How Long Do Hoya Flowers Last? Making the Most of your Blooms
You did it! You finally got your Hoya to flower – and what a sight it is. Hoya blooms are a coveted reward for all the hard work and care you invested into your Hoya plant. But how long do Hoya flowers last?
How long can you appreciate these bunches of porcelain flowers? The answer depends on two factors:
- the variety of Hoya you have, and
- your current growing conditions for your Hoya plant.
We’ll dive into these two factors in more detail in the next section of this article. We will also discuss the ideal conditions to encourage your Hoyas to grow flowers, and general maintenance when your Hoya does finally bloom.
So grab a cup of tea, and let’s get your Hoya on!
How Long do Hoya Flowers Last?
Once again, congratulations on getting your Hoya plant to flower. Hoyas can be notoriously stubborn when it comes to flowering, so it is an achievement that should be celebrated. But for how long?
Let’s look at the factors that will determine how long your Hoya flowers will last.
Growing Conditions
How and where you keep your Hoya plants can influence the length that the flowers will stay in bloom.
We know it is stating the obvious, but it needs to be said. Hoya flowers will not last long in less than desirable conditions, like under watering your Hoya or in poor light conditions.
It’s simply a matter of survival. Without the basic necessities like water, light and food, your Hoya will sacrifice its flowers and divert the energy into saving the main plant.
That said, a Hoya will generally not flower if the conditions are not favorable. So you must have been doing something right!
So, once you get over your initial excitement of seeing your Hoya flowers, make sure you maintain your husbandry responsibilities. Pay attention to the main Hoya plant and ensure it is getting everything that it needs to stay healthy and happy.
More on how to care for your flowering Hoya plant below.
Species of Hoya
One factor beyond your control is the pre-programmed expiry of your Hoya’s flower expiration. Different Hoya varieties will flower for different durations.
Hoya varieties that have short-lived blossoming durations include varieties like the Hoya, Hoya Lacunosa, Hoya Incrassata, Hoya MacGillivrayi and the Hoya Imperialis. Make sure you take some photos and take in their beautiful sweet fragrance, because you can expect to enjoy these for less than a week.
Whereas, Hoyas that enjoy periods of flowering for up to a couple of weeks are varieties like Hoya Kenetiana, Hoya Odettiae, Hoya Kerrii and Multiflora.
If you want to enjoy a blossoming Hoya plant for periods longer than a few days, we recommend doing a bit of research on the type of Hoya you add to your collection.
Hoyas and their Blooms
Without a doubt, Hoyas are popular amongst the gardening community due to their ease of care and the beautiful blossoms they showcase when they mature.
The flowers are unique looking and send off mesmerizing fragrances that can fill a room.
Let’s now learn a bit more about Hoya flowers and how to encourage them to bloom.
When do Hoyas Flower?
In general, most Hoya varieties will flower during the warmer months of the year. Given Hoyas can be found on different continents around the world, the months that you can expect to see blooms will change.
There are however, some varieties that actually blossom in the cooler months of the year, like the
Why won’t my Hoya Bloom?
There could be a number of reasons why you may be struggling to get your Hoya to flower.
- Your Hoya may be immature. Hoyas don’t send out flowers until they have fully matured. For some Hoyas, that could be a period of 5 – 7 years. Yes, you read correctly. If you have a juvenile plant, you could wait half a decade before you can smell those sweet sweet flowers.
- Conditions aren’t right. As we mentioned earlier, Hoyas are picky when it comes to flowering. They will only send out flowers when they are happy and thriving. And even if they do send out a flower, if conditions aren’t ideal, the flower will be short-lived. If your Hoya is mature and still refusing to bloom, we recommend checking out some of our Hoya care guides to learn how to care for your specific Hoya variety in the correct way.
Hoya General Care and Maintenance
Hoya is a tropical plant that thrives around ground level of the tropical forests. Some tropical plants are high maintenance, but the good news is Hoyas are the opposite. They are easy plants to care for. Here are some of the general care and maintenance requirements for Hoyas.
Lighting
Given Hoyas originate around tropical regions, it doesn’t surprise us that they like plenty of bright light. However, like most plants that you keep indoors, you do not want to expose them to direct sunlight for long periods. It can lead to other issues, like leaf burn and a lack of moisture and water.
Position them in a location that receives bright indirect light. They will tolerate dappled morning or evening sunlight.
Temperature & Humidity Levels
As you may have gathered, Hoyas prefer warm temperatures of 60-80° F (15-26° C). And much like their countries of origin, they like humid conditions that are between 60-80%.
Some Hoyas do survive in cooler and drier climates, but they are more of an exception than the norm.
Water Requirements
Hoyas need to be watered regularly during their growing season (usually spring and summer). We recommend allowing the top of the soil to dry, before topping your Hoya up with water. We like to use the soil finger test in the top inch of soil to confirm if your Hoya needs more water. It is a reliable test that ensures you don’t overwater your plants.
Growing Medium and Supplements
Hoya plants love light, aerated soil that has good water retention properties.
A good potting soil mix of coco coir or peat moss, perlite and vermiculite is ideal for growing Hoya plants. You can use our recipe for indoor plant potting mix to create your very own Hoya soil.
Like most other indoor plants, we do recommend mixing through slow release fertilizer for your Hoya to help provide the necessary nutrients and minerals for your plant.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section we attempt to answer all your ‘other’ questions that may not be addressed in our article How Long Do Hoya Flowers Last.
Keep in mind, if you don’t find an answer to your question, please send us a message via our CONTACT page. We will endeavor to respond with a timely answer, and include it in our growing FAQ section below.
How often does a Hoya plant bloom?
The frequency and number of times a Hoya will bloom in a year will vary depending on the variety of Hoya. If conditions are kept at an optimal level, some Hoyas will blossom throughout the year. Whereas, other Hoyas will only flower at particular times of the year (warmer or cooler months).
How do you keep a Hoya blooming?
If you want to prolong the flowering event of your Hoyas, then keeping your Hoya happy is priority number one. Inline with our care instructions above, keep your Hoya in a position that receives adequate light, feed them regularly, and keep it hydrated.
Failure to keep these three things in check may trigger your Hoya plant to sacrifice its showy flowers, as it may feel threatened and go into survival mode.
What do you do after Hoya flowers?
Keeping up with your husbandry responsibilities to maintain a healthy and vibrant Hoya plant will ensure that you plant is ready to put on a show for years to come.
DO NOT cut your flowers off, as they will naturally drop off when they have finished and died. Moreover, if your plant stays happy, it should reproduce flowers in the exact same spot as it did in previous years.
Which hoyas blooms the most?
If you want to find the shortest path possible to enjoy some Hoya blooms, we recommend picking up a Hoya Obovata.
It is, by far, the fastest growing Hoya (in our experience). They will tend to bloom once the plant is 2 – 3 years old, which is less than halve that of other varieties that can take 5 – 7 years before showing flowers.
If you supplement your Hoya Obovata with feedings twice a month, and allow it to become root bound, you are more likely to see blooms developing sooner.