It is widely considered one of the most beautiful plants and has been popular for many artists. However, it is relatively unknown to the public that this plant could potentially cause life-threatening diseases in humans.
Hoya pachyclada has five varieties: yellow, red, blue, green, and violet, which can be fatal when eaten by humans. The hoya pachyclada plant is one of the most challenging plants to care for.
There are so many different types and hybrids of this plant, and they all require different levels of light, water, soil ingredients, and temperature needs to thrive.
The hoya pachyclada plant can also be picky about humidity levels. These are some of the aspects which can worry you when caring for this adorable indoor or outdoor tropical flower!
Therefore, it is critical to know what you’re getting yourself into before purchasing this plant or adding it to your home.
How to Care for hoya pachyclada
Light
The hoya pachyclada plant requires bright, indirect sunlight to thrive. If you place this plant in direct sunlight for an extended period, the leaves will dry and crispy.
If the leaves are left in too much shade (or very dim light), they can turn yellow or brown and eventually die. If you position your plant to get only a few hours of direct sunlight each day, you will have a healthy green plant with no problems whatsoever.
Water
These plants should be watered thoroughly every other day to once a week, depending on your home’s humidity levels. They are considered drought tolerant, so don’t overwater them!
If the leaves start to wilt up, you need to water them more often. These plants can be grown in very well-draining soil and keep their leaves from rotting if you do not grow the plant completely submerged in water!
When watering, try to avoid getting the plant’s crown wet, so that fungus and mold do not grow there.
Soil
The hoya pachyclada plant needs soil that drains exceptionally well. A mix of peat moss, perlite, and potting soil is best for this purpose. You can also use regular potting soil as long as you ensure that it has excellent drainage properties. Erring on the side of drainage properties is better than being too damp.
The soil pH needs of Hoya pachyclada are lower than most plants, as it prefers a pH of 5.0-6.5 and does not tolerate alkaline soils (above 7). That means that the soil should be acidic with good drainage for optimal growth for this particular type of hoya plant.
Temperature And USDA Climate Zone
The hoya pachyclada plant can withstand cooler temperatures and warmer temperatures, depending on the variety. If they are grown outdoors, they tend to do best in warm, dry climates that have been exceptionally hot over the past few months.
Otherwise, if you have a greenhouse or grow it indoors, you should try to keep the temperature below 80 degrees F so that it does not travel too much and becomes susceptible to root rot.
Further, the hoya plants will survive well in any USDA climate zone 10a-b as long as there isn’t too much rainfall or snowfall. They can take a considerable amount of heat and thrive in desert areas like Arizona, California, and Nevada.
However, if you find these plants inside, they will only survive well in USDA climate zone 10b or 10c. In other words, the faster the drop in temperature is, the safer it is to keep them indoors.
Hoya pachyclada will still be fine with a low temperature of 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit, even at a low temperature of 30 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if temperatures rise above 60 degrees, Fahrenheit hoya pachyclada can die from a lack of water.
Fertilizer
The best type of fertilizer for hoya pachyclada contains iron because plants need iron to grow well. If you want your hoya plant to live for an extended period, use slow-release nitrogen instead of potash or phosphorus due to its lifespan lasting over ten years. Potash is not needed as it will burn the leaves quickly if it’s overdone. However, if you want to use phosphorus and potash, then use only a small amount of it. A good fertilizer for hoya pachyclada is one that also has trace elements added, as this will ensure your plant thrives for longer.
The hoyas should never be fertilized in full sun, as this will trigger them to drop their leaves and stop growing. However, you can use these houseplant fertilizers once you place your hoya plants outdoors during the summer months.
Common Diseases With Hoyas
Fungal leaf spots: This disease is caused by the droplet infection of different fungi that attack the leaves. The symptoms include whitish or pale-yellow spots on the leaves. It can be treated using the desiccant method and spray fungicides, but it could cause severe damage to the plant’s health if not properly treated.
Leaf spot disease is also a fungal infection that attacks all parts of hoya pachyclada plants, including leaves, stems, and flower buds. The leaf spots turn into brown mottled patches on the stem, and fungus will form black specks over time. You can treat this disease by removing the affected leaf and manually cleaning the leaves.
Rose rosette disease
It is a fungal infection that attacks all parts of hoya pachyclada plants. The symptoms include black spots mainly on the lower side of the leaves in early spring. These spots turn into rosettes with yellowish-grey centers, which start to bud out towards the end of spring and summer.
Twisted stem disease: This is generally caused by too much water and splashing of water. Plants show defoliation (loss of leaves) in severe cases, but usually, this incidence is milder and can be controlled using fungicides such as thiram or captan.
Root rot infection: This disease is caused by overwatering. Symptoms include yellowing of leaves (especially the lower side of the leaves) and loss of leaf vigor. Root rot disease can be treated using fungicide imazalil or azoxystrobin.
Hoya Pachyclada Propagation
To propagate a hoya pachyclada, you will need 3 to 5-inch stem cuttings exposed at both ends. Dip them into a rooting hormone powder of your choice and then place them inside a pot filled with an airy mix media like perlite with some drainage holes poked through it.
Place them on your window sill or under fluorescent lights for about eight weeks before transferring them permanently to the soil. That can be performed in the spring and fall when temperatures are high.
Within these first few weeks, you will notice roots beginning to form on the cutting. These roots can also be used for propagation purposes.
To propagate from a stem cutting, make a small incision in the stem’s root area and dip it into rooting hormone powder. After allowing the cuttings to dry for about 24 hours, place them inside a pot filled with a soil mix that is well-draining (peat or coco coir) with some holes poked through it as well.
You may want to invest in buying some of these pots specifically for propagating cuttings.
How To Prune Hoya Pachyclada
Start pruning the plant as soon as you see the growth. That is an excellent way to cut the plant and prevent it from growing too fast in a single location.
Cut off any flower buds from growing from the branches. That will prevent more flowers from growing and ruin your garden again if you are not careful enough of this plant’s growth.
Remove any dead leaves that develop on the hoya plants. That will help prevent any rotting of the plant’s branches and leaves in terms of decay. If any insects like aphids or spider mites infect your hoya plants, remove them immediately with a spraying insecticide.
If you have a hoya plant, you will want to know what it needs to grow well indoors. The plant is sensitive to too much sunlight or water, so you will need to keep it near a window with indirect light giving it between 6-8 hours of lighting every day.
The plant also needs to be watered thoroughly at least once a week. This plant has unique needs, and many people think it will not do well in the home because of its tough leaves and prickly stems.
However, the opposite is true. Hoya plants do well in most houses, but they need to take up low humidity, like on a side table near a lamp or in an area where light is filtered through a curtain.
Related Article: Hoya Pubicalyx Growth and Care Guide