Are you aware of the fact that Hoya has over 500+ species? Yes, and people are yet to find more. Even with a wide range of choices, gardeners like you and me are amazed by the beauty of the hoya pubicalyx black dragon.
These are well-known for thick, waxy leaves and long tendrils. They are excellent picks if you are looking to adore beautiful hanging flowers from your balcony or training trellises.
Hoya pubicalyx black dragons have star-shaped grey speckles, purplish-gray stems, and multi-colored blooms. When they reach maturity, they produce colorful and fragrant flowers.
These semi-succulent epiphytic plants thrive in tropical jungles by growing on top of other plants. One of their features is to retain water in their leaves.
These hoya plants are easy to grow and care for. Without further delay, let’s get into the growing section of Hoya pubicalyx black dragon.
How to grow Hoya pubicalyx black dragon plants?
If you have already bought your plant from the local nursery or online store, it’s time to get your hands in the soil.
Steps to grow your plant:
- Take a clean pot or basket.
- Fill the growing medium with well-draining soil.
- Place the plant in the medium.
- Fill the sides with the remaining soil.
- Water your plant adequately and place it in bright indirect light.
Now when you have planted your plant, it’s time for care. Hoya pubicalyx black dragon care is easy and won’t take a toll on you. Though the instructions are easy, you must pay little attention to basic care.
Hoya pubicalyx black dragon Care Instructions
If you are new to the green world (gardening) or don’t have enough time on your hands to take off your green buddies, Hoya pubicalyx black dragon won’t disappoint you. Hoya Pubicalyx is one of the simplest plants to maintain!
They are tropical plants that thrive in high humidity and warm temperatures. They require at least 4-6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight daily but can also survive in low light.
Because they are succulent flowering vines, their leaves retain moisture and are drought tolerant. You don’t have to think much about watering your hoya plants over and over.
Hoya pubicalyx grows faster than other hoya varieties, so you may need to prune it more frequently if it outgrows its container or basket.
It takes about 1-2 years for a hoya pubicalyx to mature and produce its beautiful blooms, so get a mature plant if you want flowers sooner! Let’s have a broader look at Hoya pubicalyx black dragon care.
1) Sunlight
These plants grow best in at least 6 hours of bright indirect light and can tolerate as little as 2 hours. The Black Dragon can also survive and thrive in low-light environments.
Placing your plant in a south-facing window will be an ideal pick. If your plant receives too much sunlight, it can damage its delicate leaves. It can also affect the growth of flowers.
If you live in an area where you don’t receive much sunlight, you can add a supplement with a grow light. You can notice leggy growth or vines dying back in the absence of sunlight.
2) Water
As I told you earlier, Hoya pubicalyx black dragon can store water in its leaves and is semi-succulent. However, it is not as efficient as other succulents due to its skinny leaves.
You should water your hoya plant during the active growing season in summer. You should water your Hoya pubicalyx black dragon according to its needs and size. It may be 2-3 times per week, but you should allow topsoil to dry between waterings.
One thing you should consider is having well-draining soil. Soggy or waterlogged soil can cause root rot or another fungal disease. If you have a bad habit of over-watering your hoya plants, stop it immediately.
It can cause yellow leaves and leggy growth. Your plant may die due to extensive root rot. Your growing medium (pot or container) should have drainage holes to avoid that.
You can also plant your hoya plant in a terracotta pot. It will also help water evaporate faster and keep the soil from becoming waterlogged.
If the soil around your Hoya becomes too dry, water it with a series of small drinks. You should not pour all the cups of water at once and drown it completely. It may take a 180-degree turn and cause adverse effects.
When possible, use distilled, filtered, or rainwater. If you use tap water, your plant’s leaves may develop water spots. Hoya pubicalyx black dragon care includes removing these by gently wiping the leaves with a teaspoon of white vinegar and a bit of water.
3) Soil
Like every other hoya plant, it prefers light, airy, well-draining soil with good aeration for the roots.
Regular potting may not be well-draining and won’t supply the nutrients that your plant may require. To compensate for that, you can add perlite or vermiculite for additional drainage.
Alternatively, you can also add orchid bark or coconut husk to encourage moisture retention while keeping the soil light.
If you are looking to make your own potting soil for your Hoya pubicalyx black dragon, add these, and you are all done.
Combine equal parts perlite, orchid mix, and organic compost.
The soil should have a high percentage of organic matter and should provide adequate nutrition. The ideal pH levels are between 6.5 and 7.5.
4) Temperature
Hoya plants are known to grow well in warm, tropical, and humid environments. You can keep it as a houseplant indoors and bring it outside when the temperature rises above 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit.
These plants are not frost-hardy and cannot tolerate colder temperatures. When the winter season arrives, bring them indoors.
If you are about to place your plants outside after winter, you should do it gradually. Avoid placing it directly outside. Keep it outdoors for 30 mins a day and so on.
You should keep your Hoya pubicalyx black dragon away from cold draughts such as exterior doors, windows, and air conditioners.
5) Humidity
Hoya pubicalyx black dragon care includes giving them a sufficient amount of humidity. You should provide them with at least 50-60% humidity. It can be easily created indoors.
Ways to create humidity for your hoya plants to grow well:
- You can purchase a humidifier. Though it can be a little expensive, it can make your plant happier.
- You can place your hoya plant on top of a water-filled pebble tray.
- To create more humidity, you can group many green plants.
- You can also grow your Hoya in areas of the house that are frequently humid, such as the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room.
6) Fertilizer
Unlike other slow-growing varieties of Hoya, these Hoya pubicalyx black dragon plants are one of the faster-growing hoyas. If you provide them with enough fertilizer, it can boost growth.
You can use a balanced houseplant fertilizer during the active growing season, which lasts from late spring to early fall. You can also mist with a weak solution of potassium-rich water-soluble houseplant fertilizer.
Hoya pubicalyx black dragon Care Tip:
- You should not feed your hoya plant in the winter season. It is in the dormant stage.
- Strictly avoid fertilizing after repotting your hoya plants.
7) Pruning
Hoya pubicalyx grows faster than other hoya varieties, so you may need to prune it more frequently to keep it more aesthetic and appealing.
If your Hoya pubicalyx black dragon plant has become leggy or has a messy growth habit, pruning is an excellent way to get it back in shape because it encourages new growth. The best time to prune your Hoya pubicalyx black dragon is during its active growing season, which lasts from late spring to summer.
Hoya pubicalyx black dragon care:
- You should not clip off the flower stalks. Next year, your plant will bloom through those stems only. This method helps the plant when it comes time to produce new flowers.
- During the growing and blooming season, avoid touching, handling, or pruning any part of the plant.
- Before pruning, you should clean your gardening tools.
8) Propagation
If you are looking to add new Hoya pubicalyx black dragon plants to your collection, propagation can save you a lot of money. You have a whole group of these plants and can take credit for it.
Though there are many methods to propagate your Hoya pubicalyx black dragon plant, stem cuttings have more success.
Now I will tell you how you can easily propagate your hoya plant through stem cutting.
The ideal time to propagate your Hoya is during its active growing season in the spring and summer.
Things before you start propagating your hoya plants:
- Prepare for your Hoyas by gathering gloves, sterilized shears, soil, and new containers.
- You should choose a healthy green stem with 3-4 leaves. Avoid taking any broken or damaged stems. It might not work out.
- To achieve the best results, use sterilized shears to cut a cutting of a Hoya pubicalyx black dragon.
Steps for stem cutting propagation
Step 1: Take a cutting and a glass.
Step 2: Now, fill that glass halfway with water.
Step 3: Place the cutting in the water. Your cutting should not submerge in the glass. The upper portion of the stem should be out of the glass.
Step 4: Place it in bright indirect light.
Step 5: After a few days, you will witness roots emerging from the stem.
Step 6: You should place it in a container filled with well-draining soil.
Step 7: Water it, and you are all set for the new healthy plant.
Hoya pubicalyx black dragon care tip: You should change the water from the glass every 2-3 days.
How to repot your Hoya pubicalyx black dragon?
As I already mentioned, these plants grow more quickly than the rest of the Hoya varieties and prefer to be root-bound in their growing medium. You can repot them after 2-3 years.
Because this plant does not have a large root system, you should not have to repot it every year. Plant your hoya in a small terra cotta pot with plenty of drainage holes. You can add a tree branch or trellis to help the vine climb.
Steps to repot your Hoya plant:
- The day before repotting, thoroughly water your Hoya pubicalyx plant.
- Take a new container that is 1-2″ wider in diameter.
- Shake the old container gently and remove the hoya plant.
- Remove excess soil and untangle the roots.
- Now is an excellent time to examine the roots. If you notice any brown, mushy roots, use sterilized scissors to trim the dead roots. It is a sign of root rot.
- Fill the new growing medium with fresh potting mix (a few inches larger than the previous one).
- Make sure it has drainage holes to drain extra water.
- Put the plant in a new pot and fill it with soil.
- Finally, water the plant to settle the repotted Hoya pubicalyx.
Hoya pubicalyx black dragon Growth
It grows very quickly. Outside of its native tropical environment, this climbing, flowering succulent vine can reach heights of 8′ – 10′ feet.
The leaves on this hoya pubicalyx black dragon plant are long, narrow, and glossy. The older leaves turn pinkish-silver, protecting them from direct sunlight. More sunlight results in more vibrant coloration.
When you are into gardening, you can’t escape pests or diseases. Once in your gardening journey, you will encounter some problems. Let me walk you through all the issues your hoya pubicalyx black dragon can experience and how to tackle them.
Pests and Diseases
Due to natural or unintentional mistakes, your hoya pubicalyx black dragon plant can face issues. Some of them are as follows:
1) Flowers not blooming
If your hoya pubicalyx black dragon’s flowers are not blooming and giving you a hard time, it could be due to poor light conditions.
Hoyas only bloom when they are mature (2-3 years), so if you have a young Hoya pubicalyx, it will not produce any blooms.
If your Hoya is mature, a lack of blooms indicates that your plant isn’t getting enough light.
Hoyas prefer bright, indirect light (ideally 6 hours or more). You should relocate your Hoya to a brighter location near a south-facing window or supplement with a grow light.
2) Scorched leaves
It could be due to harsh, intense sunlight or lack of water. You should relocate your plant to a much shadier place if it’s in the sunlight most of the time.
The presence of scorched or wrinkled foliage and leaves indicates that your Hoya requires more water. It’s hungry! You should water your hoya plants more adequately.
3) Root rot
As I already mentioned, overwatering can lead to your hoya plant’s death. Excessive watering and poor drainage promote fungal and bacterial spore growth, resulting in root rot. The foliage appears brown, weak, and curled as a result of root rot.
To combat this situation, you can repot your hoya pubicalyx black dragon plant. Unfortunately, there is no easy method to treat root rot without first inspecting the roots. Check if your roots are mushy, fatty, or rotten. If any of the following ticks, repot it immediately.
4) Leggy growth
The hoya pubicalyx black dragon plant may have leggy growth due to lack of sunlight. Place your Hoya pubicalyx in a location that receives 6 hours or more of bright, indirect light.
If the hoya believes the vine is no longer viable, it will die back. The tip of the vine will begin to shrivel. If you see this, remove the tip unless it is a flower bud.
5) Mealybugs
Mealybugs on the leaves and stems appear as an oval-shaped, white cottony mass. They feed on sap and excrete sticky honeydew in infested areas. You can remove them physically or with insecticidal soap.
6) Mildew Powdery
You may have noticed powdery masses on the leaf surface. You should quarantine your plant right away to prevent it from spreading. Remove the white fuzzy stuff from the leaves and stems using cotton swabs or a water spray.
Then, every 7-10 days, apply a fungicide such as neem oil or insecticidal soap until the infestation has subsided.
7) Gnats
Fungus gnats are fruit fly-sized insects that live in moist soil, potting soil, and other mediums. They have grey to black-gray skin and long legs and antennae that give them a mosquito-like appearance.
They prefer humid environments and moist soil. Although gnats are not harmful to people, they enjoy feeding on the hoya pubicalyx black dragon plants’ thin roots.
How to tell if your plant has a fungus gnat infestation?
You can witness them on the surface of your potting soil. Fungus gnats are unlikely to cause significant damage in the early stages of an infestation.
However, because gnats reproduce quickly, laying up to hundreds of eggs on the soil surface, a small infestation can quickly become a severe infestation. You can use neem oil to get rid of them.
8) Spider Mites
These are plant-feeding insects. They prefer hot weather with little humidity. Depending on the species, spider mites can be red, yellow, or orange.
They’re tiny, and you can see them with your naked eyes. Spider mites feed on plants by sucking nutrients from their leaves. Spider mites create webbing while feeding and drain the life from hoya pubicalyx black dragon plants, causing the leaves of infested plants to turn yellow and brown.
If left unchecked in your garden, they can cover and kill an entire plant in a week or two. Use insecticidal soaps to kill them or spray water at them.
9) Thrips
These are insect pests that stunt growth and cause small yellow spots on hoya pubicalyx black dragon leaves, causing them to drop prematurely. You should isolate the plant from healthy ones to prevent further infestations and apply insecticidal soaps.
Conclusion
A hoya pubicalyx black dragon plant can add colors and an appealing aura to your space. Not only are these Hoyas easy to grow, but they are also low on maintenance.
You can place them on the baskets where they will hang all day or place them in a table pot. You can adore them all day long and won’t be bored wherever they are.
Hoya pubicalyx black dragon care is easy; you have to give them their ideal growing conditions to bloom.
Let us know in the comments section below if you have any more questions about the Hoya plant. Happy gardening!
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