How to Care for a Hoya Bella Plant

The Hoya bella is a small wax plant with green leaves and white flowers with yellow centers. This plant makes a nice houseplant and is easy to grow. The plant gives off a fragrance when in bloom. Hoya bella is a climber that will do well in a pot with a climbing stake or as a hanging plant. With the proper care, the Hoya bella can grow to a mature and healthy plant that can live and bloom for many years.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Aquarium charcoal
• Humus
• Soil
• Sand
• Eggshells
• Watering can
• Drainage tray
• Gravel
• Fertilizer

1. Make your own soil mixture for the Hoya bella. Use one part rinse aquarium charcoal, two parts humus, two parts garden soil, three parts sand and a dusting of broken-up eggshells. Note: You can use all-purpose potting soil and add one part sand to the mix.
2. Place the plant in a west or south window for direct and full sunlight. The plant can survive in an east window, but the Hoya bella will thrive in a sunny window that provides sun for more than four hours a day.
3. Place the pot in a drainage tray with gravel on the bottom so that the excess water will drain into the tray and create humidity for the plant. The plant thrives in high humidity, and misting of the plant every other day may be needed if the humidity in the house is low.
4. Keep the soil moist. Use a watering can to completely soak the soil. Allow the soil to dry until just damp before watering again. Do not keep the soil wet all the time.
5. Use fertilizer on the Hoya bella once in July and once in April. Use a water-soluble 10-10-10 fertilizer, which is equal parts nitrogen, phosphates and potassium.

Tips & Warnings

• Once the plant has buds, do not move or turn the plant.

• Leave the dead flowers on the plant; do not remove them. The dead flowers will fall off when ready.

• The Hoya bella is poisonous and should be kept out of the reach of pets and children.