How to Propagate Hoyas

Houseplants
Hoyas Propagate

Hoyas, also known as Wax Plants, are gorgeous houseplants that many people keep in their homes. A good thing about these plants is that they can be propagated with a relative ease, so you can get more Hoyas for your home, or you may gift them to your family and friends.

Methods to Propagate Hoyas

Unlike some other houseplants that have only one reliable option for propagation, Hoyas can do well with many different approaches. This is good news for those who generally prefer certain methods of propagation, or who are more skillful in some methods and not the others.

However, it is important to understand that not all ways to propagate Hoyas are equally effective. Some work better than the others or are easier to perform. Keep this in mind when choosing how to propagate Hoyas in your home.

In general, you can propagate Hoyas through seed, using stem cuttings, using leaf cuttings, or by layering. In general, stem cuttings and layering are more effective and quicker, and are recommended for those looking for an easy way to propagate Hoyas.

Keep in mind that the best time to propagate Hoyas is in the spring and summer: this is their growing season, so they will easy develop roots and grow fast.

The Best Ways to Propagate Hoyas

It is possible to propagate Hoyas in several different ways, and some may work better for you than the others.

The first method to propagate Hoyas is by using stem cuttings. This is a relatively quick and effective method that gives good results. You should take cuttings from a softwood. Make sure that the chosen cutting is at least 4 inches long, but it can be longer. It is best to cut at a side, and make sure to use only sterilized knife. Your chosen cutting has to have at least one node in order for propagation to work.

After you get the cutting, you need to root it. It is possible to root Hoya cuttings both in water and directly in a potting mix. If you use water, make sure not to submerge the entire stem into it. If you opt for rooting in the potting mix, make sure that it is light. Succulent or cactus mix works well for this purpose. You should also remove the bottom leaves if rooting in the soil, but make sure to leave the top ones. Regardless of the type of the rooting, the roots should appear after about 4 weeks. After this, you can grow the seedlings in a regular way, and they will grow into adult Hoya plants.

Another effective and relatively easy method to propagate Hoyas is through layering. You should pick one softwood stem on an adult plant and, still attached to the mother plant, place it in a pot filled with soil.

When doing this, make sure that the potting mix is moist. Secure the stem to the potting mix so it's pressed into the soil. After a while, you should see the small roots appearing on the stem due to the prolonged touch with the soil. This is a quick and easy way to root the stem so it can grow into an adult plant.

Leaf cuttings are another option. This is a more complex method, and it might not work for everyone, but it is an option you can try. It is not unusual for leaves to fall off Hoya plants, so you might wish to use them to start a new plant.

If you choose this method, keep in mind that you will need to keep the petiole attached to the leaf. The first thing is to root the leaf. You may use a rooting hormone, but the leaves will generally root on their own if they are potted. After about 5 to 6 weeks they should start to root, so be patient about it.

From there, a new Hoya plant will start to grow, although sometimes it will not be true to the mother plant. Also, keep in mind that many people have a trouble starting Hoyas in this way: after the leaf has rooted, it never continues growing. In short, this method fails to work for many people. However, some people report good success, just make sure to be patient: this is a slow method for propagating Hoya plants.

Finally, it is possible to propagate Hoyas through seed. However, this is not the most popular method, because it is difficult to find fresh Hoya seeds. The seeds are also known to be difficult to germinate properly. All of this makes seed propagation into a more difficult option.

However, if you prefer to start your plants from seed, you may opt for this method. Just keep in mind that this is the method that requires most time, since it takes a lot for a new Hoya seedling to grow into the adult plant.

Photo credit: Jaros?aw Pocztarski

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