Hoya Compacta

I hope your Hoya Carnosa Compacta Margin Variegata brings you as much joy as she brought me! I wanted to share how I have cared for her in case it might be helpful.

The Hoya Carnosa Compacta is also known as Hindu Rope (though my 7-year old calls her Curly Whirly): the reason will quickly become apparent once she starts to grow a little more. They make wonderful hanging or trailing plants and they come in three different flavours – green, inner variegation and outer/margin variegation. The reason I love the Margin Variagata is because new growth starts off with this wonderful cream and pink blush. As the leaf matures, it will fade to a green centre with a white/pink margin.

In my care, Curly Whirly has enjoyed direct sun from my south-facing window, but she will do really well in any sunny spot. She is in regular household humidity and temperature, however, try to prevent her from touching the glass in a window during winter. A daily dose of humidity will encourage faster growth but it isn’t required. 

Hoya do much better when under watered as opposed to over watered. I let her dry out completely and if in doubt, I wait a few more days. I just push a chopstick into the soil – if it comes out clean, it’s time to water. She’s also pretty good at telling you when it’s time (I LOVE plants like this) as her leaves will start to wrinkle – like when our fingers have been in water for too long J If in doubt, always wait a few days. 

You won’t need to fertilize her until the spring (there’s some slow release in her chunky soil). When you’re ready to fertilize, I recommend a balanced 10/10/10 for synthetic, and 1/1/1 or 1/2/1 for natural. I use Dirt n Grow Organic Ultra Indoor Plant – 1/2/1. I’m not affiliated with Dirt n Grow – I just like that they are Canadian and the owner is a professor of Botany so I figure he knows his stuff!

Last thing! Your Curly Whirly likes to be root bound. Repot when you see the roots coming out of the holes in the bottom of her pot and try to add some orchid bark to regular houseplant soil – Hoya roots like to grab onto something.

Oh, really last thing! Hoya sometimes put out long vines. They will look dead (dry) but don’t be tempted to cut them off, that’s either where new growth will come OR blooms will start. Hoya have the most delicate and fragrant blooms.

I’ve never had bugs (bar a few fungus gnats) – touch wood! but I always recommend keeping new plants away from your others for a few weeks.

 

Reach out anytime 

Toni @quirkylemon.com