• Hoya lobbii (orange form) - Dr. Bill's Orchids, LLC
  • Hoya lobbii (orange form) - Dr. Bill's Orchids, LLC
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Hoya lobbii (orange form)

Hoya lobbii (orange form)

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$45.00
$45.00
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  • Description
  • Hoya Culture
  • Description

    • PREORDER LISTING

    Species/Hybrid: species

    Plant size: example plants shown

    Pot size: varies

    Fragrant?: Yes, very weak sweet fragrance

    Culture: Dr. Bill's Orchids Hoya Culture Guide


  • Hoya Culture

    • PDF version can be found here: Dr. Bill's Orchids Hoya Culture

     

    Dr. Bill’s Orchids, LLC Basic Culture Sheet – Hoya
    Temperature When dealing with Hoya species, there is a lot of variation in preferred temperatures as Aroids come from many different elevations. It is not easy to give a blanket statement. For the “lowland” type species, they are usually liking warm and humid temperatures without large drops in temp at night. For highland species, it seems that they don’t want it hot, but prefer intermediate temperatures and want a cooler night period. Research the species you’re looking to grow. As a baseline, I would recommend temperatures 65-85F, not going below 60F, which is why they tend to do well in average household temperatures (if not on the warm side of house temps).
    Light Again, a widely varied topic depending on the type and species that you’re going, but most Hoya will do well with 500-2500 footcandles (aka 5000-26000 lux, aka 100-500 umol/m2/s PPFD). You may have to adjust the amount of light that particular plant is getting- might be too much that it scorches or not enough. You want to give it as much light as needed for good leaf development and strong/ growth. Hoya can also do very well under artificial lights or a sunny windowsill. Plants should not touch most lamps/lights as it can cause burning. When increasing light, slowly acclimate the plant to avoid burning of leaves.
    Water

    Water quality isn’t as much of an issue with this group, though I’m sure they won’t object to some pure water. When to water is important with Hoyas- they like to dry out between waterings. Some species even have a period of drought conditions (Hoya carnosa comes to mind), so they can be cut back to watering once a month during the winter “semi-dormancy” period as I’ve seen some people call it (I prefer to just say less active growth). Water needs can increase with temperature and light intensity, so with any change in conditions (season, lighting, potting media, etc), give them a check before watering.
    Fertilizer Overall, Hoyas aren’t super heavy feeders. Many times you can fertilize with a relatively dilute concentration of fertilizer mix every 2 weeks to a month, depending on how much you’re watering and the plant is growing. Some people also use small amounts of delayed release fertilizer granules as well to good effect. Best to use a complete fertilizer with micronutrients. If/when growth stops in winter, stop fertilizing.
    Humidity Some species/hybrids can tolerate low humidity, but many would appreciate 45%+ RH. Some species do prefer higher humidity levels. Make sure that they are not directly in the path of your furnace, other hot air supply, or AC! (Not recommended for any plants as it tends to dry the plant out)
    Potting Hoya appreciate a well-draining, porous media that allows for good oxygen exchange, but is still somewhat moisture-retentive. There is a lot of variation among the Hoya growers of what recipe they have tweaked for their conditions, however, the blanket statement I want to make is that usually peat-based “soil-less” potting medias from the big box stores will be too dense/water retentive right out of the bag. I add orchid bark, additional perlite, and some charcoal to my mix to help aeration and keep the soil mix “fresh” (aka avoiding toxins and decomposing material). Usually it’s when soils get water logged that you get root rot in a hurry! Hoya can also be grown mounted/trellised with little more than sphagnum moss around the roots.
    Pruning

    Pruning your plant can be done anytime- if growth is just excessive and you’d like to tidy it up or after a flowering cycle is complete. Something to keep in mind is that several “hard” prunings back to older growth can slow flower production, as flowers are produced on new growth points. Also, some varieties will bloom off old flower spurs, so if you want max blooms- wait until you know that section isn’t going to flower for you again.

     
    Pests

    Hoya are unfortunately EXTREMELY prone to mealybugs and sometimes mites as well. Regularly inspecting/preventative treatment can help minimize or eliminate this problem.
    Troubleshooting

    Side notes:

    • Flower initiation is induced by environmental factors (day length, light intensity, or cool night temperatures)
      • Hoya odorata flowers on the shortening day length of fall.
      • Hoya lanceolata is a summer bloomer that responds to the long day.
      • Hoya lauterbachii needs higher light levels to bloom and at least 6 feet of vining growth.
      • If a variety doesn’t flower, try increasing the light or grow cooler during the winter.
    • Troubleshooting light:
      • Leaves are burning / turning red = this may be a sign of too much light, so move it out of sunlight or further away from the light source.
      • Internodes are greatly extended = this likely means the hoya is in search of light and needs to be closer to a light source
    • Troubleshooting leaves:
      • Shriveling = hoya may not be getting enough water and/or humidity, there may be die-back or an issue with the roots (perhaps they are dead or have dried up), or may be a sign of mealybugs. Check the plant and assess what the situation may be.
      • Leaves fall off abruptly = often means that the hoya got a cold draft or chill.
      • Sticky sap on the leaves = check if there are any sap-sucking insects, like aphids or mealybugs. Some hoyas, like H. kerrii, H. multiflora, and H. imperalis, for example, can produce copious amounts of nectar. This can stain your furniture, cloth, and will coat leaves. Clean this off leaves, as it can invite aphids and sooty mold.
    • Buds fall off before bloom — this can mean that the potting medium was too dry for too long—or too wet for too long.
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