5 Reasons Hoyas Are the Worst Houseplant

They Have Annoying Long Tendrils

Bingjie Fulkerson from @abitoflovehome has been growing Hoyas for about two years now, but only recently started collecting them seriously.

“Hoyas often send out long tendrils that have tiny leaves and they never grow big. These tendrils can grow in different directions looking for something to climb," she said.

"I've gotten poked in my eyes multiple times by them when I check on plants. It's better to give them something to attach to.” This can be especially true of the Linearis which grows in weird directions until their tendrils are long enough to hang nicely.

They Can Get Really Expensive

Bingjie had a lot to say about hoyas and she knows from her own experience that they can be pretty pricey. “Common hoyas that you can find at your local nurseries are still pretty affordable, but the less common ones gained a lot of popularity in the last few years, and the price on a small cutting can range from $30 to $2,500. They are definitely more for hardcore hoya collectors.” A Hoya carnosa 'compacta' or Hindu Rope became the most expensive houseplant ever sold ($6,500!) on Trade Me in June 2020.

They Can Get Covered in Black Spots Easily

“A lot of hoyas are prone to edema, a condition that's caused by irregular watering. I haven't perfected the watering so that happened to quite a few of my hoyas, especially ones that have succulent-like leaves. Good thing is the spots are on the backside of the leaves so it doesn't really bother me that much,” said Bingjie.

I have had experience with edema, which actually really bothered me. Some people use it as a tool to perfect their watering habits, but I just can’t get it down, so the black spots keep coming back.

Their Watering Schedule Is a Huge Challenge

Speaking of watering, their watering schedule is ridiculous. Kateryna Bachmann from @IntoThePlants has a beautiful plant collection that I love peeking at on Instagram. She’s now on her second try with a Hoya Tricolor.

“Hoyas can be tricky and hard sometimes. In my experience, it’s hard to find a balance between treating them like a succulent or a common tropical foliage plant. As a succulent plant, they hold water in their leaves and watering too often may be not good for them. And this is where it gets tricky: once I waited to do the next watering too long and they are likely to have problems after that (losing leaves, root rot). So I hope I’ll find this balance some day and can manage to keep it alive for more than a couple of months.”

Their Habitat Needs to Be Just Right

Beth—the founder and owner of Leaf Envy, my favorite place to shop for plants in the UK (they also have an amazing Instagram)—is a lover of hoyas, but she agrees that they can be tough.

“The reason most plant parents go wrong with hoyas is that they underestimate how particular they are with light and water. Due to the fact they are drought tolerant and succulents, people often think they are pretty relaxed and don't need looking after," she said.