Every plant lover will love a beautiful, low-maintenance vine as the hoya sherpherdii species. It features spectacular foliage beautiful flowers, which is perfect for an indoor collection.
This unique plant also features thick, green leaves with small, fragile blooms. The plant will surely give any home a stellar and special feel and look.
If you want to maintain the hoya shepherdii beauty and unique nature, you must expose it to bright dappled light and enough humidity.
Watering should be moderate and done when the soil is dry between watering. Allow the soil to be properly drained and fertilized during active growth.
Read on to see the details of the Hoya Shepherdii Care and growing tips!
Table of Contents
What is Hoya Shepherdii? | Hoya Shepherdii Origin
| Common Name | String Bean Hoya, Hoya Longifolia |
| Botanical Name | Hoya Shepherdii |
| Plant Type | Epiphytic, Terrestrial Plants |
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Sun Exposure | Bright, Indirect Light |
| Mature Size | Over 1 to 2 meters (8 to 12 inches) indoors |
| Soil Type | Very Well-draining Soil |
| Leaf Color | Dark Green |
| Native Area | Native to Philippines, Asia, Northern India, and Australia |
| Temperature | Between 50ºF to and 70ºF |
| Toxicity | Toxic sap |
| Cool Hardiness | Not cold hardy |
Commonly known as String Bean Hoya and Hoya Longifolia, the hoya sherpherdii is a tropical, perennial plant of exceptional beauty and attraction.
It is called a string bean plant because of its waxy leaves that are shaped like green beans. It produces little pink-colored flowers that come in spherical clusters.
The hoya shepherdii has thin, pendulous stems that feature dark-green, thick and waxy leaves. It is a vining plant that features rich, cascading foliage that looks great when spotted in hanging pots.
The shepherdii is a widely known vine that is grown indoors, in terrariums, in hanging baskets, or in living rooms, used as an ornamental plant because of its exceptional beauty.
The plant first originated from the Philippines Asia and was widely dispersed to various tropical areas of the Asian continent, India, and Australia.
It is an evergreen plant that has attractive stems and leaves that remain green, fresh, and active every year. Its old leaves wear out randomly and fall as new buds arrive, yet the foliage does not fall out all at once.
Is Hoya Shepherdii Easy To Care For?
Caring for hoya shepherdii is not as difficult as some gardeners think; neither is it quite tricky. You don’t even need to be a pro or have any special skill to have it around your home.
You only need to know the basic care tips, especially regarding lighting, water, fertilizing, and soil requirements, and you’re good to go.
Hoya Shepherdii Care Tips
Natural Habitat & Light Requirements
Given that its natural habitat is the Philippines, Asia, Northern India, and Australia, where it grows under shades that filters the sun that it gets, the hoya shepherdii will thrive in bright indirect sunlight. However, it can also tolerate a few hours of moderate direct sunlight each day.
Therefore, you’ve to imitate the conditions of its natural habitat by also making sure you don’t overwater and allow the soil to fully dry out between watering. Use well-drained soil and must offer good aeration.
Watering Requirements
The hoya shepherdii plant grows best in dry soil conditions. Therefore, its watering should be done sparingly. The best way to ensure that is by dipping your fingers into the soil ensures that the topmost 2 to 3 inches are properly dried.
Once the top inches are fully dried, then it’s time to re-water. Watering should be done at least once a week except in the summer seasons.
Humidity & Temperature
The Hoya Shepherdii species does not need extra humidity. Since plants store water via their root system instead of their leaves, the best way to give them humidity is by watering the soil.
However, it is also advisable to imitate their natural habitat (where they get almost 70% humidity) by adopting misting processes.
Temperature-wise, the hoya shepherdii thrives under a cool atmospheric condition. Therefore, ensure you provide it with temperatures ranging between 50ºF (10ºC) and 77ºF (25ºC), especially during its flowering period.
Soil Requirements
The hoya shepherdii thrives when you use very well-drained soil. You can use good soil that is made up of organic matter like coco coir and perlite or vermiculite, which will help in its drainage processes.
You can add a handful of perlite to the regular purchased potting mix, and it will work perfectly.
Fertilizing Needs
You don’t need to feed the hoya shepherdii every week or fortnight to make it prosper. But, you’ve to feed it with the recommended fertilizers at least once a month to help it grow healthy and full. This should be done during the growing season, primarily spring and summer periods.
However, you must reduce its fertilizing in the winter seasons since the plant would be at its dormant stage. Several fertilizers are recommended for the string bean hoya, but we’d advise you to feed them with domestic ones. Apply houseplant mix, compost tea, or dilute fish emulsion to the soil you’re using.
Planting (Potting & Repotting)
Just like some other tropical plants, the hoya shepherdii doesn’t necessarily require repotting every growing season. We’d advise you to be patient for at least 2 to 3 years before repotting activities.
However, if roots are popping out of its drainage holes, or the plant has become larger than the pot, you can re-pot immediately.
Again, the best time to re-pot the string bean hoya is during the growing season, which lasts from early spring to late summer.
And it should be done in a larger pot that is 2 to 3 inches bigger than the previous. But a pot that is too big will is not good for it, as it’ll soak up water that will subsequently result in root rot.
How to Prune Hoya Shepherdii
Like several other rapid-growing vines, the hoya shepherdii grow new leaves and blooms that quickly germinate. Therefore, the plant will require regular pruning exercises to maintain its unique foliage.
It would be best if you prune its old and worn-out leaves starting from the base through the use of a pair of sharp scissors or sterile pruning shears.
Hoya Shepherdii Propagation
Every houseplant and hoya variety can be propagated, and the shepherdii is not exempted. You can easily propagate the hoya shepherdii using the stem cutting method, as it’ll make them root very readily in water. You can also put it directly inside a little pot with potting mix.
Do you prefer to propagate using the water method as a general thumb rule? It would be best to wait for the roots to grow up to one inch long before moving to potting mix with proper drainage holes.
Hoya Shepherdii Varieties
There are over 500 varieties under the hoya species, which are also produced in their variegated types every time. Therefore, if you want an alternative variety other than the hoya shepherdii, we’ve highlighted some of the most common varieties.
1. Hoya Carnosa Compacta (Porcelain Flower, Wax Plant)
The Hoya carnosa is one of the most common green forms than other of its amazing hybrids. It has foliage that ranges from plain, variegated, crinkled, or textured conditions. It features durable, nice-smelling flowers that form fuzzy clusters of stars.
The carnosa variety is a hardy, versatile plant that is easy to care for. They can tolerate moderate humidity and light than most others, and they are climbers that vines from hanging baskets.
2. Hoya Pubicalyx
This hoya variety is a tropical twining climber that is capable of trailing or climbing any pole or other nearby plants to gain support, but a bit wild, as you will find it tough to disentangle it from its support tool.
It is considered one of the most rapidly growing hoya species, and its propagation is quite easy.
The publicalyx is an easy maintenance plant that produces flowers in clusters of almost 30 small, fuzzy blooms. It features crisp, ovoid leaves that are formed from vines growing up to 8ft tall. Its nicely scented flowers can for over 14 days.
3. Hoya Kerrii
Also referred to as Sweetheart Hoya or Lucky Heart, the hoya kerrii variety is widely available as a single, heart-shaped leaf grown in a little pot.
It features glowing attractive emerald green color leaves that are round-shaped, thus making them very enticing prospects for Valentine’s Day’s gifts for lovers and friends.
It features thick and succulent leaves that can grow up to 2½ inches wide. When it climbs, it can stretch up to 12ft long. The Kerrii is an easy-to-maintain variety that can develop briskly once it’s used the condition.
Unlike most other types, it thrives in brighter and more direct lighting conditions and prefers quick drainage soil.
Other Hoya varieties to complement or alternate the hoya shepherdii variety includes;
- Hoya Lacunosa (Cinnamon Hoya)
- Hoya Bella
- Hoya Krimson Queen
- Hoya Australis
- Hoya Cumingiana
- Hoya Obscura
- Hoya Imbricata, amongst others.
Note that once you are well acquainted or experienced with caring for any of the hoya varieties, you can easily care for any other one you like. Most of them have the same needs, even though they might be slightly different in their varieties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often Should I Water My Hoya Shepherdii?
As we earlier discussed, hoya shepherdii do not require excess water. You should only water it if the soil is dry, and before you do this, you have to check them every week. Overwatering is one of the biggest issues with hoyas. Therefore it isn’t advisable to water frequently to avoid overwatering.
Do Hoyas Shepherdii Like Sun?
Surely, every plant needs the effect of sunlight to grow well, including the hoya shepherdii. However, excessive heat of sunlight is not needed, as it can burn your plant.
Like other houseplants, the hoyas require bright, indirect sunlight. In outdoor conditions, it’s best to expose it to diffuse light, as the excessive sun can fade the leaves’ colors and yellowing.
What Is So Special About Hoyas Shepherdii?
It’s simple. The most special thing about the hoyas varieties, including shepherdii, is their unique and beautiful flowers. This is why their enthusiasts strive to make sure their hoya plants bloom, which in some cases, are difficult to achieve.
How Do You Care For A Hoya Shepherdii?
The best way to care for your hoya shepherdii is exposing it to bright, dappled sunlight, watering only the top layers of the soil if they are dry, affording them the proper humidity levels (70%), adequate temperatures of 50ºF (10ºC) to 77ºF (25ºC), and moderate fertilizing that will help in its healthy growth.
Can You Propagate Hoya Shepherdii from a Leaf?
There are three popular ways of propagating hoya shepherdii, namely, leaf cuttings, stem cuttings, layering, and seed. However, the best methods are through the leaf and stem cuttings, as it is also the easiest and least expensive, yet most efficient.
Suggested Posts:
- Hoya Krimson Queen Vs Princess {9 Key Differences}
- Hoya Krimson Princess Care Tips (Hoya Carnosa Plant)
- Hoya Australis Care and Growing Tips
- Hoya Krimson Queen Care (Variegated Hoya Carnosa)
