Hoya is an exquisite perennial plant from the Kutrovy family. It is represented by flexible vines and shrubs. Usually, the hoya chooses a strong tree for support. Succulent leaves, stems and even petals of the plant are covered with smooth, shiny skin, like wax. Therefore, hoya is often called "wax ivy." Its homeland is the bright tropical forests of East Asia, Polynesia and Western Australia. By the end of the XVIII century. the plant was brought to Europe, from where it spread to conservatories and greenhouses. Today, liana is grown in many houses thanks to beautiful foliage and flowers with a pleasant, perfume-like smell.
Plant description
Hoya is a perennial evergreen vine or shrub with flexible, fleshy shoots. The length of the stems can reach 10 m. First, the bare top grows, covered with a smooth violet-brown skin, and over time it turns green and leaves foliage. With sufficient humidity, air roots appear in the nodes. Still later, the stem is lignified.
Along the entire length of the shoots are petiolate leaves of an oval shape with a pointed edge. They are thickened, which brings the plant closer to succulents. The surface of the young leaves is shiny, gradually it becomes dull. The plate itself becomes thinner with age. The length of the sheet is 5-8 cm, and the width is 3-5 cm.
Hoya blooms in June and can last until October. It happens in waves. A separate whisk lasts up to 3 weeks. Inflorescences are formed on special flower branches without leaves. Beautiful bisexual flowers are collected in dense flat or rounded umbrellas. Corolla consists of 5 oval petals with a pointed edge. In the center is a miniature crown of anthers joined together. Each flower resembles a miniature wax star with a diameter of 1-2 cm. Its color is white, purple, red or cream. The crown often contrasts in tone or saturation with the petals.
Hoya flowers exude an intense, pleasant aroma. It is designed to attract insects. They also produce a lot of nectar, which collects in dense drops. After flowering, the sprout cannot be removed, as it will grow and dissolve new buds.
Species and decorative varieties
The genus of hoya includes more than 50 species of plants. In culture, only a part of them is used.
Meaty hoya (carnosa). This evergreen, lignified liana grows to a height of 6 m. It scrambles along the nearby vertical supports. On the ripening greening stems, oval fleshy leaves of dark green color bloom. Umbrella inflorescences of 10-15 buds bloom over smooth leafy plates. Star-shaped flowers exude a strong aroma and are painted white or pink. The crown is darker, wine red. Flowering occurs in June-October and can be repeated 2-3 times per year. Varieties:
- variegate - a dark green leaf is bordered with an uneven cream strip;
- tricolor - pink and cream stains are present on dark green leaves;
- compacta - a variety with tiny leaves on the surface of which a marble pattern is visible;
- minibel - dark green leaves with bright dots grow up to 19 cm long and 2 cm wide, and above them spherical umbrellas of 20 flowers with a diameter of up to 18 mm are visible. The hairy pink corollas are decorated with a white shiny crown with a red dot in the center.
Hoya the beautiful (bella). Flexible branched shoots form a lush shrub, but without support it will lose attractiveness. Foliage grows densely. Between it on elongated sprouts multifloral umbrella inflorescences bloom. White, cream or pink flowers of the correct form consist of petals bent inward and a contrasting crown in the center.
Hoya multiflora (multiflora). The fleshy vine is covered with narrower oval leaves of a uniform color. On it, dense, multi-flowered inflorescences bloom. The petals of each flower are strongly bent back. In the center are arcuate spurs. The color is dominated by white, cream and yellow shades.
Concave Hoya (lacunosa). Epiphytic branched plant with flexible stems forms a beautiful cascade of thickened dark green leaves in the shape of a rhombus. Their length reaches 6 cm. The edges are wrapped inward. Small white or cream flowers are gathered in dense umbrellas. The petals are covered with large villi and bent to the center, making the bud resemble a fluffy ball. Varieties:
- popsicle - the leaves are covered with a lighter marble pattern, and the flowers in the form of white fluffy balls are crowned with a yellow tiny crown;
- tova - grows plain light green leaves.
Hoya Kerry. Flexible hanging stems are decorated with heart-shaped succulent leaves. The flowers consist of pubescent cream petals and a shiny red or pink crown, with which drops of dark nectar hang. They are collected in umbrellas in the form of a hemisphere of 15-25 units.
Hoya Calistafilla. Thin long stems are covered with light green leaves with darker veins. The length of the foliage is 15-17 cm, and the width is 7-9 cm. Umbrellas consist of 15-20 flowers with a diameter of 5-10 mm. Yellow-brown wax petals surround the white crown.
Hoya Kumingiata. The fleshy vine with small egg-shaped leaves of a light green hue in the summer is densely covered with dense yellow umbrellas with maroon crowns.
Hoya pentaflebia. Flexible, curly sprouts are densely covered with shiny bright green leaves up to 16 cm in length. Five filamentous veins are clearly visible on the foliage. Multi-flowered umbrellas are composed of yellow flowers with a white crown.
Hoya gracilis. Oval leaves up to 6 cm long grow on thin shoots. In summer, flat umbrellas with small pink flowers bloom on bare stems. The dark crown is covered with yellow spots.
Hoya published. A fast-growing vine with narrow, oval leaves dissolves hemispherical umbrellas with pink flowers. The Silver Pink variety is distinguished by a narrow silver border around the edge of the petals.
Hoya Macrophyll. Large succulent vine is covered with oval leaves of variegated color. Light streaks in the center are visible on a dark green surface. Spherical umbrellas consist of light pink flowers with a red-white or purple crown.
Hoya Mindorensis. Liana is covered with oval leathery leaves up to 11 cm long. In the shade they are painted in dark green, and in the sun they turn reddish. Small rusty red flowers with pubescent petals are collected in a spherical inflorescence.
Breeding methods
At home, hoya is propagated vegetatively. For this, apical cuttings with leaves about 8-10 cm long are used. The bottom section is treated with "Kornevin" and put in a glass with water or buried to the first node in the sand-peat soil. Top you need to cover the stalk with film or glass. The optimum air temperature is + 20 ... + 22 ° C. The process takes 10-15 days. After this, the stalk is planted in a small pot with soil for adult plants.
Since aerial roots are often formed in nodes, the hoya can be propagated by layering. To do this, a tiny incision is made on the stem, and then pressed into the soil or a bandage with wet moss is fixed. When strong roots are formed, the shoot is separated from the main plant. The advantage of this method is that flowering will occur less than in a year.
Landing and care
A stable pot is prepared for planting the hoya. At home, the plant is transplanted every 1-3 years. As the crown grows rapidly, reliable support is needed. The soil must be light and loose, with good water and air permeability. It can be composed of:
- peat;
- moss sphagnum;
- perlite;
- garden soil.
To often admire the colors, the capacity is selected rather tight.
Lighting. Hoya needs a bright, diffused light. She will be well on the eastern or western windowsill, as well as in the center of the southern room. During the budding period, it is very important not to move the plant. Even turning around its axis will lead to dropping buds.
Temperature. The flower does not tolerate heat. In summer, he is comfortable at + 17 ... + 25 ° C. In winter, it is necessary to rearrange the plant in a room with a temperature of + 10 ... + 15 ° C. Drafts and cold snap adversely affect the appearance, as part of the leaves fall off.
Humidity. Hoya adapts well to the usual humidity in the room, but with gratitude responds to regular spraying and bathing. During flowering, abstain from water procedures. Wax leaves should be periodically cleaned from dust.
Watering. Water should not stagnate in the pot, however, strong drying of the soil is undesirable. It is recommended to water the soil with soft, settled water 1-2 times a week.
Fertilizer. Twice a month, from March to October, the hoya is fed with a universal mineral complex. The solution is poured into the soil at a distance from the roots.
Crown formation. A long vine or branchy bush needs support. For flexible shoots, rings, spirals or threads are used. You can also let the long lashes just hang from the cache-pot. To stalks branch, pinch the tips.
Possible difficulties
Hoya is distinguished by strong immunity, therefore, plant diseases are practically not affected. Only in advanced cases does a fungus settle on it.
On hot days, in dry air, plants can be attacked by pests (red spider mite, aphids, scale insects, nematodes, mealybug). It is necessary to treat the stems and soil with an insecticide. It is very difficult to escape from nematodes. Most often cuttings from healthy parts of plants are cut, and the rest of the shoots are destroyed. The soil and pot are sterilized before planting.
A number of problems can be eliminated by changing the care of the hoya. Spots on the leaves appear when there is a lack of, and sometimes an excess of light. Too slow growth, thin and depleted leaves indicate a lack of fertilizer. If the leaves turn yellow, then the room is too hot.
Usually, the hoya blooms regularly and abundantly without extra effort, but if this does not happen, you should fix the care of the plant. He needs to pick up a fairly tight pot. Wintering must be cool. A warm shower and immersion of the pot in warm water for 1.5-2 hours help to stimulate budding. When the buds appeared, you can not move the plant.
Signs and superstitions
There are so many conflicting legends around wax ivy that many gardeners are wondering: is it possible to keep a hoya at home? Some attribute it to husband plants. They say that hoya survives from the home of adult men (husbands and sons). However, there is no evidence for this. There is a reverse belief. As if to strengthen family ties, the flower must be kept in the bedroom.
Be that as it may, this exotic plant with bright greenery and unusual fragrant flowers deserves attention. If contemplation is pleasing to the owners and makes their life more comfortable, why not put the hoya on the windowsill?
