The Hoya plant (also known as the wax plant or porcelain flower) is extremely easy to care for. In addition, they produce a beautiful flower that has a very unique waxy appearance. Some species even produce flowers that give off a subtle scent.
It is for those reasons, that the hoya plant has become a very popular indoor houseplant.
However, bringing home a hoya plant for the first time one could wonder what is the best way to care for their new friend.
For example, one could wonder: Do Hoyas like humidity? Do they like misting? How do I know if the air is too dry for my plants?
Well, in this post, we hope to answer those questions.
Let’s begin.
Do Hoyas Like Humidity?
The answer: Yes, Hoya plants love humidity. In fact, when Hoya plants are kept in high humidity conditions they tend to grow more roots as well as stronger roots. So even though they do well in dry areas, for optimal growth high humidity is preferred.
What is the ideal humidity percentage for Hoya Plants?
While Hoya plants will do fine in average or even low humidity conditions, they will grow faster when the humidity level is between 60 and 80 percent.
This is especially important to maintain these levels during those dry summer days or during those cold winter months when we are running the heater more often than normal.
How To Know If The Air Is Too Dry For Your Hoya Plants
If you are worried that the air is too dry for your plants the first place to start looking is at the roots. Dead roots or dried-up roots are a clear sign that the air is too dry or your plants are not getting enough water.
If you notice this happening, an easy fix might be to place your Hoya plant in a high humidity environment such as the bathroom or around the kitchen sink.
5 Easy Ways To Increase Humidity Levels
Misting
Do Hoya Plants like to be misted? Yes, they do! Remember the ideal humidity level that you are aiming for is between 60 and 80 percent. Regularly misting your Hoyas is probably one of the easiest ways to keep them moist.
In fact, a daily misting or even a regular weekly misting can do two things for your plants.
First, for me personally by making it a habit of regularly misting my hoyas, I have found that I am more attentive to the humidity levels as well as the overall health of my plant. For that reason, when I notice dried-up roots I can act fast.
Second, regular misting helps to wash your plant’s leaves. This regular cleaning helps to keep your plant healthy and it also helps to prevent such pests from ruining your plants.
How to mist your plants.
As far as how to do it, well, it is a pretty straightforward process. Just get yourself a spray water bottle and start misting away.
The one drawback to this approach is that in many cases, you will need to regularly monitor your plants to ensure that you aren’t giving them too much moisture.
If you decide to go with this approach be sure to do it every day and be attentive to any signs of low humidity.
Use a humidity tray
One of the easiest ways to increase the humidity levels is by creating a small greenhouse environment around your plant.
This can be done with a shallow waterproof tray (as known as a humidity tray), some water, and a few decorative stones.
First, take your tray and put down a layer of decorative stones, beads, or pebbles. Once that has been done, you are going to fill it with water to where the water level comes just above the stones.
Lastly, you are going to place the Hoya plant on top of the pebbles.
The idea here is that as the water evaporates it will create a high humidity environment around your plants.
Like I said this is a low maintenance way to increase the humidity levels, but there are a few cautions.
One, be sure to check the water level frequently. It goes without saying that in order for your humidity tray to work effectively, there needs to be water in the try.
Next, make sure that the Hoya’s roots are not in the water itself. This could lead to what is called root rot and it could affect the overall health of your plant.
Finally, be sure to regularly monitor the humidity. Make sure it is working effectively before setting it and leaving it. If you don’t see an increase in humidity you may need to try another approach listed below.
Gardenista’s Tip: An easy way to monitor the humidity levels is with a humidistat. Simply plug it in and place it near your plants. From time to time look at it to ensure that the humidity levels are right where you want them.
Create a Humidity Tent
When the temperature is warm and the air is dry a simple way to trap moisture from escaping is to create a humidity tent. This works when propagating hoya plants as well.
This can be as simple as covering your plant with a piece of clear plastic or you could also place your plant in an open or closed glass terrarium.
The idea here is that by covering your plant you are preventing the moisture from escaping, thus creating a high humidity environment for your plants to thrive.
Gardenista’s Tip: For extremely dry environments this method can be used in combination with a humidity tray.
Group Similar Plants Together
As a plant breathes it puts moisture into the air a process called transpiration.
When that moisture is released it increases the humidity levels around that plant. By grouping similar plants such as, spider plants, Chinese money plants, or other plants that love humidity, together, you can create a high humidity environment.
Use a plant humidifier
The best way to maintain humidity levels is to use a humidifier.
One that I would recommend is the Pure Enrichment Humidifier. It is relatively small, allowing it to be placed just about anywhere and best of all it is quiet.
One caution when it comes to using a humidifier creating too much humidity. When you see signs of mold or fungus you know that it is time to cut back on the about of time you use the humidifier.
Do Hoya Plants Like Bathrooms?
Yes, they do! Bathrooms are a great place to keep your Hoya plants when the air is dry in your home.
One word of caution when it comes to keeping your Hoyas in the bathroom. In other to thrive, they need a good source of indirect sunlight. With that being said, be sure to place them in a bathroom where there is a small window or even a skylight.
If there is no window in your bathroom, you may need to use artificial lighting in order to give them what they need.
Gardenista tip: Another great place for your Hoyas is somewhere around the kitchen sink. Kitchens and bathrooms maintain good moisture levels throughout the year. In addition, the window above the sink will allow them to get plenty of indirect sunlight.
You may also enjoy reading: 9 Of The Best Plants For Bathroom Smells
Final Thoughts….
I love Hoya plants! They are easy to care for and they can brighten up just about any room in my house. In this post, we have talked about the optimal humidity levels for your plants as well as a few suggestions to increase the humidity in your home.
Now it is your turn. Please share your experience with Hoya plants in the comments below.
Leave a Reply