Hoya memoria is a charming small plant that blooms all year round, making it an excellent addition to any home. It looks particularly attractive when grown in a hanging pot. This rare species was published in the International Plant Names Index in 2004 and is often sold as Hoya gracilis.
Scientific Name
Hoya memoria Kloppenb.
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Marsdenieae
Genus: Hoya
Etymology
The specific epithet "memoria (me-MOR-ee-uh)" means "memory; a remembrance, a thing remembered" and refers to Manila Memorial Park, a cemetery in Manila, Philippines.
Origin
Hoya memoria is native to the Philippines and Indonesia (Sulawesi), where it grows as an epiphyte at an elevation of about 2,950 feet (900 m).
Description
Hoya memoria is a beautiful plant with slender stems that bear green, semi-succulent leaves adorned with silver spots. The leaves are narrowly elliptical with a pointed tip and can grow about 2 inches (5 cm) long and 0.8 inches (2 cm) wide.
This continual bloomer produces small, fuzzy flowers with a sweet caramel scent. The flowers appear from spring to summer in clusters of 15 to 25 and have a reddish-pink corolla with hooked lobes and a red corona with a yellow center.
How to Grow and Care for Hoya memoria
Light: Although this plant can tolerate lower light levels, it may become weak and leggy if the light is too low, producing fewer leaves and flowers. Therefore, it should be kept indoors in bright, indirect sunlight.
Soil: Well-draining soil that provides excellent aeration and does not hold too much water is most important for growing a healthy plant.
Temperature: Hoya memoria thrives in hot and humid climates, so keep it away from drafty windows and doorways during the colder months. It grows best in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 11a to 11b, with average minimum winter temperatures ranging from 40 to 50 °F (4.4 to 10 °C).
Watering: As this plant is sensitive to overwatering, soak the soil thoroughly during the spring and summer, but allow it to dry out before watering again. Otherwise, you will increase the risk of root rot, and your plant will not be happy. It is relatively dormant during the fall and winter and needs only moderate watering.
Fertilizing: While Hoya memoria is not a particularly heavy feeder, it can benefit from high-potassium fertilizer diluted to half strength every two weeks during the growing season.
Repotting: As an epiphyte, this plant has shallow root systems and does not require a deep container and frequent repotting. As it prefers to be slightly rootbound, repot it in spring only if it outgrows its container.
Propagation: Although layering is the easiest, using stem cuttings is the most popular method of propagating Hoya memoria. Using leaf cuttings can be more challenging, while starting it from seeds is the simplest but the most time-consuming method. For best results, take cuttings only when the plant is actively growing and sow the seeds in spring and summer.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Hoya.
Toxicity of Hoya memoria
Hoya memoria is considered non-toxic, so having it around kids and pets is safe.
Links
- Back to genus Hoya
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
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