The Hoya Krimson Queen is one of the simplest and most colorful indoor plants to have in your home. The plant is colorful and well scented to create the warm feeling everyone appreciates in their homes.
Hoya Krimson Queen belongs to the Apocynaceae family, which has over 300 species. The plant has many names, including Hoyas Tricolor, Waxplant, Wax Vine, and simply hoya.
Hoyas are best known as variegated wax plants because the plant comes in two colors or sometimes three. As impressive as it sounds to have the Hoya Krimson Queen in your care, you still have to know how to properly care for the plant's growth.
Not to scare you, but there are some conditions that hoyas would strive for, and there are other conditions that would kill it.
If you plan to add Hoyas to your indoor plant collections, this complete hoya krimson queen care and growing tips you should follow to grow a beautiful and healthy hoya carnosa plant.
Table of Contents
What is Hoya Krimson Queen?
Before we delve into how you can rightly grow hoyas, it's best to give you formal knowledge about what a hoya plant is.
So, what is Hoya Krimson Queen?
Hoya Krimson Queen has a long list of botanical names, including Variegated Hoya carnosa, variegated wax plant, African violet plant, etc. This plant has undergone many generic renaming, hence the long name list.
Hoya is generally loved as an indoor ornamental plant because of its unique look and sweet smell. If you haven't caught the “hoya bug,” then the hoya krimson queen will change that for good.
The plant's leaves are succulent and can take on a variety of exciting colors like pale white, creamish white, yellow, and green.
Hoya is low maintenance and non-flowering plant, which means less attention and zero pest invasion. If that doesn't sound great, what does?
As a plant lover, you already know the importance of caring for your pot plants. You know just how much of your time and attention must be on the line, especially when you've got a high-maintenance indoor plant.
But here's the beautiful hoya krimson queen that requires way less attention than most regular plants.
Hoya krimson queen is native to Southeast Asia and was rampantly known in Australia at a time. Now, the plant is known around the world.
Read Also: Difference Between Hoya Krimson Queen and Princess
Is Hoya Krimson Queen Toxic?
No! Hoya krimson is not a toxic plant. The ASPCA listing clearly states that all species of the hoya carnosa genus are non-toxic plants.
Hoya krimson queen is not a toxic or poisonous plant. However, it secretes a milky white sap, a toxic substance to steer clear of, especially for kids, cats, and dogs.
Many research has proven that the milky white substance, also known as the milkweed, isn't poisonous. However, it can irritate your pet and kids, which might lead to severe vomiting.
The white latex or milky sap which the hoya krimson queen secretes is duly because the plant belongs to a milkweed family of plants that secretes milkweed.
The substance or sap can't be classified as a poison because it can't kill. But it's advisable to keep the plant and plant's leaf out of reach from your pet and kids.
How to Grow and Care For Hoya Krimson Queen
Hoya krimson queen is an epiphytic plant that grows on trees and would normally grow up to 20 feet in its natural habitat. As a houseplant, it can be managed and cultivated properly when you meet its essential growth requirement.
It's a low-management plant which would take less time compared to the majority of houseplants we know. However, there are some essential details on the plant growth you shouldn't miss.
They include hoya krimson soil requirement, light requirement, watering requirement, temperature requirement, humidity requirement, and so on.
You will jinx everything if you have no clues or growing tips that would help you manage the plant's growth.
So, do you want to learn the best approach to growing a hoya krimson queen as your houseplant?
Well, below are all the growing tips that would get you started and keep you going;
Hoya Krimson Queen Soil Requirement
The basic soil requirement for planting the hoya krimson queen is a soil mixture that allows good aeration and good water drainage while retaining sufficient water to keep the plant happy.
Hoya's are epiphytic plants that take no delight in excessive water. As a result, having compact soil and over-accommodating water to become soggy is terrible for the hoya krimson queen plant.
In severe cases, soggy and compact soil causes root rots which eventually lead to the death of the plant. Coarse sand is an excellent example of the type of soil you cannot use because of its capacity to hold water and become tightly packed together.
Your best choice is a soil mix that's loosely packed and has good drainage and aeration features. You can make a DIY combination of the soil types that works using vermiculite, orchid bark, coconut husks, perlite, and peat moss.
There are several ways to combine either of these ingredients. Find out below;
- Make use of 2 portions of peat moss and 1 portion of perlite or pumice
- Make an equal mix of coconut husk, sand, pumice, clay balls, and vermiculite
Pumice and perlite help the soil stay loose for good drainage and aeration. Peat moss gives the soil capacity to retain sufficient water for the plant's growth.
If you'd rather purchase a readymade solution for potting, we suggest the African violet mix with perlite and orchid bark.
Hoya Krimson Queen Light Requirements
Lighting plays a crucial role in the plant's growth. Since hoya krimson queen is a variegated plant, it needs light more than regular green photosynthesizing plants.
The good thing about hoya's lighting requirement is that you've got multi-lightening choices. Fluorescent light can also do just as much as the filtered sunlight for the plant.
Many people prefer artificial light because it's more accessible indoors. It is even a wide belief that the plant thrives better under artificial light.
If you are using artificial lighting as an alternative source of lightning, only 5 hours of exposure is advised. However, if it is your only source of lightning, then you'd have to expose the plant to at least 14hours of artificial light daily.
Do not put the hoya plant under direct sun. It has to be filtered sunlight like placing the plant in a shade or at your east-facing window.
Too much sunlight or direct sunlight would scorch the plant's leaf, causing complications in growth or eventually death.
How Often Should I Water My Hoya Krimson Queen?
Hoya plants have a mild water requirement. It can't be overwatered or underwatered; your watering has to be calculated and just right. Just medium watering would do. Underwatering would make the plant wilt, stay malnourished and eventually turn the leaves into brown.
Watering should also be adjusted to the season of the year. It takes a shorter time for moisture and water to leave the plant in summer than it takes in winter.
Generally, it's advised to water the plants three times a week in summer and one- or two times during winter.
Temperature requirement
Hoya krimson queen can survive under room temperature that ranges from 30 to 40 °F. However, the rapid temperature change isn't very favorable to the plant's health.
The plant has low to no tolerance for frost and cold. As such, it is essential to make sure your hoya plant is kept warm during winter. By all means, avoid cold or draughty windows that expose the plant to cold and excessive water.
During the cold season of the year, always ensure the plants stay indoors and the room temperature stays just above 10°C during winter.
What's the Hoya's Humidity Requirement?
Hoya krimson queen strives exceptionally well under very high humid conditions, ranging from 69 to 80 percent. But no house has that kind of humidity for a plant.
A workaround for this growth requirement is quite essential, and all you've got to do is fill a tray with water, add some pebbles to it, and conversely place the plant on top. Growing the hoya krimson with other plants also increases the humidity around the hoya.
What's the Right Fertilizer Requirement for Hoya Krimson Queen?
The primary nutrients needed by hoya krimson queen plants are phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. Before choosing a fertilizer, make sure it has the required nutrients.
But Hoya krimson queen isn't a heavy nutrient feeder. As such, you've got to be very selective when choosing a fertilizer as only fertilizers with these nutrients in weak concentration would be an ideal match.
Alternatively, you can start the plant on an all nitrogen fertilizer and change it to phosphorus-rich fertilizer when it blooms.
The Hoya krimson queen is dormant in winter. As such, only minimal growth will suffice, but you don't need to keep feeding the plant with fertilizers. Limit your nurturing to only water.
How To Propagate Hoya Carnosa Krimson Queen
Propagating the hoya carnosa krimson queen plant is efficiently done in early summer or during spring. It's the right time because it gives the propagated plant a functional environment to operate and grow.
The best propagation method approach for the hoya krimson queen is stem cutting. It's the simple way to also reproduce a mother plant.
Additionally, you can choose between soil and water as the first nursery to grow the stem when propagating. But choosing water still implies that the plant would be moved to soil much later when it develops roots between 2-3 weeks.
A step-by-step method for stem propagation:
- Pick a healthy stem (check for a soft and succulent stem with at least two nodes)
- Using sterile scissors, cut a 4-7 inches healthy stem.
- Apply rooting hormone to the cut-off part of the stem (very optional)
- Deep the cut part of the stem in moist and favorable soil
Note: If you start with water, wait until it grows to about an inch before transferring to the soil.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Hoya Krimson Queen take to Flower?
Under perfect growth conditions, the hoya queen would flourish and strive. But it takes between 5-7years before each hoya plant flowers.
How do I keep krimson queen pink?
You can't! The hoya krimson might be pink or yellow or pale white, but it's all biological and not a result of painting them to your favorite color.
How much light does a Hoya krimson Queen need?
Hoya krimson queen plant needs up to 5 hours supplemented fluorescent light or a complete 14 hours exposure if you are not exposing the plant to sunlight. If you choose to expose this plant to the sun, then make sure that it is not direct exposure to the sun. Place the plant in a shade under the sun or in a window facing the sun.
What is the difference between Hoya krimson and queen?
Although both sound like different entities, they are the same, and there's no tellable difference between both. However, there are many hoya krimson, including the hoya krimson princess and the hoya krimson queen.
How often should you water Hoya krimson queen?
We've provided detailed instructions on this guide about the water requirement of the hoya krimson plant. Read it now to find out everything there is about watering the hoya krimson queen.
Is Hoya krimson queen slow-growing?
Under its natural habitat, the hoya krimson can grow more than 20 feet which doesn't sound like a slow-growing plant. However, the plant has a lot of factors that come into play.
How do I get my Hoya krimson queen to bloom?
Restricting the waterflow and watering strategy of your hoya krimson queen helps the plant bloom faster. Overwatering is a limitation and would restrict the plant from blooming.
