Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 12:08 pm
Hoya vitellina is a hoya with unusual-looking leaves that look like they have been woven together. They grow in tropical climates and can be found in China, India, and Malaysia. The hoya family of plants are known for their thick leaves and the hoya vitellina has some of the widest leaves on record.
Hoya vitellina plants are one of the most popular hoyas because they can be found in a wide range of colors. They are a fairly new hoya that has taken hoya enthusiasts by storm!
The hoya hortensis, hoya vitellina, hoya speciosa and hoya brunnea are all examples of hoyas that belong to the family Apocynaceae, which is characterized by flowers with five petals and a three-lobed corolla; they are native to Asia and Africa.
The hoya plant has been cultivated in China since at least 400 AD. They can be found growing on trees or as epiphytes on other plants; these types of hoyas will grow on rocks or walls if they cannot find anything else to cling onto.
Origin and description
Hoya vitellina is a thin, perennial hoya plant. It was first discovered in the Philippines and only small amounts have been exported since then because of its rarity. hoya vitellina has thick green leaves that are oblong with non-serrated edges. The hoya flowers come from short stalks and the flower is a thin tube with yellow petals and dark red spots. hoya vitellina can be grown in hanging pots or as ground cover depending on how it’s pruned to shape its growth pattern.
Hoya vitellina is a hoya found in the Philippines. It was first discovered by Rev. William Russell, an English missionary to Manila who collected plants for his personal garden and sent some seeds back to England where they were sold at Mr. Bull’s seed shop near Charing Cross Road in London on 17 November 1824. Hoya vitellina was also known as hoya carnosa f. rubra by Mr Bull due to its flower colour, but the hoya has since been reclassified to hoya vitellina.
Hoya vitellina propagation
Hoya vitellina is easily propagated by cuttings. Cut a healthy stem about half an inch below where the leaf joins to the stem, remove leaves from part of one side until you see bare woody stems underneath; this will encourage rooting along those parts.
Dip into or paint on some root-promoting hormone (Hormex is one brand) and plant it in a shallow, wide pot filled with moist sphagnum moss or seed starting mix. Keep the pot in a warm, bright spot but out of direct sunlight until new leaves appear; then move into indirect light for another month before you accustom your plant to moving outdoors.
Hoyas are best rooted by cuttings rather than division because they have a difficult time recovering from being moved or divided. Simply take a cutting of the stem with some roots attached and place it in some moist soil until it shows signs of new growth.
Hoya vitellina care
Hoya vitellina is not a difficult hoya to grow, but you will still need to be aware of its specific conditions (light, temperature, humidity) and provide them for it properly in order for your plant to thrive.
Hoya vitellina is a tropical species that require moist air and warm temperatures. It can be grown in a hanging basket to allow the vines to cascade over the edge of the container, or as a tabletop plant if it’s given proper support. The grafted forms are easier to grow than seed-grown plants. They will grow well in a hanging basket with the same type of care that is required for other vines, such as passion flower or jasmine.
Light requirements
Hoya vitellina is a low light plant with medium to high humidity. It can be grown indoors or outdoors in partial shade, but will produce the best results when given bright indirect sunlight and good air circulation.
Soil/potting mix
Hoya vitellina can be grown in a potting mix consisting of peat and sand, or any other soil conditioner. It should not require repotting, but if you feel it is necessary, try to use the least amount of new material possible as hoyas do not appreciate highly organic soil mixes.
The best option for growing hoya vitellina is in an open, but well-draining potting mix consisting of bark with some granulated charcoal and perlite added to aerate the soil slightly. This will help prevent root rot while still keeping the medium moist. Good drainage is always important when dealing with any succulent plant.
Hoya vitellina can also be grown in a straight perlite mix as well, but will require more frequent watering and misting because it has such thick leaves (which reduces water transpiration).
Watering and misting
Hoya vitellina should be watered thoroughly and then allowed to dry out before watering again. It can tolerate a wider range of water conditions than most hoyas, but will produce the best results when given infrequent deep waterings rather than many shallow ones (over-watering is one of the main causes for root rot with hoyas).
Misting frequency will depend on both the humidity and temperature of your location, but should be done at least once a day to keep the plant from drying out. In areas with high humidity or cool temperatures, more misting may be required. Make sure that all leaves are covered in water droplets after each watering/misting, or else the plant may not be able to absorb water properly.
Fertilizer
Hoya vitellina will respond well to fertilizers high in potassium (such as 30-11-13), but it’s best to use them lightly and infrequently rather than frequently since hoyas only need small amounts of fertilizer. It is usually better to err on the side of too little fertilizer, especially with hoyas because they become easily burned. A small amount of fertilizer every month or two will be plenty for this plant, depending on the concentration of your chosen fertilizer and how often you apply it.
Temperature and humidity
Hoya vitellina is a tropical plant and should be kept at temperatures above 60°F, but will tolerate colder conditions for short periods. In areas with low humidity or high heat/sunlight, mist the leaves every day to keep them from drying out too much. And ideal humidity range is 50-70%.
If it is being grown indoors, place the plant in an area where there are other houseplants to help give off moisture. This will also help with humidity levels.
Pruning
Pruning is not necessary for hoya vitellina, but if you do want to prune your plant, it can be done at any time.
If the plant is too tall for your liking (they can get quite bushy), then prune off any stems that are taking up space, or cut a few inches from the bottom if you would like to keep all of the stems at about the same height.
When to repot
Hoya vitellina can stay in its original pot for quite some time before it will need to be repotted. If you feel the soil has become too compact, or if roots are coming out of drainage holes at the bottom, then this is usually a sign that it’s ready to move up into a larger container.
If possible try to wait until the plant has started to grow again before repotting, but if you feel it’s necessary, then do so in early spring when new growth is starting. Use a pot no larger than one size up from the last container and make sure there are lots of drainage holes at the bottom for good air circulation (hoyas don’t like to be kept moist).
Then, water thoroughly after potting. Do not use any type of fertilizer until the plant has shown signs of new growth, which may take several weeks or months depending on how large your plant is.
Dormancy
Hoya vitellina does not go through a dormancy period like most hoyas, so you don’t need to do anything different with it in the winter months. It will grow all year round as long as it has enough humidity and temperatures are above 60°F (and is healthy of course).
If your plant starts looking a little sad, you can try giving it a shorter day length to stimulate new growth, but other than that there is nothing special you need to do for this plant in the winter.
Flowers & Fragrance
Hoya vitellina will sometimes produce small, white flowers that hang down like bells and smell like grape bubblegum. However, these can be infrequent and generally don’t appear until the plant is several years old (if at all).
If you want to increase your chances of getting more blooms, then give your hoya a slightly shorter day length (make it 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness) in the late winter/early spring.
This will help prompt new growth, especially if you don’t have enough natural sunlight or humidity for your plant to do so on its own. This is also a good time to fertilize because hoyas are growing quickly at this time of year and need all the nutrients they can get.
Growth rate
Hoya vitellina will grow quickly in the spring and summer but slows down considerably once fall begins. This is natural for hoyas so it isn’t much you can do to increase your plant’s growth rate except keep it healthy by providing good conditions (sufficient sunlight/humidity) and fertilizing regularly with a balanced fertilizer that contains micronutrients.
Toxicity
Hoya vitellina is not poisonous to cats, dogs or humans.
USDA Hardiness Zones
Hoya vitellina is hardy in USDA zones 11-12.
Pests and diseases
Hoya vitellina is not prone to many pests and diseases, but occasionally you may see mealybugs or scale on your plant.
These can both be treated with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol (to kill the bugs) or by applying an insecticidal soap specifically for horticultural use.
However, if this doesn’t fix the problem or your plant becomes too unsightly, then it’s best to throw away the affected parts and start over with a new cutting.
Hoya vitellina is quite hardy as far as hoyas go, but if you’re having problems with rot either from excess water or lack of light/humidity, then this is usually a sign that your plant needs to be repotted in fresh soil.
Conclusion
Hoya vitellina is a relatively easy plant to grow and maintain in the home, making it an excellent choice for novice or experienced growers alike.
If you’re looking for a compact hoya that’s not too fussy, then this may be just what you’ve been searching for!
