Hoya Carnosa – Carla’s Hoya Haven

Plain old ordinary Hoya carnosa is one of those plants that does well any time of year, any place, under just about any conditions in any potting mix. Above is what it looked like April 2022 when I bought it and planted it up in a 4″ pot in regular potting mix with a little Jack’s Gritty Mix mixed into the soil along with some extra perlite. I purchased this one from Pistils Nursery and this tiny plant was popular last year so this is all I could get. Below is what it looked like after growing in the window a while.

Below is what it looks like today after having been potted up an ABG mix and coconut husk and growing in my grow tent all winter. I’m using it to shade my H. retusa which doesn’t like the harsh glare of the grow lights but loves the humidity inside the tent. I’ve been moving things out of the grow tent but it’s still too dry for H. retusa. Otherwise, I’d have this carnosa in a window by now to take advantage of spring light and lengthening days.

I soak this one in a bowl of lightly fertilized water once every two weeks to hydrate the coconut husk and hang it back in the grow tent. H. carnosa is a very attractive no-fuss plant that is great for beginners and makes for a wonderful addition to any plant collection.

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