Hoya Nummularioides Care (incl. Varieties, Flower/Bloom & Propagation)

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

The Hoya Nummularioides is an easy to care vining epiphyte that belongs to the Apocynaceae family. It is one of the few varieties of Hoya Pubera. As such, you’ll often see it labeled as Hoya Pubera Nummularioides or Hoya Nummularioides Pubera in some stores.

It also worth noting that the Hoya Nummularioides has a few varieties of its own including the

Hoya nummularioides Constantin
Hoya nummularioides Yellow
Hoya nummularioides Pink
Hoya nummularioides Red

As you can guess from their names, these Hoya Nummularioides varieties have different colored flowers. In come cases, the flowers look different as well.

Although in general, the leaves and the growth habits of the varieties look very similar.

This makes them difficult to identify from one another unless they are blooming.

In any case, the Hoya Nummularioides is a rare plant that’s native to Thailand, Cambodia and other parts of tropical Asia.

It features very small leaves and small flowers. But its vines will grow long and spread out to the sides if you keep it in pot.

That said, most growers keep the plant in a hanging basket or let it climb a support. This allows them to take advantage of the plant’s lovely long stems.

Table of Contents

Hoya Nummularioides Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Hoya Nummularioides enjoys bright, filtered, indirect, dappled or diffused light. Thus, there are two aspects of light that it needs.

Bright light – in general the plant enjoys medium to bright light the most. This allows it to grow faster and produce more foliage. It also needs sufficient light in order to bloom. So, while it will tolerate low light without any harm, that condition is not something I’d recommend unless you don’t mind the plant not flowering.
Indirect light – the other aspect of light is that the plant cannot take very strong or intense light or else its leaves will lose their waxy texture and can even get sunburn. It cannot tolerate strong or intense light as well as direct sun from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (which is when the sun’s rays are the harshest. But it will be happy with early morning and late afternoon sun. Therefore, avoiding the sun’s rays, or filtering the light using a shade cloth or sheer curtains is necessary if it is left under intense lighting conditions.

This makes an east or west facing windows ideal. A norther exposure will likewise work provided that it does not get too dark during the winter.

On the other hand, avoid leaving the plant right beside the window in a southern exposure. The long hours of strong mid-day sun is something it cannot take day in and day out.

Therefore, distance the plant from the window (and the sun’s rays) if you want to place it in a southern direction. You can likewise use something to filter the light from the window like using drapes or curtains.

Outdoors, partial shade or a filtered spot will likewise work. One example would be placing the plant under a tree since the branches and leaves will diffuse the light.

Similarly, you can place it a bright, covered patio, balcony or terrace.

Temperature

The ideal temperature range for the Hoya Nummularioides is between 65 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where it grows best. And as you go up or down away from the range, you’ll notice the plants’ growth will slow down.

And the farther away you get from this ideal level, the slower this will get until the point where growth stops completely.

Fortunately, this temperature is very similar (at the least the middle range of it) to what most households have (since humans enjoy temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees best).

The most important thing is that the plant cannot tolerate the cold.

It comes from the tropical regions of East Asia including Thailand and Cambodia. Both have warm to hot weather with no snow during winters.

This means that the plant has not built up much tolerance for cold climates. In fact, try to avoid temperatures below 55 degrees as will struggle there.

For this reason, the plant is hardy to USDA Zones 10 and 11 since the winters are very mild (and sunny) during wintertime with no frost or snows.

Therefore, if you live below Zone 10 and experience freezing winters, it is a good idea to bring the plant indoors before the cold weather arrives (if you take it outside during the warmer months).

Humidity

Ideal humidity for the Hoya Nummularioides is 50% to 75%. Here, it is happiest and will grow faster while producing larger foliage.

However, it has no problems with regular household humidity for the most part thanks to its thick, succulent-like foliage.

These allow it to tolerate periods of dry ness as well as lower humidity.

However, something worth noting is that the plant does flower more when kept in higher humidity (ideally 60% and higher).

Therefore, if want to see it blooms more, this is a level to try and maintain especially during the warm months of the year (which is when the plant flowers).

This is also why you’ll see some growers regular mist their Hoya Nummularioides.

Misting or spritzing the plant and the air around it with room temperature water increases moisture in the air surrounding the plant. In doing so, it increases humidity. Thus, keeping the plant happy.

The downside of misting is that its effects are temporary. Therefore, you need to keep repeating every so often.

Additionally, you want to be very careful not to wet the leaves too much as excess moisture not only can attract fungus gnats but also encourage bacterial and fungal infections.

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How Often to Water Hoya Nummularioides

The Hoya Nummularioides has low water requirements. In part, this is because it is an epiphyte. Additionally, its thick, semi-succulent leaves also store moisture allowing the plant to tolerate periods of dryness.

That said, like all plants, the Hoya Nummularioides does need water.

Therefore, you don’t want to let it go bone dry for extended periods of time. While it can withstand some of this, it will eventually sustain damage from dehydration if this happens for too long or happens too often.

Because the plant is sensitive to too much water, it is likewise very important to avoid overwatering it.

As such, the best way to tell when to water your Hoya Nummularioides is to wait until part of the soil dries out before adding more water. You can likewise wait until the soil is almost completely dry before doing so.

At the very least, wait until the top 1-2 inches of soil is dry before adding more moisture.

During the warmer months, the plant will need regular watering as it is actively growing. Similarly, the weather is warmer and there is more sunlight which causes the soil to dry faster.

On the other hand, the opposite is true during winter.

Thus, during this time, you want to cut back on watering as your goal is to avoid overwatering. The cold weather, lower levels of light and plant’s inactivity makes it more susceptible to too much water.

Hoya Nummularioides Potting Soil

The ideal potting soil for Hoya Nummularioides is rich, lightweight, chunky and well-draining.

The last 3 features are very closely related.

And the plant does need soil with these characteristics due to its epiphytic nature.

Good drainage is very important as it helps get rid of excess moisture. In doing, it helps prevent the roots from standing in water for extended periods of time, which the plant hates (and can lead to root rot).

Airy soil is likewise important for epiphytes because in their natural habitat, the plant does not live in soil. Instead, it attaches itself to larger trees on which it climbs up.

Therefore, its roots get a lot of air circulation because of this.

And the best way to give it a similar very breathable environment is to use lightweight, chunky soil that provides good aeriation.

A very simple way to achieve this is to use:

1 part potting soil
1 part orchid mix
1 part perlite

You can likewise substitute the potting mix with peat moss or cactus soil.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing your Hoya Nummularioides is important as it needs nutrients to grow optimally. Additionally, it does not always get all the nutrients its needs from the soil. Therefore, feeding it ensures that it does not have any mineral deficiencies.

The most important thing is to choose a fertilizer with sufficient essential minerals, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The plant needs all these to grow.

Nitrogen promotes foliage development. And because you want the plant to bloom, phosphorus likewise plays an important role, especially when the Hoya Nummularioides is about to flower.

You can use a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer or a general purpose formulation. Liquid or water soluble products are easier to dilute and apply onto soil.

One a month feeding during the spring and summer is sufficient. Don’t feed the plant during fall and winter.

Flowers / Blooms

The Hoya Nummularioides produces one of the smallest flowers within the hoya species. In fact, an entire umbel (which can have as many as 20 flowers) is smaller than two of your fingers put together.

Nevertheless, they are beautiful with stunning color combinations. They also come in different shapes although the most common you’ll see are the star-shaped blooms.

Although the most common one you’ll see has a white petals and a red-pink center, don’t be surprised to see other floral colors since there are a few Hoya Nummularioides varieties around.

Another distinction the flowers have compared to other hoyas is that its umbels don’t grow as spherical shaped balls. Instead, they’re flatter.

They also produce a lovely sweet scent. In fact, it is one of the most fragrant hoyas you’ll find.

Often, it will either bloom in Spring or Fall, so you do have the chance to see it flower more than once a year.

Finally, if you want to see your Hoya Nummularioides bloom, it is very important to keep a few things in mind.

It needs a lot of light. Bright, indirect light is essential. It is less likely to bloom in low light.
Good humidity also helps. And it needs to stay in moderate to warm temperatures as well.
Don’t prune the spurs on which the flowers grow even after the blooms have faded.

Pruning

Before going to pruning the plant per se, I want to take some time to talk more about what not to prune.

The Hoya Nummularioides flowers grow on spurs or peduncles. And new blooms will grow from the same peduncles season after season. Therefore, it is essential not the deadhead the flowers or remove the peduncles even after the blossoms have faded.

As for the plant itself, the Hoya Nummularioides is a fast grower. Although it won’t just suddenly get big on you. Instead, it takes a few months to see entire vines grow.

Over time, the plant will grow to reach 6 o 7 feet long.

That said, this takes years. And the plant is not necessarily a large plant. Most of its size comes from its length.

This is why many growers will keep it in a hanging basket. This will let the plant get longer without and still look good.

Alternatively, you can give your Hoya Nummularioides a support to climb it. This will likewise save space as it goes upward instead of outward.

As the vines get longer, they can sometimes become messy looking. This is where pruning comes in.

Often, you won’t need to do any heavy trimming. Instead, it you’ll likely end up doing light pruning a few times a year just to keep the plant looking neat. This also lets you remove any leggy stems as well as yellow or damaged foliage.

How to Propagate Hoya Nummularioides

Stem propagation is the best way to grow more Hoya Nummularioides at home. It is free and you don’t need any special equipment to do it.

Additionally, it requires simple and straightforward process. Although you do need to have some patience as it takes a few months for the plant to grow from a stem cutting to having some leaves on it.

The other advantage of propagating from stem cutting is that it has a high success rate.

So, once you get the hang of how to do it you only need one stem cutting to grow a new plant.

How to propagate Hoya Nummularioides from stem cuttings.

Start by sterilizing your cutting tool. You can use a pair or scissors, pruning shears or knife. To sterilize, just apply some rubbing alcohol using cotton on the blade.
Next, take a 3-6 inch stem cutting. Pick a healthy stem with at least 1-2 nodes and a few leaves on it.
Place the cutting in a jar filled with water.
Make sure the nodes are submerged in the water. This is how they will root.
Change the water once a week so it does not get murky.
Leave the glass jar in a well-lit spot with indirect light. The cutting will likewise grow faster under moderate to warm temperature and high humidity.
In about 3 to 5 weeks you should see quite a few roots grow from the nodes.
Once the roots get to about 1-2 inches long, you can move them to a pot with soil.

If you prefer not to have to transfer the cutting from water to soil, you can plant the cutting directly into potting mix.

Make sure to use well-draining soil. Then water it to keep it moist.

You can likewise cover the pot with a plastic bag if you can’t find a spot with good humidity. However, remove the plastic for a few minutes every so often in order not to trap too much moisture.

How to Repot or Transplant Hoya Nummularioides

Repotting is seldomly needed as the Hoya Nummularioides does not have a huge, extensive root system. Although, its vines do grow long, it will never need a large pot like some other houseplants.

Also, the plant enjoys being snug in a pot. Therefore, you can keep it in a small pot or pot bound for a while.

This is why it often takes between 2 to 4 years, sometimes 5 years before growers will repot their Hoya Nummularioides.

The key to avoiding letting it get stressed in an overly tight pot. When this happens, you’ll see its growth slow down. Similarly, if there’re very little soil left in the pot because the roots take up most of the space, you’ll notice the soil dry up very quickly.

These, along with roots coming out from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, are signs that the plant needs repotting.

Move it to a container that is 2 inches larger than the current one. Also, change the soil and add fresh, well-draining potting mix.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

No, the Hoya Nummularioides is not known to have any toxic substances that can cause poisoning to pets or humans. This makes it pet-safe as well as kid-safe.

Although, because the plant has long vines, you may want to keep it away from where you kids like to play since they can trip on a longer plant.

Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

If you see white, cotton-like creatures on the leaves or stems of your Hoya Nummularioides, they’re mealybugs. These are the most common pests that will come and attack the plant.

These pests are attracted to its succulent-like foliage. And they will suck on the sap of the plant as well.

This makes these bugs very dangerous to the well-being of your plant.

Additionally, mealybugs also populate very quickly.

And once they grow in number, they steal more of your plants moisture and nutrients.

In addition to mealybugs, other sap sucking insects like aphids and spider mites can also appear.

That said, you may never need to deal with any pests at all.

But it is always better to be prepared by doing regular inspections.

Diseases

Root rot is the most serious problem your plant faces. That’s because it can lead to plant death.

Therefore, it is very important to avoid it as much as possible.

Or if it happens, early detection is important.

Unfortunately, because the roots are hidden under the soil, there’s no way to know unless you dig up the roots can check them visually.

Over time, the symptoms will eventually reach the stems and leaves. However, when this happens, the roots usually have sustained some kind of damage.

Therefore, you always want to be wary of overwatering and waterlogged soil.

If you suspect this or potential root rot, it is a good idea to unpot the plant and check the roots just for peace of mind.

If you see any black, mushy roots, cut them off and let the soil dry quite a bit fore watering again. You can likewise repot it in fresh, dry soil, if you want to play it safe.