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Hoya Rosita: 10 Best Tips For Plant Growing & Caring

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In general, Hoya Rosita is a gorgeous combination of Hoya wayetii and tsangii. It is a member of the Asclepiadaceae family and is native to Southeast Asia and Australia.

Similar to the majority members of the Hoya family, Hoya Rosita is epiphytic in its natural habitat, meaning it grows on other plants in nature.

It is a popular houseplant choice because its trailing vines and gorgeous flowers would embellish a charming appearance to cozy homes.

Hoya Rosita
Hoya Rosita via Facebook

If you’re curious about this beautiful plant, this article will provide comprehensive information and some golden tips for caring for your Hoya Rosita. So, don’t miss out!

Hoya Rosita: An Overview

  • Common name: Hoya
  • Scientific name: Hoya Rosita
  • Family: Asclepiadaceae
  • Origin: Southeast Asia or Australia
  • Zones: USDA Zones 10-11
  • Growth habit: Trailing, vining, can grow up to 3m (9’9″)
  • Care level: Easy
  • Characteristics: 
    • Foliages: Narrow, plump, glossy leaves with distinct maroon lining on edge. 
    • Flowers: When stressed by sun exposure, the plant will produce clusters of brick-red flowers with a slight fragrance.
    • A mature specimen can appear in red flower clusters with yellow tips.
  • Toxicity: Hoya Rosita is regarded as non-toxic to humans and pets. Therefore, you can place the plant where you want without fretting about poisoning your pets or kids.

10 Valuable Tips For Growing And Caring Hoya Rosita

Although Hoya Rosita is an easy-to-care houseplant, providing the plant with essentials is necessary. So, follow this hassle-free guide to grow and preserve the beauty of the plant. 

However, you can personalize the recommendations depending on your preference and the plant’s situation. 

1. Soil

Hoya Rosita grows best in high-quality and well-draining soil that contains plenty of organic matter to encourage drainage. 

2. Lighting

Although Hoya Rosita can tolerate direct sunlight, the best way to ensure a healthy and straight plant is to locate the plant in bright and indirect sunlight to lower the possibility of burning or dropping leaves.

Additionally, it’s suggested to use blinds or sheer curtains on the window to minimize the intense sunlight coming into contact with the plant.

Bonus, place the plant near a south-facing window to enhance the growth rate. 

Hoya Rosita 3
Hoya Rosita via Reddit

3. Temperature

The Hoya Rosita plant often thrives in the temperature range from 65-80°F that is similar to its natural tropical climate. Also, since Hoya cannot withstand freezing temperatures, keep the plant above 55°F so as not to stunt its growth.

Noteworthy, it’s vital to pay attention to the plant when keeping it indoors to prevent drafts or cold breezes. Moreover, avoid leaving it in a place with air conditioning.

4. Humidity

Hoya Rosita often prefers high humidity between 40% and 60%. However, due to its thick, waxy leaves, it can absorb water through its root system and stand lower humidity without potential issues.

Although it often doesn’t require additional humidity, you can raise the humidity level in several ways below:

  • Humidifier: Using a humidifier is the most effective way to boost moisture during the winter months. Plus, the humidifier allows you to regulate a more constant humidity level around the plant.
  • Mist: Misting the plant and the air around in the winter or when your surrounding humidity is extremely dry. This increases moisture and reduces the risk of overwatering the plant. Besides, mist in the morning or evening allows the plant to absorb water effectively.
  • Pebble tray: Putting the plant on a tray with pebbles, add adequate water so that pebbles almost submerge at the surface. This way, when the water in the tray evaporates, it naturally increases the humidity around the plant.

5. Watering

When it comes to watering, water Hoya appropriately since the plant doesn’t need abundant water to survive.

Ensure water only when the top layer of the soil is dry in summer and reduce water in winter. This is because summertime is the active growing season of Hoya, so it requires more hydration to boost development. Besides, the soil tends to dry faster in a warm climate.

Also, allow the soil to dry out between watering sessions because the plant cannot tolerate wet roots. 

6. Fertilizer

Since Hoya is a light feeder, it doesn’t need much fertilizer. It just requires fertilizer to supplement the soil’s nutrients. Hence, avoid feeding the plant more than it needs to not damage the roots.

The ideal time to feed Hoya is during its peak growing cycle (spring to early or mid-fall). Make sure not to add fertilizer during winter so the plant can take a break when the cold weather arrives.

7. Propagation 

The Hoya Rosita can be propagated easily with stem cuttings. To do this, follow some advice below:

  • Cut a healthy stem with at least two or three leaves. The stem should be about 3 to 6 inches long. 
  • Remove leaves from the lower stem, so the nodes appear.
  • Once done, submerge the cutting in water and leave it in a place that receives bright, indirect light and warm temperature.

It should take about 3 to 6 weeks for the roots to grow. Once the roots develop to at least 1-2 inches long, the plant can be relocated into a pot with fresh soil.

8. Transplantation

In general, Hoya Rosita is often required to be repotted after 2 or 3 years. Hence, you should only move it to a larger container in case it doubles in size and the roots begin to come out from the bottom.

Hoya Rosita 4
Hoya Rosita via Reddit
  • Get rid of the old potting mix and prepare a new pot that is one size larger than the old one and has suitable drainage holes.
  • Carefully remove Hoya Rosita from the container.
  • Check any sign of root rot, pests, damage.
  • Clean, disinfect the new pot and fill it with fresh soil. 
  • Put a drip tray under the pot to retain excess water.

Bonus: 

  • While an oversized pot may hold excess water beneath the container and dip the roots, a too-small pot could stunt growth. Therefore, selecting the correct pot size is vital for the plant’s growth and avoiding pests.
  • Consider repotting Hoya Rosita since it prefers to spend its life in one pot.

9. Pests

Pests, particularly mealybug, are impactful threats to Hoya Rosita. Mealybug is a tiny, cottony creature that can be spotted on the underside of leaves. It often overgrows in population and becomes the most significant pest that infests Hoya Rosita.

Therefore, it’s critical to examine the leaves regularly and notice pests. If any pest is present, isolate the plant immediately and treat the bugs thoroughly to prevent issues from escalating.

You can wipe off insects with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol or spray them off in a sink or a bathtub with lukewarm water. You can also use neem oil or horticultural oil spray to remove threatening pests effectively.

10. Diseases

Although stem and root diseases tend not to occur, they can emerge when overwatering. It is noteworthy that fighting with both problems is challenging since they are likely to spread and destroy several roots.

Once this happens, affected roots may not get enough water and nutrients from the soil and eventually fall off the plant and die. Thus, black, mushy, or smelly roots need to be pruned off with sterile pruning shears.

Hence, avoid overwatering at all costs, so stem and root diseases do not have the chance to threaten the plant. 

If the problem worsens, repotting the plant into a well-draining pot is vital to bring the plant back to life. Again, make sure the pot contains various drainage holes and is large enough to hold the stems. Then, water the soil thoroughly, dry off the remaining water, and continue to care for the plant properly.

FAQs

1. How do I know if the Hoya plant is dying?

If you detect that the leaves of Hoya Rosita are wilting, yellowing, browning that drop off prematurely, it means that the plant is not provided with adequate water or humidity.

Besides, possible factors like light, soil, pests, and diseases may be the culprit of the Hoya plant dying. Also, check the plant carefully to find out possible root rot or mealybugs symptoms.

2. How to get a Hoya plant to flower?

Light is undoubtedly the most crucial factor to get a Hoya to bloom. Therefore, place the plant in a spot about 3 feet from bright, indirect sunlight during the day to promote Hoya flowers. Additionally, give the plant additional artificial light and fertilizer to speed up the process.

However, it is worth noting that the plant needs to reach its mature stage to bloom. This means you have to wait nearly 2 years for the young plant to flower.


The Bottom Line

This is the end of the post. Optimistically, after reading a complete guide and several precious pieces of information on Hoya Rosita, you are now able to prepare to enjoy a new plant in your house. Also, you can start to practice taking care of the Hoya plant with ease.

Although Hoya Rosita can withstand unfavorable conditions and neglect, it’s recommended to provide the plant with sufficient water, light, soil, temperature, and fertilizer to ensure its healthy and fresh development year-round.