As beautiful as a work of art: how to take care of the Hoya Carnosa plant
Hoya carnosa, also known as the wax plant or porcelain flower due to its wonderfully scented flowers, is a climbing plant native to the rainforests of Australia, Polynesia and southern Asia. Imported into Europe in the 19th century, it has spread throughout Italy and has achieved great popularity thanks to its beautiful flowers and heady scent. Resembling little pink pom-poms covered in a light fluff, it's impossible not to be taken in by them.
Hoya carnosa is an evergreen and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor cultivation. It flowers from its second year of life and will certainly give you a lot of joy. Let's find out together how to best take care of it to make it flourish.
Exposure, soil, watering
Being used to very hot and humid climates, this plant can be grown outside as long as the temperature does not drop below 10 degrees C - otherwise it needs to be sheltered in the winter. Its ideal temperature range is between 18 and 22 degrees C and it loves very bright places but, being used to living in the shade from canopies, its leaves darken if exposed to direct sunlight.
The soil must be well-draining as it cannot tolerate water stagnation (when this does happen, the leaves turn yellow and there is a risk of root rot developing), so the soil is best when mixed with sand or perlite.
Hoya carnosa loves humidity, so in summer it will be necessary to water it often, as much as every other day. In winter, this need for water will be considerably reduced.
Fertilizing and special care
This plant does not have special fertilization needs, but you can give it a liquid fertilizer which is rich in potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus every 15 days. The wax flower grows well in small pots, but the plant will need to be repotted every 2 years and requires pruning of the branches and dried flowers; do not remove withered stems, because they can bloom again several times during the season, which begins in spring.
The Hoya carnosa can be subject to the attack of some sap-sucking insects, but washing it with Marseille soap will eliminate all these parasites.
If your plant does not flower, it is likely that it belongs to one of the two species that does not produce flowers, or it could be due to the growing conditions: try moving it to a brighter area and misting the leaves in order to maintain good humidity.
With Hoya carnosa around, your home will immediately appear more beautiful and fragrant!
