30 Remarkable Care Tips for Your Hoya Lacunosa to Flourish

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Notes

Hoya Lacunosa plants have waxy leaves. It is a beautiful indoor plant that can be displayed in a hanging basket. With a unique appearance, it makes an excellent choice for indoor gardens and greenhouses alike!

In this post, we’ll go through the do’s and don’ts when raising your Hoya Lacunosa. If you wish to purchase one for yourself, we have a few affordable alternatives for you to consider. Continue reading to learn more about this hoya’s fascinating characteristics!

What Is Hoya Lacunosa?

The Hoya Lacunosa is a perennial from the tropical plant family Apocynaceae classified under hoya. It has beautiful dark green leaves in the shape of an oval.

Its common name is Cinnamon-Scented Wax Plant because of its pleasant scent but is also sometimes known as Grooved wax flower and Lacunose-leaved hoya. It’s typically known for its beautiful, porcelain-like fragrant flower clusters.

The Hoya Lacunosa would grow and thrive well in certain climates, preferably in USDA hardiness zones 10-11.

Origin And Family

The Cinnamon-scented Wax Plant is a member of the hoya genus in the Apocynaceae family. It is indigenous to Asia.

Although originally discovered in 1999 by Ed Gilding, the Cinnamon-Scented Wax Plant has become popular among plant collectors in recent times. From spring seasons to fall, it can bloom with significant small cream, off-white, or white flowers.

Where To Buy

We’re a family of plant lovers. In the past few years, we’ve started purchasing more and more plants online from Etsy. They have a wide variety of plants, such as Hoya Lacunosa, at reasonable prices, and shipping is fast and (usually) free.

The Hoya Lacunosa usually has an expensive price tag of approximately up to $60.

Hoya Lacunosa Plant Size

It usually grows at a slow-to-moderate pace, especially when it’s positioned in dappled shade areas and under patios in warmer zones.

Hoya Lacunosa Care Needs

With appropriate care, most plants, including Hoya Lacunosa, are simple to cultivate at home. It favors locations with higher humidity levels and a well-draining soil mix.

You should only be watering this plant when the top layers of potting soil become dry. Like other plants, you’ll require adequate drainage holes in its pot.

Care Difficulty

Like many plants from the hoya genus, the Hoya Lacunosa is usually easy or moderate to care for in most situations. Just make sure that you give it the proper amount of its light requirements and amount of water. With this cinnamon-scented wax plant guide, you’ll be able to easily grow this waxy plant.

Growth Rate

The warmth of the spring and summer seasons jumpstart this plant’s growth spurt. Hoya species grow at a slow-to-moderate speed.

You guys my Hoya Lacunosa bloomed 🥺 #planttwitter pic.twitter.com/054GGb8V2r

— 🪴🌱K (@getplantywithme) May 28, 2021

Potting

The size of the pot matters for a cinnamon-scented wax plant, and you should use a small option typically. Good drainage is another need for this perennial.

Repotting

Based on experience, this plant grows at a relatively slow-to-moderate rate, so expect to repot every 2-3 years. While repotting, give your hoya refreshed nutrients by adding well-draining soil with an organic mixture – instead of reusing the old medium.

Soil

When it comes to growing Hoya Lacunosa, well-draining soil with an organic potting mixture is your best bet. Cactus mix, orchid mix, and perlite are ideal for the soil. To ensure best results, keep in mind that aeration and drainage are a must for this plant.

Here are some excellent growing medium options to choose from:

pH

pH for this plant should be more or less 6.1-6.5, meaning your Lacunose-leaved hoya likes acidic soil. If you schedule your repotting or adding new soil from time to time, the pH level wouldn’t be a huge concern as if you’re growing this plant outdoors.

Water

The frequency of watering will differ based on the temperature and the humidity in your plant’s surroundings. Generally speaking, your cinnamon-scented wax plant prefers a well-draining growing medium.

Avoid overwatering your cinnamon-scented wax plant because excess water could drown your plant. Remember that when the top layers of potting soil become dry, it’s time to hydrate your plant. Water the soil directly and take care not to water the foliage so you can avoid fungal infections and diseases.

Let the water pass through the base of the pot. If your plant is in a collection tray, remember to empty it.

Light

Hoya Lacunosa prefers bright light for approximately 2-4 hours daily. Remember, you’re attempting to replicate how it grows in Asia. In most cases, placing this plant in dappled shade areas and under patios in warmer zones works fine.

When its leaves burn and turn yellow, you’ll know your Hoya Lacunosa is getting too much light. Conversely, if the whole plant begins to drop, that means the plant needs more light. You can use artificial lights or artificial grow lights if you cannot get enough natural light for your plant. Avoid putting your Hoya Lacunosa in direct sunlight, as this could severely damage or even kill it.

Fertilizer

Feed your grooved wax flower if you want to give it some extra nutrient boost. Fertilizer should be applied once or twice a month during the warmer months and throughout the growing season in the spring and summer.

Here are other plant food options you can use:

In the winter seasons, when growth naturally slows down, you stop feeding your plant during the winter months.

Propagating Hoya Lacunosa

There are several ways to propagate a Hoya Lacunosa. For a higher chance of success, do the following steps we’ve laid out below for each method. 

Stem Cuttings In Soil

Stem cuttings planted straight in the soil are a hassle-free way to propagate your Cinnamon-Scented Wax Plant. It is advisable to propagate this plant when it’s actively growing.

1. Cut. Find a healthy section of your plant with fresh growth. Make a cutting at least 3 inches long with some visible nodes. Make sure you’re using sterilized scissors to avoid bacterial infection.

2. Plant. Place the cutting in damp soil with the nodes buried. Then, compress the dirt around the stem to hold the cutting in place.

3. Maintain. Frequently moisten the soil to encourage faster rooting. Keep the plant near a window in bright indirect light source.

4. Wait. After about 2-3 weeks, you should notice new buds on the top leaves. This indicates that your cutting is now rooted!

Stem Cuttings In Water

Water propagation is also an easy method to root your Grooved wax flower cuttings. Here are a few steps to follow:

1. Cut. After taking a healthy cutting, remove the bottom leaves from the stem.

2. Submerge. Keep the cutting soaked in a glass of water while making sure there are no leaves below the water level to avoid rot.

3. Maintain. Keep your cutting in a place with sufficient air circulation and bright, indirect light. A nearby humidifier can help the plant’s health.

4. Refill. Replace the water when it becomes cloudy. Submerge the nodes to encourage rapid root development.

5. Transplant. Plant your cutting into clean, well-aerated soil after the roots grow long enough. Keep the soil wet to assist the roots in adjusting.

Air Layering Technique

Air layering is a technique that stimulates root growth before the chosen section is detached from the mother plant. It significantly increases the chances of success for a cutting to adjust to its new substrate and grow into a healthy plant.

To air-layer your Lacunose-leaved hoya, follow the following steps:

1. Select a healthy area. Determine where you want the stem to be cut. Check that it contains at least one node.

2. Wrap the stem. Wrap the selected node in moist sphagnum peat moss with cling wrap (or coco coir or perlite).

3. Wait for the roots. Check for any signs of root development weekly. If the substrate begins to dry out, moisten it.

4. Cut and plant. Once you are satisfied with the length of the new roots, you can make a cut slightly below the wrapped node. You may need to disinfect the wound with hydrogen peroxide or cinnamon powder, or you can simply allow a couple of hours for it to callous over. You can then plant this now-rooted cutting into the soil.

Division

Lacunose-leaved hoya can be propagated through a process known as division. Although this method is used for vegetables with specific bulbs, stolons, tubers, rhizomes, and suckers, it can also be done on houseplants with stems that grow in a cluster.

1. Dig up. Remove the plant from its pot. When working with plants and dirt, it is necessary that you put on your gardening gloves.

2. Separate. You should be able to see where the roots and stems parted on their own. Pull them apart gently with your fingertips. Remove the roots where the parts connect.

3. Repot. Place each portion in fresh pots filled with the same soil as before.

Hoya lacunosa hiding but thriving 🫣 pic.twitter.com/NfT3COFYDJ

— Botany Bai 🪴 (@botanybai1) June 8, 2022

Humidity And Aeration

For rich-colored leaves and lush growth, your Hoya Lacunosa needs 50-60% and above humidity.

If you’re bothered about the humidity or if you see browning edges on your plant leaves, you may use a humidifier and place it near your plants. This addition will significantly improve the health of your plant.

Temperature

Warm or room temperature is preferable for Lacunose-leaved hoya plants, but they can thrive in a temperature range of 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit.

They do, however, like constant temperatures, so keep them away from windows and openings that may allow chilly air in during colder months. Also, keep them far from vents and other sources of heat, which can dry the air.

Flowers

If you’re lucky, you could witness your cinnamon-scented wax plant blooming with significant cream, off-white, or white flowers from spring to fall. However, this doesn’t usually happen in an indoor growing location.

Non-Toxic

The grooved wax flower is not harmful to children or pets. The ASPCA states that it will not hurt dogs or cats if ingested, and there are no elements in the plant that are poisonous to humans.

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Pests, Diseases, And Other Problems

Things can still go wrong occasionally, even while handled with expert care. Pests and diseases are inevitable aspects of gardening. As a whole, the Hoya Lacunosa is not a disease and pest-resistant plant.

Read the following portions for tips on diagnosing common problems and discover ways you can help your plant return to a healthy condition.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are unfortunately a prevalent problem, especially for plant collectors who have a Lacunose-leaved hoya. If you notice brown or yellow portions on your plant’s leaves, silky webbing across branches, or leaves that are taking a while to unfold, you have spider mites.

Bring your infected plant to the sink, tub, or outside and vigorously wash all the leaves with a forceful spray of water to eliminate a spider mite infestation. Spider mites can also be eliminated by using neem oil, horticultural oil, and insecticidal soap on a regular basis. If you prefer a non-chemical method, ladybugs, lacewings, and minute pirate bugs can help manage your spider mite population.

Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats are small-scale insects that feed on organic matter from the soil. Their larvae are known to consume the roots of plants, which is terrible news for your Cinnamon-Scented Wax Plant.

There are products such as Pyrethrin sprays, neem oil, and hydrogen peroxide that target both flies and larvae. If you frequently reapply, you should be able to exterminate these annoying insects in a matter of weeks.

We’ve utilized yellow sticky traps to deal with these gnats on our hydroponics systems, and we found that they work pretty well.

Scale Insects

Scales are insects that feed on your plant’s sap. What distinguishes them from other bugs is that the mature scale will attach onto one portion of the plant and remain there. Armoured scales are brownish lumps that can grow on a plant’s stems or petioles.

To dissuade scales from latching onto your Hoya Lacunosa, add a teaspoon of neem oil in 500 mL of water in a bottle and spray it over the plant’s leaves. You may also release ladybugs or lacewings near your affected plant to take care of the problem for you!

Aphids

Aphids are little insects that devour the leaves of your Grooved wax flower, causing black and brown areas.

To manage an infestation, use insecticidal soap or neem oil. Dish detergent in low doses can also eliminate aphids without damaging your plant. Choose fragrance-free products, like Ivory Liquid, for example.

First, dilute 1 teaspoon of dish soap in a gallon of water, then gradually increase the appropriate ratio. Spray this solution on your infected plant, paying careful attention to the undersides of the leaves, where aphids are commonly present.

Mealybugs

A Mealybug infestation might affect your waxy houseplant. These parasites will weaken your Lacunose-leaved hoya by drawing sap through their sucking tubes.

I propose applying neem oil to your houseplants once a month as a precautionary step against a variety of ailments. Do not forget to dilute the neem first and to only spray in cool weather.

In the event of an infestation, combine a cup of rubbing alcohol and a teaspoon of fragrance-free dish soap in a spray bottle with water. Spray that on Lacunose-leaved hoya twice a week until the mealybugs are gone.

Hoya lacunosa ‘Giant’ IML-1813. Small super fragrant flowers. Great bloomer! pic.twitter.com/BUayY96uUj

— Hoya Plants (@HoyaPlants) July 6, 2017

Brown Leaf Tips

Salts and minerals build-up in the soil is a prominent cause of browning edges on your cinnamon-scented wax plant’s leaves. This usually happens when you use too much fertilizer or utilize chemically treated tap water.

Lack of moisture is another culprit of browning leaf tips. Improve your indoor humidity and properly water your plant.

Drooping Leaves

Your Hoya Lacunosa’s leaves may begin to droop if it does not receive the right amount of hydration and light. Check out our Water and Light section above to learn about the best ways to care for your plant.

Low humidity can also produce drooping leaves, so be sure to check the humidity levels in your area and make sure they meet your plant’s requirements.

Yellow Leaves

Several components can cause the leaves of a Grooved wax flower to turn yellow. It is possible that it doesn’t get enough sunlight or that the plant is taking too much or too little water.

Prune yellowing leaves to encourage new growth and prevent the spread of deterioration. On top of that, it can be unattractive and alarming to look at. With a sharp, sterile pair of shears, simply trim the leaves off.

Root Rot

Root rot is a frequent cause of death for Lacunose-leaved hoya. When the soil is too compact, it will be water-logged and eventually rot the roots of your plant. Because it’s difficult to stop this disease, prevention is the best strategy.

Reduce the frequency and amount with which you water your hoya to avoid root rot. Always examine the first 3 inches of soil for dryness before watering your plant. If it’s not yet dry, your plant will most likely be able to wait a bit longer.

Porosity is a potting material property that allows air to pass through and dry the soil while also allowing excess moisture to escape. Porous pots can be ceramic (unglazed), clay, baked terracotta, or concrete. When choosing a pot, make sure to choose one that has drainage holes at the bottom!

Similar Plants

Love Cinnamon-Scented Wax Plant? Below are some other similar plant options you should try:

Hoya Kerrii – Other names for the Hoya Kerrii include Valentine Hoya, Sweetheart Hoya, and Heart-Shaped Hoya. The big, heart-shaped leaves and thick, vining stems of this perennial member of the Apocynaceae family are its most distinctive features. It features leaves that are heart-shaped and vivid green in color.

Hoya Carnosa – The Hoya Carnosa Compacta is well renowned for its lovely blossoms and curly leaves. Additionally, the Wax Plant Compacta Variegata is a common name for it. It is a perennial that is recognized for its waxy star-shaped blooms.

Hoya Krimson Queen Plant – The Hoya TriColor was the original name for the Crimson Queen because of its waxy leaves’ variegation, which can vary from vivid pink to white. Its green leaves are surrounded by a pink or cream border.

Conclusion

Known to be a plant that could live forever, Hoya Lacunosa usually grows to create beautiful porcelain-like fragrant flower clusters that look stunning indoors. You will have no issue growing this plant if you follow our care recommendations!

Have you got a Cinnamon-Scented Wax Plant? We want to see it! Please submit photos to [email protected] so that we can share them on our blog.

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