Hoya (sold as ‘Larisa’)

How to care for Hoya (sold as ‘Larisa’)

Keep ‘Larisa’ in bright filtered light at about 16–24°C, protected from hot direct sun. Guide its vines onto a support or let them hang. In a dry room, raise humidity with a humidifier while allowing air to move gently around the leaves.

The roots need a freely draining mix that retains some moisture. Water when the pot is lighter and the deeper mix is only lightly moist; soak and drain it. With slower growth, wait until it is fairly dry, without letting the whole root ball dry out.

Feed lightly with balanced orchid fertiliser about every two weeks during growth, following the label. Pause feeding when growth stops. When roots outgrow the pot, choose a new pot only a few centimetres wider. If the mix has broken down but roots still fit, replace the mix without increasing pot size.

A healthy stem cutting needs at least one node. With gloves and a clean blade, remove leaves from the lowest node and place it in lightly moist propagation mix. Keep the remaining leaves above the mix and place the cutting somewhere warm with indirect light. Once rooted, plant the cutting in a small container with drainage holes; avoid contact with the irritating sap.

Common problems with Hoya (sold as ‘Larisa’)

• Wilting while the mix remains wet: 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, save only healthy stem cuttings. Discard the plant if no healthy stems remain, and disinfect your tools afterwards.
• Leaves become limp in a dry, light pot: Check whether the mix around the roots is dry. If the root ball is dry, water thoroughly and drain. If the leaves still wilt after watering, inspect the roots. Avoid repeated watering while the roots are still wet.
• Cotton-like insects at stem–leaf junctions: Confirm mealybugs beneath the wax and isolate the plant. Remove visible insects with a damp swab or tweezers. Inspect sheltered leaf joints, stems, the pot and any support weekly, removing any mealybugs you find until none remain. If mealybugs persist, use a product approved for home use against mealybugs on indoor ornamental plants in your country. Follow the label for how much to use, where to apply it, when to repeat treatment and all safety precautions.

Meaning of the genus name Hoya

Hoya honours the English gardener Thomas Hoy.