Hoyas are popular houseplants that have impressive glossy foliage. The leaves can be green or variegated with hints of cream or pink, and these houseplants are almost effortless to maintain. Hoya are definitely easy-care plants that often do best with some degree of neglect. If stunning foliage and minimum care requirements weren’t enough — Hoya flower. Hoya are lovely plants without flowers but are even more impressive when blooming. Find out what your plants need to bloom.
Flower Requirements
Only mature Hoya flower, so don’t be worried if your plant hasn’t bloomed. The time may not be right. Hoya plants may need to reach 5 or 7 years of age before they can bloom. Houseplants only set flowers if the conditions are similar to what they would experience in nature. Hoya are native to tropical and subtropical areas, so they do not need a full-on rainforest experience, but sunlight and other factors need to be ideal for the plant to set flowers.
Some Hoyas simply do not bloom. Many of them do, but some plants will not flower, no matter what. It can be disappointing if your Hoya is of a type that doesn’t set flowers, but you still have a lovely plant with stellar foliage.
Hoya Flower
Hoya blooms are tiny and star-shaped. The flowers are typically white and have a bold eye that stands out. Dainty flowers bloom in ball-shaped clusters, known as inflorescence, creating an impressive showing. Hoya blooms don’t just look lovely, but they also have a sweet scent. Most Hoya flowers have a fragrance similar to cinnamon or vanilla, and the scent is often more pronounced in the evening.
Hoya Bloom Cycle
Plants have a natural cycle for flowers, growth, and rest. Hoya flower in the spring and summer, while some cultivars bloom in the fall. The plant’s natural rhythm may detour from this cycle because the conditions in a home are very consistent. Generally, expect your Hoya to bloom when the weather warms up, and there is more available sunlight.
How long the flowers last depends on the cultivar. Fast-blooming Hoya plants, like Hoya Incrassata, Hoya Imperialis, and Hoya Lacunosa, will have flowers for about one week. The Hoya Kenetiana and Hoya Kerrii can bloom for several weeks at a time.
How to Care for Hoya
Plants only set flowers when they are happy and healthy; everything has to go well for buds to appear. Hoya plant care is critical for the plant to bloom. Get back to the basics of plant care if you want to encourage your Hoya to flower.
Light Needs for Hoya
Bright indirect light is necessary for Hoyas. These plants like sunny conditions, but direct sunlight may burn the foliage. Choose a spot that consistently receives lots of light, like a south-facing window. Plants will not bloom if they receive limited light.
How to Water Hoya
Hoya need water when the soil is dry. A solid watering routine is essential to a healthy plant, and a plant must be healthy to bloom. Hoyas prefer fewer, deeper waterings compared to frequent, light watering.
When the soil is dry, and your Hoya needs a drink, drench the potting mix until excess water drains through the pot. Saturate the soil in all areas to ensure the potting mix and the roots are wet. It’s best to water plants over a sink.
When to Fertilize Hoya
Properly fed Hoyas are more likely to bloom. Balanced fertilizer is a good choice for Hoyas, but if you want to increase the odds of your plant flowering, give your Hoya a fertilizer high in phosphorus. Fertilizers high in phosphorus will have a ratio of 2-3-1 or 15-30-15. Phosphorus helps plants establish strong root systems and flower. Apply a phosphorus-rich fertilizer in the spring when the plant begins to grow actively. You can switch to a balanced fertilizer after flowering is complete.
Tips to Get Hoya to Bloom
Set your plant up for success by following the care requirements. Take your plant care to the next level and encourage Hoya flower by following these tips.
- Keep the plant in the same spot
- Let the plant become rootbound
- Pinch back growth in later winter
Sit Tight
Hoya easily become acclimated and comfortable, and they do not always respond well to being moved. Encourage your Hoya to bloom by leaving it in the same spot. This tip is only effective if you have a good location for your plant. You’ll know your plant is happy in its spot if it is actively growing and not showing signs of stress.
Each situation is unique, so it can be hard to dial in on the exact issue preventing a plant from blooming. While Hoyas like consistency and should be kept in the same spot, the plant will not bloom if it isn’t receiving enough light. Moving the plant may be necessary for Hoyas in low light to flower.
Rootbound
Hoya likes the confines of a well-fitting container. Hoya flower when the roots do not have much space to spread out. Allowing the plant to be rootbound to encourage flowering is a careful balance because, eventually, the plant will need a bigger space. Fortunately, these plants are slow growers, so it takes a while to outgrow a container.
Plan to repot Hoyas every few years, although the plant is more likely to bloom leading up to it being repotted. Repot Hoya plants when they are actively growing, but wait until the plant is done blooming. Remember, these plants like consistency, so repotting may throw it off and prevent flowers from appearing. You also want to give the plant plenty of time to settle into its new container before it is due to flower again next spring.
Prune
A well-timed pruning may help the Hoya flower. Prune or pinch back the stems in later winter or very early spring. Hoyas are dormant during the winter and actively grow in the spring. Pruning the plant right before it starts to grow actively will force the Hoya to stop putting energy into foliage production, which may be enough to encourage flowers.
Removing the flowers after the plant is done blooming may encourage another flush of flowers later in the growing season. Gently brush the flowers away from the plant when they start to fade. Do not remove the peduncle or the stem that produces the flowers. Hoyas will produce flowers from the same peduncle year after year, so removing it will prevent future flowers.
Enjoy Hoya Blooms
Hoyas are easy-care plants, and you can help your Hoya flower with some slight encouragement. Focus on basic plant care, and pay attention to how the plant responds. Any sign of stress indicates that something isn’t right and may mean the plant will not set flower buds. Helping a plant bloom is a long game. Hoyas need months and possibly years of consistently good care to bloom, so be patient, and before you know it, you’ll be rewarded with lovely flowers.