Hoya Bilobata
Hoya Bilobata
Hoya bilobata
❦ ❧ ❦
Difficulty — BeginnerA diminutive charmer with leaves scarcely larger than a fingernail, the bilobata grows in dense, trailing curtains of tiny green hearts. What she lacks in size she makes up in eagerness, for she is among the most willing of small Hoyas to bloom, scattering clusters of little star-flowers in coral and yellow, faintly sweet. For a sunny shelf or a small space, few Hoyas give more for so little room.
Notes on Cultivation
☀Light
Bright, indirect light keeps her compact and flowering freely, and a touch of gentle sun deepens her colour. In poor light she grows thin and reluctant to bud.
❦Water
Her small leaves hold modest reserves, so let her dry most of the way between waterings. She is forgiving of a missed drink and decidedly unforgiving of a waterlogged pot.
☁Humidity
Average humidity serves her, though a little extra speeds her along. She is among the more adaptable of the small Hoyas and rarely sulks at dry air.
✵Temperature
Keep her between 60 and 85 Fahrenheit. She is tropical at heart, so guard her from cold below 55.
❧Soil
A sharp, airy epiphytic mix of fine bark and perlite suits her shallow roots. As with all her kin, quick drainage is her guard against rot.
❀Fertilizing
Feed lightly but regularly through the growing season; a bloom-supporting feed as buds form brings on fuller clusters of her little stars.
✿Propagation
She roots with great ease. A short stem cutting with a node or two, nestled in a clear cup of moist Fluval Stratum, our signature method, will strike quickly, for she is as vigorous as she is small. Read the full field method.
Field Observations
She blooms young and often, which makes her a fine first Hoya for anyone impatient to see those waxen flower-stars without the long wait the larger species demand.
Give her something to trail from or a small trellis to climb; shown to advantage, her curtain of tiny leaves is a thing of real charm.
— faithfully recorded by Mr. Phileas Plant
