Hoya macrophylla ‘Snow Queen’ is a vining epiphytic plant in the family Apocynaceae. Like many other hoya macrophylla plants, this one too originates in Southeast Asia. The botanical or scientific name is Hoya macrophylla ‘Snow Queen’.
Why Hoya Macrophylla Snow Queen
Here are some general and specific facts and bits that make hoyas attractive and liked even more.
One of the reasons why many people love Hoya plants is because of their pretty awesome blooms.
If you are a hoya enthusiast, and collector the splashes create an obsessive liking to their general appearance. It is the sort of sense unlocking splashes the leaves have.
Many who love rare species of hoyas do so with specificity. Some of Hoya macrophylla ‘Snow Queen’ interesting qualities include:
- It has big leaves
- The flowers are made up of multiple flowers in a group of umbel inflorescence
- The flowers can be best described as creme with white corona
- These flowers are waxy-like, star-shaped with pink centers
- They are heavily scented with a sweet fragrance
In the natural habitat, this one is a vining epiphyte. This means that it has a craving to climb other plants and woods.
Common modish names: Waxflower, waxplant
Are Hoya Macrophylla Snow Queen Fast Growers? Hoya macrophylla plants are particularly slow growers. The houseplant can grow up to 10 feet if allowed to achieve its potential.
Hoya macrophylla ‘Snow Queen Care Details
Highlighted below are care tips and plant profiles for Hoya macrophylla ‘Snow Queen.’
| Light condition: | Full sun to partial shade |
| How to water: | Allow the soil to fairly dry between watering |
| Size: | Height approximately 2” – 4” |
| Watering | Let pot rooting medium dry out between waterings |
| Hardiness | Not lower than 14°C (57°F) |
| Height | Vine, up to 3m (9’9″) |
| Light: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil | Good to super aeration and well-drained soil |
You can grow this one with ease (whether indoors or in outdoor gardens). For this one to reveal the adaptation capabilities indoors, you need to help it better suit growing conditions.
It is particularly sensitive to lime and combinations in the form of (light-temperature) and (water-humidity).
Here are simple care details on watering, lighting, staking, humidity, potting and repotting.
Staking your Hoya Snow Queen
Since hoya macrophylla plants are naturally light-demanding plants. As such, staking them is a good idea since they are easy to train.
If you want to have your plant as hanging baskets, you need the same principle of light. And that is, grow them I’m sunny spots well shielded from extreme conditions of intense heat and light. If your home is poorly lit, you can situate yours closer to the windowsill.
In terms of location for this one, a large or spacious bathroom is as perfect and close to where they grow in the natural rainforests.
Lighting (Foot-Candles)
While it is safe to assume all types of hoya macrophylla do exceptionally well in places that receive dappled or diffused sunlight, snow queens will thrive in gardens with 2000-foot candles. Don’t worry so much if your home is poorly lit. You can acquire grow lights.
Growing lights are also very supportive light sources.
Amount of Water this Hoya Needs
Hoya macrophylla varieties are quite resilient to drought and thirst. This isn’t an exception too.
The top secret with water in this one is to allow excess water to drain away. However, the crucial step in watering is ensuring the potting soil is properly soaked. Importantly, do not water on schedules. But do so with regard to the relative moisture levels in soil and indoor air.
Consider the following before watering:
- pot size
- changes in conditions in your home including light quality, and temperature
- You also need to take into consideration the material of the plant vessel
Potting Medium/Soil
These hoyas are quite sensitive to lime. This means that growing them in ground soil can impact their growth so much.
As an epiphyte, this hoya is particularly suited to soils with perfect air circulation.
An indoor houseplant potting blend is great for these kinds of plants. More importantly, the key to happy growth, consider choosy aspects of your blending that ensure excellent aeration. Go for perlite, orchid bark and course sand.
Avoid heavy ingredient soils.
Feeding
These hoyas being slow growers means that they do not feed much. However, remember that for them to bloom they’ll need a good nutritional treat. This means that striking a balance in terms of feeding starts with the potting mix quality.
While these plants are not heavy feeders, when they have shown signs of flowering you need to withdraw fertilizer application. But regular feeding during the growing seasons can be of great benefit.
Feed your hoya macrophylla snow Queen using a balanced liquid food. The opportune and best time you should apply the fertilizer is when watering. Feeding should be a monthly affair.
Strain from feeding and applying fertilizers during the resting phase.
Growing New Snow Queen Splash – Propagating your Hoya
The best way to propagate these plants is through the manipulation of stem cutting. You can either use water or sphagnum moss as means to get them rooted.
What you need:
- A mature hoya macrophylla snow queen splash mother plant.
- Water glasses/small container
- Sterilized sharp pruning shears/scissors
- Freshly obtained sphagnum moss
Rooting your Stem Cutting in Water
Steps to follow:
- Cut a stem with 3 leaves and nodes from your hoya splash
- Remove the two bottom leaves including the petiole
- Fill the water glasses with water
- Place each of the cuttings with the bottom side in the water
- Situate your cuttings in brightly lit and warm rooms
As you wait for them to start rooting, keep refilling the glasses with water when the level has gone low. Ensure the top leaf does not touch the water.
The great thing about water propagation is you can monitor rooting progress. In 2-3 weeks your cuttings should have grown at least 1 inch long. Transplant your rooted cuttings in a well-draining potting mix.
Rooting in Sphagnum Moss
Before you start the propagation, you need to soak the moss in water for a few minutes. Then squeeze extra water gently. Follow a similar procedure above.
Replant your cuttings after 2 weeks in a fresh potting mix. Use small 4-inch pots. Water well and keep them in warm and humid garden rooms.
Common Growth Issues & Problems
The likely problems your hoya may could face include the following:
1. Limp and Soft Foliage
Limp or droopy leaves are caused by underwatering. However, if the foliage feels soft and limp, you are overwatering your hoya.
2. Overwatering
Like many hoyas over-watering your house plant will eventually kill it. If you want to avoid many growth issues follow a conventional or generic watering.
3. Underwatering
Letting the vessel soil dry out completely between waterings can often lead to signs of underwatering. This may occur if you don’t pay attention to weather conditions or the growth phase of your houseplant.
If this houseplant is underwatered, its leaves become more stained all tarnished. And this is attributed to the fact that the leaves have certain degree qualities of semi-succulents.
Overwatering is another growth issue that you’ll need to avoid if not prevent at any cost. Unlike dehydration, overwatering often leads to root rot.
4. Growing less
Normally in winter, your houseplant won’t increase in size. It will grow less and won’t absorb moisture as quickly as in the summer and spring.
This houseplant doesn’t seem to increase in height or size even when it is supposed to. Notably, one of the obvious reasons behind this is the fact that they are slow growers.
The second thing is that when the roots are exposed to an unhealthy potting medium. They won’t establish. Even if it seems to grow, these need constant checks of the rooting system routinely.
5. Pests and Diseases
Although uncommon, if you neglect to keep up the indoor garden conditions, your plants are likely to be susceptible to pests and diseases.
One of the most common pests that may infest your houseplants are the sap-sucking bugs. These include mealybugs and aphids.
The other problem is diseases. Fungal diseases are far more common with this hoya. Growth of molds, smelly pots, and yellow leaves are usual signs of fungal attacks. The following can lead to one or a combination of them.
- Overwatering
- Poor air circulation
- Carrying the fungus in hands or tools and then transferring it