Hoya Lacunosa – Ultimate Grow & Care Guide

Among 200-300 Hoya varieties, Hoya lacunosa is highly sought-after for its easy care and effortless cinnamon-like scented flowers.

But that is not all! To keep your fragrant Hoya lacunosa live long and endlessly offer luscious aesthetics, read till the end of the article.

Overview of Hoya Lacunosa

Hoya Lacunosa hails its fragrant, aesthetic beauty from the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia.

They are commonly grown for sweet, cinnamon or honey-like scented white or light pink flowers.

Hoya Lacunosa: Ultimate Grow & Care Guide

Comparatively, Hoya lacunosa is more accessible to care for than other Hoya plants as they can flourish without much effort.

Yet to encourage vigorous flowering and growth, aim to mimic the natural habitat-like season

1. Sunlight & Temperature

Hoya lacunosa prefers to sit in a room with access to bright indirect sunlight and the warmth of 68-77°F to sustain waxy foliage.

But beware of extended exposure to direct sunlight as it can scorch the leaves due to rapid dehydration.

On the contrary, low light and cold temperature (<50°F) can stunt plant growth and results in yellowing, curling and drooping leaves.

Moreover, improper sunlight and temperature greatly influence flowering, so facilitating grow lights, heat pads and frost blankets is ideal.

2. Water & Humidity

Hoya lacunosa is a drought-tolerant houseplant that thrives in relatively higher humidity (>60%).

Remember, underwatered Hoya lacunosa often exhibit signs like yellowing, wilting and droopy, dry, brittle leaves with brown tips that eventually drop.

Meanwhile, overwatered Hoya with consistently high humidity has yellowing leaves alongside soft, mushy stems and root rots.

Thus use a flexible watering routine per varying environmental factors and always let the top inches of soil dry before watering.

Moreover, use a moisture meter or chopsticks to inspect the moisture content of the soil to water accordingly.

Likewise, incorporate bottom watering with a pebble tray or huddle plants to boost humidity.

Note: Avoid placing plants near the heating appliances to avoid severe low humidity condition that results in curling, wrinkled, crispy dry leaves.

3. Soil & Fertilizer

Hoya lacunosa is susceptible to root rot, so use well-draining, nutrient-rich soil of pH 6.1-6.5 with medium water retention.

But refrain from feeding plants in winter to avoid overfertilization issues that result in leaf discoloration with brown spots.

Furthermore, excess fertilizer causes salt buildup that can choke roots and induce chemical burns.

Thus, dilute the fertilizer to half-strength using water before adding it to the Hoya lacunosa.

Otherwise, use slow-release fertilizer every three months in spring and summer.

4. Potting & Repotting

Hoya lacunosa stays put in the same clay or terracotta pots for over two years without needing to repot.

Besides that, repotting could be the only resort to salvage plants suffering from fungal diseases like Phomposis and Black Sooty Mold.

Remember, these problems often appear on Hoya lacunosa flowers and are brought on by prolonged high humidity.

In such peril, remove the infected parts, use fungicides to reduce fungal infections and carefully repot the plant in a sterilized pot.

To lower the repot stress, thoroughly water the plant before repotting and use a pot 2″ larger than the current one in summer or spring.

5. Light Pruning

Unlike other houseplants, Hoya lacunosa does not require regular pruning to produce prominent flowers.

Also, when common pests invade the plant, you must prune off the infested parts to control and treat the spread.

Some common pests that trouble Hoya lacunosa are red spider mites, mealybugs and aphids.

Manually remove the pests using cotton balls dipped in isopropyl alcohol and thoroughly apply neem oil or pesticides.

While pruning, focus on snipping off leggy stems and irregular growths to give the plant desired shape.

Note: Refrain from pruning flowering Hoya lacunosa and deadhead entirely spent flowers only to avoid flowering delay in the next season.

Huya Lacunosa: All About Growth

Hoya lacunosa is a slow-growing plant that goes naturally into a semi-dormant stage in the winter without shedding leaves but stays stunted.

Under excellent care, they actively unfurl new leaves in spring and summer and can grow up to 2-4 feet tall.

Furthermore, leaves feature prominent dark green veins that are slightly elevated, making leaves appear wavy.

On the other hand, Hoya lacunosa also produces clusters of prized cinnamon-scented white flowers on top of long stalks in summer and spring.

Each Hoya lacunosa flower has a small ball of white center with a yellow, red or purple outline depending upon the Hoya variety.

However, the cluster is only visible in mature flowers and does not open in juvenile flowers.

Toxicity of Hoya Lacunosa

According to the ASPCA, all Hoya species are non-toxic to dogs and cats, so Hoya lacunosa is also a safe houseplant.

Therefore, avoid unpleasant events by keeping the Hoya lacunosa away from pets and kids.

Ideally, place the plant in safe locations such as high shelves and enclosed areas children or pets cannot easily reach.

Also, use protective gear like gloves and glasses while handling the plant to avoid skin irritation.

If you suspect houseplant poisoning in pets, seek help from these helplines.

• Pet Poison Helpline : (855) 764-7661
• American Association of Poison Control Centers: (800) 222-1222

Propagating Hoya Lacunosa

The best method to propagate Hoya lacunosa is via stem cuttings and seeds in the active growing season.

Stem cutting is the preferred method amongst gardeners due to the easy steps with a higher success rate in a short time.

Now, without further ado, let us dive into the Hoya lacunosa propagation steps.

1. Propagating Via Stem Cuttings

In the stem-cutting method, you can choose whether to root cutting directly in the soil or the water.

Nonetheless, pick a healthy stem with few leaves and remove the lower leaves to expose the plant nodes.

• Ensure the stem cutting is at least 4-6 inches long.
• Dip the cut end of the stem into a rooting hormone to boost the rooting process.
• Rooting in Soil: Plant the cutting in a fresh potting mix (sphagnum moss and perlite).
• Thoroughly water the soilmix to keep it moist but not soggy using spray bottles.
• Place the cutting in bright, indirect sunlight and maintain temperature at 70-80°F with humidity at 60-80%.
• Within two to three weeks, stem cutting should have new root sprouts.
• Rooting in Water: Submerge the cut ends of cutting in a jar full of water and rooting hormone.
• Ensure none of the leaves are touching and only cut ends with exposed nodes are submerged.
• Within 2-3 weeks, new root sprouts should be visible. Once new roots are over an inch long, transplant the cutting to a new pot.

Pro Tip: Try mimicking a mini plant greenhouse by covering the cutting pot with a clear wrapper to maintain humidity at an ideal level. 

2. Propagating Via Seeds

Hoya lacunosa can be propagated via seeds but is not preferred as it takes a long time and demands conscientious care.

Furthermore, the Hoya lacunosa seed germination rate is low. Thus, if you plan for seed propagation, ensure the seeds are fresh and new.

• Sow the Hoya seeds by sprinkling them on top of a well-draining seed starter mix.
• Lightly cover the seeds with soilmix and mist the substrate to moisten it.
• Place the seed tray in a bright, warm room with relatively higher humidity.
• Depending on the seeds’ viability, seed germination can take several weeks to months.
• Once you notice root sprouts on the seeds, transplant them into separate pots and proceed with regular Hoya lacunosa care.

FAQs About Hoya Lacunosa

Is Hoya lacunosa the same as krohniana?

No, Hoya lacunosa and krohniana are two separate species of Hoya plants. Hoya lacunosa produces clusters of small flowers, while krohniana has larger, more showy flowers.

What does Hoya lacunosa smell like?

Hoya lacunosa has fragrant blooms with a sweet, fruity smell with a hint of spice, and many often describe it as reminiscent of cloves or cinnamon.