Hoya ‘Chouke’

Cultivated origin of Hoya ‘Chouke’

Emilio Begine raised Hoya ‘Chouke’ from a seed pod that formed after open pollination in his outdoor garden in Belgium in summer 1994. Hoya carnosa was the seed parent, while Hoya serpens is the inferred pollen parent. Two seedlings survived: ‘Chouke’ and ‘Mathilde’.

Care for Hoya ‘Chouke’

Light. Choose bright filtered light, sheltered from hot direct sun.

Temperature and humidity. Maintain about 16–24 °C and move the plant warmer if temperatures stay below 10 °C. A humidity level around 50–60% is suitable during routine growth. Let a small amount of air move through the foliage, during routine care.

Display and flowering. Let the pendant stems hang from a high shelf or basket, or train them on a wire loop. Keep living flower stalks after flowering, as they can flower again.

Potting mix. Use a pot with drainage holes and an airy mix, such as equal volumes of orchid bark, peat-free compost and coarse perlite.

Watering. Water when the pot feels lighter and the mix inside is only lightly moist, then drain thoroughly. The mix dries more slowly when growth slows. Check it before watering and keep the root ball from drying out completely.

Feeding. Use balanced orchid fertiliser about every two weeks during growth, at a modest dose. Suspend feeding during a complete growth pause.

Repotting. Repot once roots fill the pot, choosing a container only a few centimetres wider.

Layering. Remove the leaves from the shoot section that will sit in the compost. Peg that section into moist cuttings compost in a separate pot and leave it attached until well rooted. Separate it with a clean, sharp tool.

What to do when Hoya ‘Chouke’ has problems

• Leaf drop or blackening with persistently wet roots: Persistent wetness can damage roots. Drain trapped water and inspect roots if decline continues. If you find a small amount of root rot, use a clean, disinfected tool to cut the soft roots back to firm, healthy tissue. Throw away the rotten roots and old mix. Repot in fresh, airy mix, using a clean pot just large enough for the roots that remain. The pot must have drainage holes. If decay is widespread, wear gloves and take healthy stem cuttings above the decay with a clean, disinfected tool. Each cutting needs at least one healthy node and a firm cut end with no discolouration. Remove leaves that would touch the compost, then place a node from each cutting in fresh, lightly moist cuttings compost in a clean pot with drainage holes. Keep the remaining leaves above the compost. Choose a warm spot with indirect light and keep the compost lightly moist. Discard any rotten tissue and the old mix. Discard the plant if no healthy stems remain, and disinfect your tools afterwards.
• Shell-like bumps on stems or leaf undersides: Check that the bumps are scale insects, then isolate the plant and gently remove accessible adults. Inspect the plant weekly, including new growth, and remove any accessible adult scale insects you find. If you still find young, mobile scale insects (crawlers), choose an insecticidal soap labelled for scale on indoor ornamental plants. Test a small area first where the label allows. Follow the label for how much to use, which areas to treat, when to repeat treatment and all safety precautions.
• Fluffy wax where leaf stalks meet the stems and in crevices: Check beneath the wax for mealybugs. If you find them, isolate the plant and remove visible insects with a damp swab or tweezers. Inspect leaf undersides, stems, pot and support weekly, removing any mealybugs you find until no insects remain. If mealybugs persist, choose a product labelled for them on indoor ornamental plants. Where the label allows, test it on a small area first. Follow its directions for how much to use, how to apply it and when to repeat treatment, including all safety precautions.

Hoya ‘Chouke’ is non-toxic to people and pets

• This plant is non-toxic to people, cats and dogs.
• Chewing a large amount can still cause an upset stomach.
• If a large amount is eaten and symptoms continue, contact a veterinarian or medical professional.

How the name Hoya came about

Hoya honours the English gardener Thomas Hoy.

Robert Brown established the genus Hoya in 1810 in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, page 459.