Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash Plant & Flower Care

Last Updated on January 15, 2023 by Admin

The Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is also known as the Hoya Pubicalyx Splash or the Hoya Silver Splash. So, if you come across any of these names in store labels, they are all referring to the same pant.

From its name, it is easy to tell that it is a cultivar of the Hoya Pubicalyx This puts it alongside other Hoya Pubicalyx varieties like:

Hoya Pubicalyx Pink Silver
Hoya Red Buttons
The Hoya Black Dragon
Hoya Royal Haaiin Purple
Hoya Jungle Garden
Hoya Dapple Gray
And a few others.

That said, the Hoya Silver Splash is a variegated plant although not in the way that most variegations appear.

Instead of the patterns, what you get a splashes of speckled silver spots all over its narrow, dark green leaves.

Compared to other hoyas, the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash will get longer. Its leaves are also more pointed. And you’ll easily recognize it from its mauve flowers (light violet-pink somewhat pastel-like).

The plant is a slow grower but will eventually get quite long. It is also a climber and will appreciate it if you give it something to go up on.

However, in many cases, it is grown in a hanging container or basket and allowed to trail.

The Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is a native of the Philippines.

Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash enjoys medium to bright light provided that it is not direct sun or very intense light. Instead, it grows best under filtered or indirect light as it is used to dappled sun in the forest under the canopy of larger trees.

As with variegated plants, splashes lack chlorophyll. Therefore, the heavier the silver splashes on your plant’s leaves, the more light it will need.

This is very important for the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash because not only does it need sufficient light to grow optimally, it needs it to bloom.

As such, you want to avoid low light just as you would harsh light or direct sun.

In low light, lack of illumination does not bother the plant as it will grow happily in this environment. However, the lack of light does make it unlikely for the plant to flower.
In direct sun or strong light (like mid-day or summertime), daily exposure for hours at a time can eventually cause its leaves to bur.

This is why bright, indirect light is best.

If your home does not get enough natural night indoors, you can supplement or just use artificial lights on its own. Since grow lights don’t cover the entire color spectrum like the sun does, it is important to give the plant at least 12 to 14 hours of daily grow light exposure.

If you want it to bloom, 16 hours a day is better.

On the other hand, a minimum of 6 hours (more is better) of bright, indirect sunlight will keep your Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash very happy.

Outdoors, partial shade is the best spot for it.

You can keep the Hoya Silver Splash under a tree, some kind of shade like a partially covered balcony or patio. Or, go with a shade clothe if you want to place it in a spot without this kind of covering.

Temperature

Place your Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash indoors in a location where temperature consistently stays between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

The plant is not a big fan of fluctuations. So, try to avoid putting it near air conditioners, radiators, fireplaces, stoves, vents or any place where cold drafts can occur.

More importantly, because the plant hails from the Philippines which is a tropical country, it is not accustomed to the cold weather.

The Philippines is located in Southeast Asia and just above the equator. Thus, its weather is quite hot all year round. In fact, you can easily wear a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops all year round, even during winters.

As such, the plant does not see snow and cannot tolerate environments colder than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If you leave it there, you’ll notice its growth with slow and possibly stop.

Instead, its does best in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 and 11 where the weather is moderate to warm with sunshine 365 days of the year.

Humidity

The other aspect of Philippine weather (and that of Southeast Asia in general) is that it is humid.

This is why the heat index gets scorching how during the summertime easily reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit and above.

The combination of high temperature and humidity will leave you sweating pretty much on a daily basis unless you stay in air conditioned rooms.

For this reason, the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash loves humid conditions as well. Given a choice, it prefers humidity of 60% to 80%. And this is where it will grow fastest and produce more leaves.

That said, its waxy, succulent-like leaves do hold some water. This allows it to tolerate drought (a bit) and lower humidity as well.

Nevertheless, you still want to keep humidity indoors at 40% or higher to keep it happy.

And although it can tolerate levels below that, you run the risk of dry, crispy leaf tips.

For this reason you’ll see some growers mist the plant on a regular basis. Others will just install a humidifier to reduce the manual work.

Other alternatives are to place the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash on top of rocks in a water tray or group it alongside your other houuselants.

Also, avoid appliances that modify the air like heaters and air conditioners as these significantly dry the air as well.

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How Often to Water Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash

The best time to water your Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is when the soil is halfway dry. This gives its roots enough moisture to keep them well-hydrated. But also avoids overwatering.

As with other hoyas, overwatering is the #1 thing you watch to watch out for.

That’s because the Hoya Silver Splash is an epiphyte. Additionally, its root system is not large nor is it extensive. Finally, its semi-succulent foliage does store some water.

Altogether, this allows the plant to tolerate dryness. On the other hand, it is susceptible to too much moisture.

Therefore, you’ don’t want to leave its roots standing in water for long periods of time.

If you don’t like waiting until the soil is dry 50% of the way down, you can likewise water earlier (safely). The minimum level here is after the top 2 inches of soil have dried out.

Doing this will allow your watering routine to automatically adjust as the weathers change throughout the year.

In the summer, you’ll water around once a week (give or take a few days over or under). That’s because the sun and warmer climate causes the soil to dry faster.
In winter, watering frequency drops to once every 14 days (again, give or take depending on how cold it gets in your area). This is because the reduced levels of light and the colder weather keeps soil wet longer.

Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash Potting Soil

As mentioned, the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is an epiphyte. Therefore, it does note necessarily need soil.

In fact, in its natural environment, the plant lives on trees as it clings onto them and climbs on their trunks. This means that when it rains, its roots get drenched.

But they will quickly dry because there’s lots of air circulation.

Therefore, you can keep the plant displayed this way at home (without soil). But in most cases, we like to keep it pots or baskets (in soil).

So, the best soil for your Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is well-draining, has good aeration and is lightweight. This mimics its natural conditions as closely as possible.

The reason is that well-draining soil will get rid of excess moisture quickly allowing its roots to dry soon after you water. Similarly, loose, airy soil provide good amounts of airflow which is similar to its natural habitat as well.

Additionally, the plant enjoys soil pH between 6.5 and 7.5. It also appreciates rich soil that has a good amount of organic matter.

So, make sure that the potting mix you sue includes a component that helps with drainage. You can use perlite, pumice, vermiculite, charcoal, orchid bark and a few other ingredients to achieve this.

Here are some potting soil recipes you can use that work well for the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash.

1/3 potting soil, 1/3 orchid mix and 1/3 perlite
1/2 potting soil and 1/2 orchid bark
1/2 potting soil and 1/2 perlite
1/3 potting soil, 1/3 coconut coir and 1/3 perlite

Finally, make sure to use a pot that has drainage as well. Having holes at the bottom of the container will allow the excess moisture drained form the soil to exit the pot (instead of pool at the bottom).

Does the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash Climb?

The Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is a climber in its native habitat. Although, you’ll often see it potted up in a hanging baskets in most homes.

That’s because it looks gorgeous when displayed in the latter.

That said, you can train the plant to climb. But do note that it does not climb straight up like the philodendron or a monstera plant.

Instead, it follows a path and wraps itself around that path. This is why trellises and shaped wires are popular for hoyas. You can create elaborate decorations by using a designed structure which the plant will follow.

In this setup, the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash can grow to 20 feet in length.

Fertilizer

The Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash does best when fertilized once every 2-4 weeks during the spring and summer. It does not need a lot of plant food. Although it does need the nutrients.

Therefore, you want to avoid overfeeding it.

Similarly, the Hoya Silver Splash is not picky about the kind of fertilizer you use. It is more important that you use one. So, you can go with a regular houseplant fertilizer, a balanced N-P-K formulation, an all-purpose product or even fish emulsion.

You can likewise go with a slow release fertilizer.

There’s no need to feed the plant during the cold months.

Flowers / Blooms

One of the most attractive features of the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is its blooms. These appear as small star-shaped flowers with a light pink color.

And they grow in clusters forming upside down bouquets or half-spheres. The flowers themselves are quite small. However, collectively, they look amazing.

Note that these flowers only appear after the plant has matured. Therefore, if you start out with a small plant, you’ll need to be patient as it can take 1-2 years for this to start happening.

Additionally, there are a few things you need to do to help the plant bloom.

Give it bright, indirect sunlight. Low light will not cut it (and the plant won’t bloom in this environment).
Once the plant is beginning to flower, use a bloom booster or a bloom fertilizer. These contain higher phosphorus content which encourage flowering.
Don’t prune or remove the stalks from where the flowers bloomed even after they’ve faded and dropped. Hoyas tend to flower from old stalks so cutting these off will eliminate the chances of it flowering from there again.
When the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is blooming, don’t touch it. Avoid moving it, pruning, repotting or anything else. This can cause it to abort or even drop the flowers.

Pruning

In the wild, the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash can grow to 20 feet long. Although it is much smaller in size indoors, only getting to between 6 to 10 feet. Plus, you can prune it to keep it from getting messy or too big.

Of course, if you let it climb or place it in a hanging basket, you may never need to trim it at all outside of removing yellow, brown, damaged or diseases foliage.

Note that the plant can get unruly or somewhat messy as its gets longer or bushier. So, you may need to do some light pruning every now and them if you don’t like this look.

Spring and early summer are the best times to prune. Although, you can do it any time if you’re not doing any heavy pruning.

How to Propagate Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash

The Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash can be propagated in a few ways including:

Stem cuttings
Air layering
Seed
Separation

From all these options, the easiest and most efficient is by stem propagation. The best time to do so is during spring and early summer.

Here’s how to propagate the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash using stem cuttings.

Choose a healthy stem from your mother plant. Ideally, it should have at least 2 nodes and a few leaves.
Using a sterile cutting tool (scissors, knife or pruning shears work), take a 4 to 6 inch cutting. You can take a longer stem as well and split it into several cuttings if you want to propagate more than one plant.
From here, you can choose to root the cutting in water or in soil. You can likewise do so in sphagnum moss if you wish.
If you decide to propagate in water, place the cutting in a container with water. Keep the nodes underwater but remove any leaves that end up there.
If you decide to propagate in soil, prepare a pot and fill it with well-draining potting mix. Moisten the soil with water but avoid getting it soggy or mucky. Plant the cutting into the soil.
The new plant will grow fastest if kept under bright light (non-direct sun) in a moderately warm and humid location.
It will take about 4-6 weeks for the cutting to root.

How to Repot or Transplant Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash

The Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash likes to be root bound to some degree. This does help it flower as well so don’t be afraid to keep it underpotted.

Because of this, it takes a few years before you need to repot. For the most part this comes out to about every 2 or 3 years.

The only time you need to do so is when its roots appear from the bottom of the container.

When the times comes, choose a container that is 2 inches wider than its current home. Make sure there are drainage holes at the bottom. And replace the potting soil as well with fresh one.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

No, the Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash is non-toxic. Instead, it is a pet-safe houseplant to keep indoors. Additionally, it does not pose any risk of poison so you can keep it around kids as well as cats and dogs.

Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

The Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash can experience pests during its lifespan. The most common ones include mealybugs, aphids, spider mites and whiteflies.

All of these are easy to get rid of when discovered early. So, it s important to regular check for them.

Once they grow into an infestation, they will cause more damage to your plant because they are sap suckers. As such, they will steal water and nutrients from your plant that’s meant for the leaves.

Due to their fast growing population, this can cause damage as they will take a good amount of moisture and sustenance from your Hoya Pubicalyx Silver Splash.

The simplest way to get rid of pests is to just spray them off with water. A gentle stream is all it takes. You can likewise use neem oil or horticultural oil as well.

Diseases

The most serious disease to watch out for is root rot. Fortunately, you can prevent this by controlling how much you water your plant.

Root rot results from overwatering. This is why it is important to let the soil dry out a bit between waterings.

In addition to root rot, leaf infections can happen as well. So, you don’t want to water the plant and wet the leaves late in the day. Instead, do it in the morning.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do you care for a Hoya Silver Splash?

Keep the Hoya Silver Splash in bright, indirect light. It also needs regular watering. But allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry between waterings. Once the weather cools during fall and winter, cut back on watering frequency. Avoid letting the soil dry out completely. At the same time, do not overwater your Hoya Silver Splash.

What is a Hoya Pubicalyx splash?

The Hoya Pubicalyx Splash is a vining houseplant with lovely green, silver-speckled leaves. It will climb as well as trail from a hanging basket. It is also known for its clusters of small purple colored star-shaped flowers.

What is the difference between Hoya carnosa and Pubicalyx?

Compared to the Hoya carnosa, the Hoya Pubicalyx has longer, thinner leaves. The Hoya Pubicalyx also has variegated leaves, while the Hoya carnosa has green leaves. Although some varieties of the Hoya carnosa have variegations as well. Finally, the Hoya Pubicalyx features purple and white clusters of flowers whereas the Hoya carnosa develops while blooms.

How many types of Hoya Pubicalyx are there?

Varieties and cultivars of the Hoya Pubicalyx include the Silver Splash, Black Dragon, Pink Silver, Red Buttons, Royal Hawaiian Purple, Pink Dragon, Bright One, Jungle Green, Silver Sheen and Fresno Beauty.

Is Hoya Pubicalyx easy to care for?

As with other hoya plants, the Hoya Pubicalyx is among the easiest plants to care for. They are tropical plants making them well-suited to indoor living conditions. To keep your Hoya Pubicalyx healthy, give it 4-6 hours of bright, indirect light daily. It enjoys warm temperature and good humidity. The number one thing to keep in mind is to avoid overwatering your Hoya Pubicalyx.

Do hoyas like sun or shade?

In general, hoyas do best in bright, indirect light. They can tolerate low light but won’t grow as well. Low light also reduces the chances of blooming. Likewise, hoya plants can take some direct sunlight. But avoid excess direct sun exposure as this can burn its leaves.

Is Hoya Pubicalyx fragrant?

Hoya pubicalyx leaves often have a flecking of silvery variegation and the clusters of fragrant reddish-purple star-shaped flowers give off a mocha nighttime scent.

Hoya Pubicalyx are fragrant houseplants. But their scent is stronger during nighttime. The Hoya Pubicalyx produces a mocha-like scent that’s very noticeable during nighttime.

How do I identify Hoya Pubicalyx?

The Hoya pubicalyx has green leaves with silver, greyish pattern. The plant produces pink-red or sometimes black star-shaped blooms.

The Hoya Pubicalyx has oval shaped leaves that are green in color with silver speckles. As such, it is a variegated plant. The plant also produces tiny star-shaped flowers that are pink-purple colored and grown in clusters.