February 14, 2019
The love for hoyas is real and alive on Valentine’s Day. The little heart-shaped leaf sitting pretty in a decorative pot makes for a super cute Valentine’s Day gift, but buyer beware. I agree the are super cute, but buying a single Hoya kerrii leaf is a far cry from an actual Hoya kerrii plant.
Today, Valentine’s Day, I was shopping at my local grocery story getting all the goodies one would want for V-day and came upon this variegated Hoya kerrii. It was sitting in a pink glass cup without drainage, on a shelf far removed from any natural light. I looked at this purchase as a plant rescue and a good opportunity to check out what was really going on under that leaf.
First step was to remove the white rock that was glued down on top of the soil. I can’t stand it when they do that. Next, using a chop stick I carefully pushed the leaf out of its cup. Not surprising, there was minimal root growth, but the beginning of what appears to be a stem. Fingers crossed that by next year, I might have an actual Hoya kerrii or at least two leaves. Time to repot.
Hoya Kerrii Care:
Light: This Hoya enjoys bright indirect light. The variegated version will take even more light than the solid green.
Soil: These plants need good draining soil. I plant my hoyas in a mix of cactus mix with a little potting soil. Water logged soil will bring root rot.
Water: These plants are drought tolerant and don’t need to be watered more than twice a month. Sometimes just once a month. Personally, I water when the soil is dry.
Growth: If you have a single leaf, I hope you are in for the long haul. Similar to the ZZ plant, the propagation is easy, but take a really long time to get the growth going. These plants are climbers so if your plant is more mature, consider training it on a hoop or pole.
Fertilizer: I recommend fertilizing in the spring. No need to go overboard as these plants are not heavy feeders.
Sweetheart Hoya Update:
February 14, 2020
It has officially been one year and unfortunately there isn’t much to report. I can tell I have new root growth, which is great, but now new growth above the soil.
Also, I now have what appears to be some leaf fungus or disease. If you have any insight into what is going on with my hoya, please leave a comment below.
If you are into plant propagation, check out this post on my ZZ plant! Happy Valentine’s Day!!
