with a bit less. You can get them to have a slight reddish color to the leaves if you sun stress them, but you have to be really careful not over do it and burn them.

How Often to Water

Check the soil once a week and water when totally dry. They must not sit in soggy soil for very long.

Tip: let the soil dry out first before watering again. It is really important not to overwater these plants. Also make sure it has a really well draining medium that has plenty of orchid bark to keep the roots aerated and avoid sitting in heavy wet soil.

Fertilizer

Use a balanced fertilizer once a month in the spring and summer.

Hoya Macrophylla Soil

A mix of equal parts soil, perlite and orchid bark is ideal. They like a more alkaline soil, you can add some crushed eggshells to the soil mix. For more on hoya soil (what to buy and how to make your own) see our guide here: Hoya Soil.

When To Repot

They do not need regular repotting and are ok to be a bit pot bound. Check them in Spring and repot if crowding. A terracotta pot is a good idea for hoyas like this as they help to keep the potting medium from being too wet.

Humidity

60% is ideal for hoyas like this, they will be fine in less but grow better if given the right humidity.

Temperature

The temperature range 15-28°C (59-82°F) is best and they can handle down to freezing at night. so they will be just fine most homes.

How to Propagate

They propagate really well in water. Take a stem cutting with about 4 nodes, and take the leaves off the bottom two. Then put it in a jar of tap water so the two naked nodes are under the water and all the leaves are out of the water. It should root form the two naked nodes over the next few months, just keep the water topped up and keep it in indirect sunlight. Once they have grown some roots you can put them in a good soil mix. Keep them very humid until the put out new growth from the top of the cuttings.

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

Hoya Macrophylla Variegata

The variegated version of the Macrophylla has beautiful cream borders to the leaves in most cases, although some have a cream center.

Hoya Macrophylla Growth Rate

They are not fast growers, you will need some patience with this hoya!

Hoya Macrophylla USDA Zone

They can live outdoors in zones 10-12.

Is It Toxic To Cats?

Hoyas are non-toxic to dogs and cats.

Hoya Macrophylla Vs Latifolia

Sometimes a Macrophylla is sold as Latifolia, which is a general name for these types of hoyas.

Hoya Macrophylla Vs Krimson Queen

The macrophylla albomarginata has a cream variegated border and is sometimes confused with the krimson queen, but the macrophylla has much thicker eaves and mover pronounced veining.

Hoya Macrophylla Growth Rate

good light increases the growth rate

Where To Buy

Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.

Hoya Macrophylla FAQs and Common Problems

Root rot is a very common issue, hoyas are epiphytes and grow up in trees naturally in bark, so they must not sit wet soil.

They can be susceptible to pests like aphids and mealy bugs, so check both sides of the leaves at watering time to get ahead of the issue. For more on these pests see our guides: How To Get Rid Of Aphids, Mealybugs On Plants.