Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Meet the plant's light and moisture requirements
• Method 2 of 4: Meeting the plant's nutritional needs
• Method 3 of 4: Know when to repot
• Method 4 of 4: Control pests
• Tips

Wax flowers or Hoya plants (Hoya spp.) Produce umbels of small, waxy and star-shaped flowers that are often quite fragrant. A screen is a round cluster of flowers. The flowers can be pink, white, purple, brown or even red, depending on the species and variety. However, they do not flower easily. The plants need to be at least a few years old before they flower, and they generally need at least one meter long stem for that. However, it is possible to get your Hoya plant to flower as long as you care for the plant under the right conditions.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Meet the plant's light and moisture requirements

1. Put the Hoya in front of a window. One of the most important factors in getting a Hoya to flower is plenty of light. The ideal place indoors is right in front of an east- or west-facing window, where it will get about two to four hours of direct sunlight.
   • The plant should also be in bright and indirect light for the rest of the day.
2. Hang net curtains if you place the plant in front of a south-facing window. It can also be placed in front of a south-facing window, as long as there is a net curtain between the plant and the window to blur the hot and direct sunlight.
   • If the plant is in front of a south-facing window all day without a net curtain for shade, the leaves will dry up and turn very pale or brown.
3. Give the plant extra sunlight to help it bloom. If the Hoya plant is over three years old and still not blooming, leave it in direct sunlight for an extra hour or two each day.
   • Other signs that the Hoya is not getting enough light are new leaves that are small and pale green, stems with long bare pieces, slow growth and dead adult leaves.
4. Do not water the Hoya plant until the potting soil has almost completely dried out in the spring, summer and fall. Use water that has been in an open container for 24 hours or more. Letting the water sit allows chlorine and fluorine - both chemicals found in tap water that can damage a Hoya plant - naturally dissipate into the air.
   • The water will also be at room temperature as a result, which is better for Hoya plants. Fresh tap water is very cold and can stress these tropical plants.
5. Water Hoya plants in the morning. As a result, the plant retains its moisture throughout the day. Spread the water evenly over the potting soil until it starts to drain from the drainage holes in the bottom of the planter.
6. Discard the excess water from the saucer under the planter. If the water remains in the saucer, the excess water can end up in the tray and keep the soil too wet.
   • Wet soil deprives Hoya roots of oxygen and promotes root rot.
7. Allow the potting mix to dry completely before watering the plant in winter to encourage the Hoya to have a dormant period. A winter dormancy will help the Hoya plants bloom in the following spring or summer.
8. Recognize the signs that the plant is overwatering or is rotten. The leaves of the Hoya plant will turn yellow and fall off if given too much water. Water it less often. If the leaves do turn yellow and fall off, turn the planter on its side and gently slide the Hoya out of the container. Shake the potting soil from the roots so that they are clearly visible.
   • If they have black tips or if the entire root is black or brown and mushy, that's a sign of root rot. When most of the roots are rotten, discard the plant.
   • If only a few are bad, repot it with a peat-based potting mix that contains perlite or vermiculite for better drainage. Make sure to use a container with drainage holes. Water it immediately, but let the soil dry completely before watering it again.
   • If the plant shrivels, it will not be watered often enough. In this case, water it more often.

Method 2 of 4: Meeting the plant's nutritional needs

1. Give the Hoya plant a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer once a month in the spring, summer and fall, at a ratio of 5-10-5. Getting the right fertilizer ratio (5-10-5) is important when trying to get the Hoya to flower.
   • The number in the middle (10) is phosphorus, which promotes flowering. It must be higher than the first number (5) which is nitrogen because nitrogen causes stem and leaf growth. The third digit (5) is potassium, which aids light absorption. It should be roughly equal to the first number.
2. Do not give the plant fertilizer at rest in the winter. Start fertilizing again in the spring to provide it with the nutrients it needs for growth and flowering.
3. Dilute the fertilizer. The usual dilution ratio is 1 teaspoon in 4 liters of water, but this may vary depending on the fertilizer you choose.
   • Check the label on the package and follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
4. Watch for signs that the plant is getting too much or not enough fertilizer. Pale leaves and stems and a slow growth rate indicate that the Hoya is not getting enough fertilizer. If that happens, increase the frequency to twice a month.
   • If the Hoya gets fertilizer too often, the new leaves will be darker green and smaller and the stem length between the leaves will be shorter. If that happens, reduce the frequency to every five to six weeks.
5. Water the diluted fertilizer right after you water the Hoya. Giving a dry Hoya fertilizer can damage its roots.

Method 3 of 4: Know when to repot

1. Do not repot the Hoya until the planter is full of roots. Very little soil should be left. If it needs to be repotted again, transfer it to a container no more than an inch larger than the old one.
2. Repot the plant with peat-based potting compost. Put 1 inch of potting soil in the new container, carefully remove the Hoya from the old container and place it in the new one.
   • Fill the space around the roots with potting soil and water it generously to allow the soil to settle and make it water well.
3. Leave the flower stem on the Hoya after the flowers have faded. The plant will flower again on the same stem. The withered flowers can be cut just below the flower with sharp scissors.

Method 4 of 4: Control pests

1. Watch out for mealybugs and scale insects. Hoya plants occasionally suffer from mealybugs and scale insects. These are small, flat, oval, and stationary insects that are generally white, tan, or brown.
2. Free your plant from mealybugs and scale insects. If they do attack, rub them with your thumbnail or dip a cotton ball in isopropyl disinfectant alcohol and wipe them off the plant. Look under the leaves and along the stems.
3. Watch for aphids. Aphids can also try turning a Hoya into a meal. They are small and oval insects with a soft body that are usually green or red, although they can be almost any color.
   • If they attack, put the Hoya in the sink or bath and wash off the aphids with a strong jet of water.

Tips

• Growing conditions should be just right and the plant should not be moved after the flower stem and buds have formed. The flowers may fall off if you move it at this time.
• Hoya plants usually bloom in the spring or summer.
• Even though Hoya plants are usually grown as houseplants, they are hardy in zones 9 to 11 where they can be successfully grown outdoors.
• Since they are not considered toxic to humans or animals, they are good plants for households with children and pets.