4 Best Methods How To Propagate Hoyas (2024)

Hoyas, otherwise known as wax plants, are some of the most beautiful and easy-to-grow plants for your indoor space.

Hoyas are plants with woody stems and waxy plants according to the University of Florida and there are between 200-300 different Hoya species.

As long as you give these plants the warmth and moisture they need, they are sure to surpass your growing expectations.

When considering the growth capabilities of a Hoya, you may also want to learn how to propagate Hoyas.

How To Propagate Hoyas

The most common methods to propagate Hoyas are leaf cuttings, stem cuttings, layering, and growing them from seed. The best way to propagate Hoyas is leaf and stem cuttings because this method is not only easy but also cost-efficient.

What are the most common methods to propagate Hoyas?

To propagate Hoya plants you can:

1) Cut the leaves to start a new plant.
2) Use the stems, as long as you focus on the softwood portions.
3) Consider the layering method, which is the most successful.
4.) Propagate Hoyas from seeds

We are now going into all 4 different ways to propagate Hoyas. Just do the method that works the best for you!

4 Methods How To Propagate Hoyas

1. Start Hoyas from Seeds

The simplest, but often the most frustrating method of propagating Hoyas is to start them from the seeds.

Purchase the seeds from your local garden supply store, or use the seed pods from the plants that you already own.

It is important to consider that the seeds of the Hoya plant can be hard to find depending on where you live.

Once you find the seeds of the specific Hoya plant you want to grow, start planting!

It does take a long time for the plant to grow into full maturity, but it is well worth it if you have the patience.

When you plant Hoyas seeds make sure that they have room to grow. Make sure to keep your soil moist to keep the Hoyas seeds and plantlets healthy and growing as they should.

Be sure to cover the seeds with a small layer of potting soil.

When the seedlings have reached a state in which they have leaves on the stems, you need to re-pot them.

2. Propagate Hoyas from Leaf Cuttings

The second method of propagating a Hoya plant is to use leaf cuttings.

If you have a Hoya imperialis, for instance, you will cut off a few of the beautiful, lush, green leaves from the stem of your plant to start.

Using leaf cuttings is a method that requires patience and determination as it can be one of the most difficult methods.

You have to wait at least five weeks before a root even builds into the soil from the leaves!

Place at least five to six leaves into the soil, with the tips just covered so roots can begin to form.

Space the leaves far enough apart in the pot so that the rots do have room to spread out when they form.

Make sure they are sitting at a 45-degree angle as well to allow for growth to happen.

When you will notice that roots form from the leaves and it is okay to get excited!

Do not get overly excited, however, as, at times, even with these roots your cuttings do not turn into the plants that you hope to grow and propagate.

If you want to give assistance to this difficult method of propagation, consider a hormone that aids in the rooting process.

This may aid your chances of the growth of any type of healthy Hoya plant that you desire.

3. Use Stem Cuttings to Propagate Hoyas

From this point forward, the methods mentioned are those with the biggest success rate propagating Hoyas.

These propagation methods may also take a long time to propagate Hoyas, but at least they are easy and straightforward.

Lets look into how to propagate a Hoya through using stem cuttings.

The first thing you do is to remove the lowest leaf from the stem.

Use a pot of soil in which you can bury the lower end of your stem once cut off.

The soil should be slightly moist when you plant the cutting.

When having your cutting take roots in the soil, you do not want it to dry out and do not want to give it too much moisture either.

Avoid this by providing little water. A great method is to use a mister.

You can also place your stem cutting in a glass of water, and you can use any length of a piece of stem for this method.

Roots will begin to grow within a month so long as the leaves do not get wet and are not submerged.

4. The Layering Method for Hoyas

The final method to discuss when propagating Hoyas is the layering method.

This method does still involve the stem of the plant, but you do not cut the stem off of your mother plant initially.

To start, you will prepare a new pot that is full of soil that is ready for a new Hoya to grow in.

The soil that you use should be moist and should be light and nutrient-rich.

Move one of the stems of the mother Hoya towards the new pot that you have prepared for the baby Hoya to grow in.

Use floral pins to secure the stem that is on the mother still to the soil that is in the new pot.

You do not even have to dig to see the new roots as they will show up right on top of the new soil once they start to develop.

Ensure that the soil remains slightly moist.

Tips for Propagating Hoyas

Stick to the Warmth

When you are ready to propagate a Hoya plant, try to wait until the warmer months of the year, no matter where you live.

As mentioned earlier, Hoyas prefer warmer weather in general.

If you can wait until the spring or summer this will be the best for it to grow healthy and to thrive.

Make Sure to Have the Best Pot for Your Plant

When choosing a pot for your new Hoya, you will want to consider one that has draining holes.

This will ensure the soil does not stay too wet because during the propagation process and will make it possible that you can water or mist frequently.

Use Hormones to Propagate Hoya if You Can

You can use rooting hormone to not only increase your chances of propagating a healthy and long-lasting Hoya but also to speed up the process.

I personally have rooting hormone at home but to be honest I rarely use it: My Hoyas just propagate fine the natural way.

If you decide to use hormones you can dip the end of your stem cutting in it or the ends of the leaves if you are looking to use the leaf-cutting method.

Conclusion On How to Propagate Hoyas

To propagate Hoyas you can either use stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, or seeds or you can air layer your Hoyas. The easiest way to propagate a Hoya plant is by using stem cuttings. Hoyas can be propagated in water, soil, sphagnum moss or perlite.

Happy propagating!