Hoya glabra ‘Splash’

Origin and background of Hoya glabra ‘Splash’

‘Splash’ is a cultivated silver-marked form of Hoya glabra. The species is a large wet-forest epiphyte native to Sumatra and northern to north-western Borneo.

Care for supported epiphytic vines

• Light around the foliage: Tie the runner so its growing point faces the brighter side of the trellis. Give opening leaves bright diffuse light; concentrated afternoon sun can leave permanent pale burns across the silvered surface.
• Watering: Water thoroughly after the upper section has dried well. The pot will need water less often when light levels or temperatures reduce growth.
• Root care and watering: Use coarse bark and mineral particles with enough fine material to hold limited moisture around the roots. Choose an airy substrate that resists compaction with modest moisture retention.
• Temperature and airflow: Shield the broad silver-marked foliage from cold draughts and direct heat. A soft expanding blade is easily damaged against cold glass where condensation lingers.
• Feeding: Use a low-strength complete fertiliser while the broad leaves develop. Pause fertiliser while the container is cold or saturated.

Common issues with Hoya glabra ‘Splash’

• The pot smells sour and the large silver-marked leaves begin to soften: The centre of the mix has collapsed and lost the air spaces roots need. Remove the pot and examine the roots without delay. Remove all decay, wash the pot and renew the collapsed substrate with a coarse free-draining blend. If softness enters the vine, propagate a sound green node immediately.
• A dark handling mark appears across a silver patch: The leaf surface was abraded while it was still soft. Keep a firm dry scuff in place and eliminate the object that caused it. Clear clips and neighbouring leaves from the area where the next blade will expand. Leave a stable surface abrasion alone and protect the next leaf from contact. Cut only if decay begins.
• A new silver-marked leaf remains narrow and undersized: A tie or adjacent leaf is pressing against the developing tip. Ease any restrictive tie and support the runner beneath the next node. Retain the sound green tip and remove only soft, dark or dead tissue.
• Brown tips and a pale mineral crust appear at the same time: Concentrated feed or repeated small doses left mineral residue around the roots. Leach the root zone with plain water and empty all runoff. Pause feeding for two waterings, then use a weaker solution once the plant is extending again.

Hoya glabra ‘Splash’ 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.

Why is it called Hoya glabra?

Hoya honours the English gardener Thomas Hoy. Glabra means smooth or hairless.

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

Friedrich Richard Rudolf Schlechter first described Hoya glabra in 1908 in Beiblatt zu den Botanischen Jahrbüchern für Systematik, volume 92, page 14.