Tropical guest in our homes compact Hoya - photo, description, the nuances of care
Hoya is one of the few climbing indoor plants that blooms at home. Her flowers are elegant, white, pink, yellowish stars, collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences.
Hoya has a compact nimbus of white color with a red center and there are about 24 flowers in inflorescence. Hoya is a real tropical vine that has penetrated indoor floriculture.
The plant began to be grown at home not so long ago, but many flower lovers and gardeners already liked it. After all, an exotic beauty has an unusual appearance and form of growth, and also smells good.
Appearance
Compact Hoya is an evergreen vine. The flowers in the form of stars are bright pink, measuring 1.5 cm in diameter, collected in an inflorescence of 15-20 pieces. Dark green foliage is fantastically twisted in the form of curls that sit firmly enough on the descending process. The sheet plate is shiny, as if covered with wax. For this characteristic, hoya is called wax ivy. Also, the plant has a gentle pleasant fragrance.
Photo
In the photo you can see what the compact Hoya looks like:
Home Care
Despite the fact that Hoya is a local resident of warm countries, she feels no less comfortable in a temperate climate.
The flower is not demanding in care and hardy enough, this is associated with its popularity.Location selection and lighting
For a room exot, it is important to immediately determine a permanent place of residence, rearrangements negatively affect it. Therefore, if the plant is developing safely, it is better not to move. To take out the hoyu in warm time on the terrace or balcony is not worth it.
Hoya perfectly tolerates the shadow, but if you want to achieve flowering, then you can not do without lighting. Preferably for the indoor flower is the presence of diffused sunlight. It is better to choose window sills from the western side. In summer, it is important to protect from the sun, otherwise the drying out of the leaves can not be avoided.
In the autumn-winter period, natural lighting is not enough, because daylight hours should last 12-15 hours. In this case, additional illumination is required, possibly a fluorescent lamp.
Temperature
During the period of active vegetation, the temperature regime is in the range of + 17-22 ° C in the summer. She is able to tolerate even higher temperatures, only plentiful watering and high humidity are needed. But in winter, the temperature should be lowered to + 12-15 ° C, at this time the indoor flower does not sleep, but does not grow. The temperature may drop to + 10 ° C, but not less.
Humidity
As already mentioned, the plant is universal, you do not need to create special parameters in the room. Even with low humidity it grows well. Water procedures will also be useful: spraying, warm shower.
It is important that water does not fall on the flowers, or you need to immediately wipe the water drops, otherwise dark spots will remain. Daily ventilation of the room is recommended.
Khoya is an unpretentious plant: if it is not often remembered, not transferred from place to place, it is rarely watered and replanted, then it will delight you with a long and plentiful flowering. That is why wax ivy can often be found in office rooms, sometimes this liana plaits the entire wall with its shoots.
Watering
A young plant is watered about 1 time in 2-3 days. The soil in the flowerpot should be wet, but not wet. But an adult is moisturized less often. Hoya tolerates drought more easily, because at the slightest lack of moisture, the root system quickly begins to decay. In the cold season, the amount of moisture is necessarily reduced. Once every 2 weeks - such watering will be enough.
Use soft, settled water for procedures without impurities and salts. Preferably warm or at room temperature.
Fertilizers and fertilizers
Fertilizing the soil for exotics is necessary in the active period, starting in March. A flower responds well to nutritious organic fertilizers, it is enough to apply them once every 30 days. Mineral preparations contribute about 2 times a month.
Typically, fertilizers for flowering plants or nutrient complexes are used. In the cold period, it is better to refuse top dressing.The soil
Hoya also has no complaints about the growth environment. A flower can and will grow in any land. But the most suitable substrate for a tropical guest should have friability, lightness and fertility. No less important are such qualities: breathability and moisture resistance. The soil is suitable for indoor palm trees or orchids.
If you want to prepare the soil yourself, the following composition of the soil mixture is suitable:
- turf land - 1 part;
- deciduous land - 1 part;
- humus - 1 part;
- coarse sand - 1/2 part.
In order to avoid liquid stagnation and decay processes, a drainage layer must certainly be at the bottom of the pot. As drainage used:
- expanded clay;
- broken brick;
- pebbles;
- fine crushed stone.
Pruning
For branching, pinch a flower after 4 leaves. New shoots grow from the root. Too long, lifeless, dry shoots are removed. Trimming for Hoya compact stimulates the emergence of new healthy shoots, and also gives a neat shape to the crown.
Watch a video on how to care for a hoya at home:
Features of outdoor care
They plant a beautiful hoya not only in pots, but also in open ground. However, for this it is preferable to choose a place without bright sunlight, in light partial shade. Abundant watering of the soil and the feeding system are also important - in such conditions, the full development of vines is possible. In the winter season, the plant is dug up, transplanted into a pot and brought into a cool room.
It is still worth taking care of backwater, then the flower will fancifully ovate them. If this event is ignored, then in the open space the shoots will spread along the ground. In landscape design, hoyu is used to decorate vertical structures, arches, arbors and terraces.
Disease
Hoya compact is an exotic flower that endures diseases. It can be said that it is practically not affected by infections. However, health problems may occur due to improper care:
- the appearance of dry foliage - the irrigation system is broken, the low temperature of the content;
- the leaves curl strongly, turn pale - cold or excess light;
- falling buds indicates a lack of lighting, moving the pot during flowering;
- if the leaves fall, it means there is hot and dry air in the room, lack of nutrients;
- suspension in growth - lack of mineral nitrogen in the soil;
- if the leaves turn yellow - this is evidence of a low temperature in the room, lack of fluid, improperly selected soil, irrigation with hard water.
The full development of hoya is prevented by harmful insects. Among them:
- mealybug;
- whitefly;
- scale shield;
- spider mite.
The latter provokes the blackness of the sheet plate. And these pests feed on the sap of the plant. As a result, the flower is exhausted, fades, dries, which is a signal of exot feeling unwell.
If such neighbors are found, each whip should be thoroughly treated with an insecticide solution.Breeding
At home, a hoya compact is bred in three main ways: by seeds, cuttings and layering.
- Seed way more theoretical, in practice it is not used at home. By virtue of its not efficiency, not productivity. Rarely enough seeds are planted in a plant, and buying them is a problem. They are expensive, and not easy to find. Also, seed has a very short shelf life.
- Cuttings considered the simplest and most effective method of reproduction. But he also has its pros and cons. Not always conditions allow the shoot to take root, or the plant is sick, depleted. Then, too, can not give any offspring. On the other hand, the Cherenkov method is simple to implement and even beginner flower growers can do. It is possible to get a new copy similar to the mother. No cash investments needed.
- Propagation by stem layering. This option does not always work. The difficulty lies in the duration of the rooting process, the formation of a new root system. However, in general it gives good results and does not cause a lot of trouble.
If we take into account that hoya is such a universal flower that grows in almost any microclimate and does not require special care, it becomes clear why the flower is so in demand. Not to mention the spectacular appearance, which will create an unusual, cozy atmosphere in any room.