Do you want to enhance your interior by growing beautiful plants indoors? Are you searching for a low-care plant? Do you want a beautiful blooming plant that spreads both fragrance and peace around it?
Then Hoya Mathilde is the best choice for you. In this article, I will tell you how to grow, propagate and care for these plants in detail.
Hoya Mathilde is one of the beautiful species of the hoya genus which belongs to the Apocynaceae family. It is a flowering species and has small round foliage that enhances the plant’s look. The vining tendencies of these plants improve the interior of the home which is why this plant is very attractive for home gardeners like us! These plants can be grown easily with low care.
Let us now learn about growing and caring for these plants!
How to grow Hoya Mathilde?
Hoya Mathilde plants are beautiful plants with stunning looks. They can be grown both indoors and outdoors with minimum care. We can easily propagate these plants at home. These plants have vining tendencies, so it is better to place them near plant stands or windows that allow the vines to crawl on them. It gives a beautiful look to your plant. You can observe good growth in the plant within a short period if you care enough.
It’s not very tough to care for these plants. No need to worry, as I will guide you on how to care for hoya Mathilde plants. Let’s check it out below!
How to care for Hoya Matilde?
These plants are low-care plants and do not require much care to survive. The care which I give to my hoya plants, normal care makes it enough to thrive. Let us know the care tips for growing these plants!
1. Sunlight requirements of Hoya Mathilde
Sunlight is responsible for the plant’s survival, growth, and blooming; every plant needs sunlight. Hoya Mathilde plants love to be in bright indirect sunlight. 2 to 4 hours of bright light will help the plant to thrive. But, direct sunlight may cause damage to the sensitive foliage. As the intense sun rays cause sunburns. So, it is better not to place your Hoya Mathilde outdoors.
If you cannot maintain them indoors, then place them under a shade that gets bright light. Being a tropical plant, this plant can bear the direct sun for 2 hours but more than that harms the foliage. You can place your plant near windows that provide adequate light to it. But make sure to cover the windows with drapes, if the intense sun rays pass through the window glasses or you can just relocate it to a well-lit place.
In the growing seasons, you can rotate the pot of this plant to distribute the light to all parts of the plant. You can also use plant lights if you live in a place that does not get enough light. But, these artificial lights can cause dehydration in the plants.
2. Water requirements of Hoya Mathilde
Hoya Mathilde plants thrive when they get adequate water. Water the plant thoroughly to encourage its growth. But remember these plants can survive in waterlogged soil for a long time. Because the roots get rotten when they are in moist soil continuously. These tropical plants can tolerate drought conditions for a while, as the leaves store water in the plant’s cells, but the delay of the watering can result in the growth rate. Following a schedule, to water your Hoya Mathilde is not a good idea. Instead, check the moisture level of the soil before watering it.
You can use a moisture meter to do that. Just dip the tip of the moisture meter into the soil, if the reading of the meter is on the green scale, then you don’t need to water it. If the reading is low, then water your plant. You can just poke your finger into the soil at an inch depth to check the moisture of the soil. You need to water it only if the top layer of the soil is dry. Do not overwater or underwater your plant, because they both will have significant effects on the plant’s life.
3. Soil mix for planting Hoya Mathilde
Hoya Mathilde plants like to stay in warm and dry soil. So, the better soil mix to use for planting a Hoya Mathilde plant is a well-draining one. These plants are sensitive to root rot and the compact soil mix which does not get dry soon cannot save them from that dangerous disease. Waterlogged soil will make the plant die eventually. You can prepare a well-draining soil mix on your own by mixing peat, orchid bark, perlite, and coarse sand into the normal household soil. This also provides some nutrients to the plant.
Well-draining soil mix helps to avoid root rot and other fungal diseases in the plants. It also allows the flow of oxygen to the roots. Thus it helps the roots in performing better.
4. Fertilizing Hoya Mathilde
Fertilization boosts the growth of your plant. Hoya Mathilde plants don’t need much fertilization to thrive. The salt content present in the fertilizers helps the plant in absorbing more nutrients, thus fertilization improves the growth of the plant. New Hoya Mathilde plants should be fertilized only once a month, however, a mature Hoya Mathilde plant can be fertilized twice a month (if needed) during the growing season.
The growing season of these plants is between the early spring and the late summer. During this time the plant produces more foliage and flowers. So, it needs additional strength which can be generated by fertilizers. Thus feeding is recommended once or twice in the growing season. But remember fertilization can damage your plant, as well as the lack of fertilization, does.
Mild fertilizers are suitable for feeding this plant. It is better to fertilize it by diluting it. Read the instructions given on the bottle of the fertilizer to proceed.
5. Suitable temperature and humidity for Hoya Mathilde
Being a houseplant, your Hoya Mathilde can survive in the house atmosphere.
a) The temperature required for hoya Mathilde
Hoya Mathilde plants grow well at room temperature. They prefer to stay in moderate temperatures. Like many other species of Hoya plants, these plants too love to stay in 60 to 80 degrees temperatures. The slight fluctuations in temperatures can be tolerated, but much different from that range will damage the plant. Being a tropical plant it can tolerate temperatures up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit for a while but these plants cannot tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees.
If you place your plant outdoors, then bring them indoors in the winter. You can use plant heaters to maintain the temperatures. Do not place the plant outdoors in the hot summer. Because high temperatures may lead to dehydration in plants and other such problems.
b) Humidity required for hoya Mathilde
Hoya plants adapt to room conditions and thrive in the humidity levels present in the home. Thus it became one of the best indoor plants. Generally, these plants like to stay in 60% of humidity. It can adapt to humidity levels ranging from 40 to 65 percent. More or less than the range will lead to some problems. So, your plant can survive better in your home, if the humidity level in your home is between 40-65%.
6. Pruning Hoya Mathilde
This beautiful vining plant does not need any pruning until the side-growing vines disturb you. Prune it if you want to shape it. Remove if there are any dead leaves and stems. Pruning helps in encouraging the growth of the plant. You can prune your plant just before its growing season to boost its growth. But, remember pruning the spurs of the plant can prevent the vine from flowering in the future.
So carefully prune the disturbing part and leave the remaining plant like that to avoid making mistakes. The best part is the pruned stems can be used in propagation, which we will discuss further in this article.
7. Potting Hoya Mathilde
Hoya Mathilde plant care guides suggest potting the plant in a better way which makes the plant live longer. The material, size, and drainage system of the pot will show its effect on the growth of the plant. Now let us know them in detail.
a) Material of the pot
The material of the plant has a significant role in maintaining the plant. Choose the pots that have porous walls that allow aeration into the soil such that the soil that is in contact with the walls of the pot gets dry quickly and also supplies oxygen to the roots. Pots that are made up of plastic and other such material will not allow the soil to dry quickly and the water sits in the soil which may cause root-related issues. It is recommended to use clay pots, unfinished terracotta pots, and unglazed ceramic pots to plant this beautiful plant.
b) Size of the pot
These Hoya species prefer to be in small pots. Because the pot-bound roots encourage blooming in the plants. So, use pots that are just 2-3 inches larger than the root system to pot the plant. But remember that you should repot it once a year to help the plant’s growth.
c) The drainage system of the pot
The pot you use to plant your Hoya Mathilde should have a good drainage system that expels the extra water out of the pot to keep the roots dry. Thus it helps to maintain the plant’s good health.
d) Process of potting the plant
Firstly, fill the bottom layer of the pot with gravel to avoid soil clogging the drainage holes. Then fill half of the pot with the soil mix and place the plant and then fill the pot with the remaining soil mix. Water it lightly.
8. Repotting Hoya Mathilde
Hoya Mathilde plants have a good growth rate and should be repotted regularly to encourage growth. It is important to report a plant once a year. The pot-bound roots may help in blooming but if it is left like that for a long time it may result in the root rots because the water gets stuck between the roots and fails to drain out. To repot your plant, you need to know the best time for doing that and the process of repotting it.
How to repot your hoya Mathilde plant? Don’t worry it’s not rocket science, it’s very easy to do. Now, I will discuss the steps that you should follow to repot your hoya Mathilde plant!
Firstly, while talking about the best time to repot your plant, you need to do it in the growing season of the plant. Because the plant recovers quickly from the stress in the plant that is caused due to repotting and starts growing during this time. Repot your Hoya Mathilde plant once a year to help its growth.
To repot your plant, firstly select a suitable pot that we have discussed earlier, and also get a fresh and well-draining soil mix to fill the new pot. Then water the plant lightly, to loosen the soil which allows the plant to come out easily, without damaging the roots. Now, gently pull out the plant from the old pot. Shake the plant to separate the soil from the roots.
Now fill the pot with gravel at the bottom and then fill it with soil up to half and place the plant. Then fill the pot with the remaining soil. Slightly water it. Don’t water it for the next following days and do not fertilize the plant soon after repotting. Place the plant in the old place to reduce its stress. Keep an eye on the plant until it starts growing normally.
Common problems that your Hoya Mathilde might face!
1. Pests
What pests can affect your beloved hoya Mathilde plants? I will now discuss these pests in detail below, check it out!
a) Mealybugs
Mealybugs are white insects that grow on the undersides of the leaves. It sucks up the plant’s juices and makes the leaf dry and thus making it fall. These infestations can cause several diseases in your plant.
They can be removed by picking them. You can get rid of them by spraying insecticides or pesticides. Applying neem oil to the affected parts avoids these infestations. You can spray rubbing alcohol or soap water to avoid these mealybugs.
b) Spider mites
These infestations too live in the undersides of the foliage. They build silk webs around them to protect themselves. They cause damage to the plant cells for their feeding and thus they affect the plant’s health.
Application of neem oil, or using soft pesticides can give relief to your plant.
c) Aphids
Aphids suck out the sap in the plant cell that contains nutrients that help in the better growth of the plant. Neglecting them can cause severe damage to the plant and eventually may kill the plant.
Application of neem oil, or using soft pesticides can give relief to your plant. You can spray rubbing alcohol or soap water to avoid these pests.
d) Scales
Scales are small insects that grow on the backside of the leaf. It is the reason behind the dropping of new leaves. They live on plant fluids and can be removed by using oil sprays, and soft or mild insecticides.
It is not an easy task to remove pests from the plant, it may take some time but removing them will make the plant strong.
2. Diseases
Even Though these Hoya Mathilde plants are considered hardy plants, they sometimes fall sick due to a lack of proper care. But, don’t worry you can make your plant recover if you quickly respond to the signs of it. The most common problems are root rots, discoloration of leaves, colored spots on the foliage, dry leaves, and leaf drop, which may stop its growth or a fall in the growth rate, another such disease that can bother your plant.
Root rot can be cured only by cutting the rotten part, but many other diseases can be cured by providing adequate care.
3. Fungal growth
The fungus may grow in the soil and rarely on the leaves and stems of the plant. It is generally caused due to water issues. Overwatering can give birth to fungus in the waterlogged soil. Lack of sunlight can cause fungal growth. The fungus can make the roots, stems, and leaves mushy and eventually rot them. This may finally lead to the plant’s death. Soon after observing the fungal growth in plants or soil, first, change the soil mix, and repot the plant.
Avoid the fungal growth further by spraying fungicides, and placing the plant in bright light. It is better to remove the affected part soon after observing it.
Propagation of Hoya Mathilde
Every plant enthusiast loves this plant and can’t control themselves from increasing its number in the house. Same here with me, I keep on buying more and more hoya plants for my home, even if I have no space left. Because these Hoya Mathilde plants are easy to grow and also easy to propagate. Also, these plants are so stunning to look at. They just give my home an aesthetic architectural appearance.
The best time propagation of Hoya Mathilde is just before or at the beginning of the growing season. Because this time will encourage the growth of the newly propagated plant. Now let us know how to propagate these plants with two different methods!
1. Propagating Hoya Mathilde using Stem cuts
Propagation of these plants using stem cuts can be done mostly in two mediums that is water and soil. It is the most common process of producing more Hoya Mathilde plants. Also, it is easy and does take some time. Let us know about the propagation in different mediums briefly.
a) Propagating hoya plants in Soil medium
To propagate a Hoya Mathilde plant by stem cutting, you need to collect a stem cutting, maybe while pruning or you can take a cutting, especially for propagation. But make sure that the cuts are taken with sharp scissors and the length of the cutting must be at least 10 inches with some leaves. Now arrange a pot filled with the soil mix for planting the stem. Now, gently remove the lower leaves.
If you want you can dip the bottom tip of the cutting in the rooting hormone to encourage root growth. However, stem cutting can produce new roots naturally without any boosters but takes some time. Then gently poke the lower part of the stem cutting into the soil. Water it slightly. That’s it! You’ve finished the process of propagation.
b) Propagating hoya plants in Water medium
This method is also the same as the above method, only the medium changes. After dipping the stem in the rooting hormone, place the cutting in a jar that contains water. Avoid using filter water or distilled water. Hoya plants need only tap water for propagation and also for watering.
2. Propagating Hoya Mathilde using the Air layering method
For this method, you need to select the bottom, mature and strong stems which produce roots quickly. Now, make a wound in the leaf bud direction. Now take a plastic cover with some sphagnum moss and wrap the wound with it. Tie it tightly on both sides to maintain humidity for root growth. After a few days, you can observe the root growth. Then you can cut the stem from the main stem and plant it in a new pot.
Toxicity of Hoya Mathilde
Hoya Mathilde plants are indeed nontoxic. They do not cause any harm to humans or pets, but still, they should not be ingested. So better keep it away from the children and the pets.
Conclusion
Hoya Mathilde plants are one of the most beautiful houseplants, with low care requirements. It is a beginner-friendly plant and can be seen in many greenhouses. Many plant enthusiasts often propagate them since the propagation of these plants is very easy. This plant spreads positive vibes and improves the look of your home. Thus getting a Hoya Mathilde plant home is a good idea.
In this article, I have shared how to care for this plant from my own experience. I hope it helps you with Adequate care, your plant thrives, and gives you a good experience of growing it.
I know it is too much to ask you but if you have any questions in mind, please feel free to comment down below and please share this article with your friends and family if possible. Thank you for visiting this article and website and keep reading.
Happy gardening to you!
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