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lightning96

Hoyas with yellow leaves: multiflora and blashernaezii

lightning96
12 years ago

I'm looking for some advice on Hoya multiflora. I thought this was an easy grower but mine seems to be failing. It is in an east-facing window with many other hoyas, all of which are doing well. My multiflora is getting yellow leaves (they turn completely yellow before falling off). It is a very small plant, it has 2 green leaves left, and 2 leaves that are on their way to turning yellow (as other leaves have already done, those have already fallen off). was my mistake letting this plant get too dry this winter? Does it like lots of water? Perhaps I should give multiflora a stint in the rooting aquarium?

I also wanted to ask about blashernaezii. Actually this plant looks healthy (overall) and is growing baby leaves. However, it also has a couple of yellow leaves. But there is a differece between this and my multiflora: blashernaezii's yellowing leaves have not fallen off, and they feel strong and as if they are still very much alive. (Whereas the multiflora leaves look like they have died).

Did I give blashernaezii too much sun? Or not enough? Or is it also a water problem causing yellow leaves?

looking forward to your input!

Comments (9)

  • greedygh0st
    12 years ago

    Your multiflora probably did get too dry. This is one of those Hoyas that prefers it wetter. I water mine much like it were a Gesneriad.

    Mine sulked when the heating vents went on at the beginning of winter - it hates dry air. CB states in an old article that high humidity is even more important to this plant than frequent waterings. So, if I were you, I'd start watering it more frequently and temporarily keep it bagged to increase the humidity while it recovers. Your root system might be compromised, in which case you will need to reroot it.

    I'm not sure why your blashernaezii has a couple yellow leaves. Sometimes they just get temporarily ticked off. If it has a bunch of new leaves and those continue to develop well, I'd say you screwed up at some point, but now you're in the clear. Just keep an eye on it. Check for pests, etc.

  • greedygh0st
    12 years ago

    Sorry, I meant to say it's unclear without seeing them what the story is with your blaeshernaezii's yellow leaves. Hoya leaves do lighten in heightened sun, but it wouldn't happen just to two isolated leaves. And I find it hard to imagine you gave the plant too much sun. I've put mine in pretty harsh sunlight before and it loved it (not that I'm saying it has no limits). My guess is they will eventually either revert to green or fall off. Sometimes a yellow leaf showing signs of stress will recover if the problem is corrected in time. In my experience this usually happens with the more succulent hardy Hoyas, though.

  • mdahms1979
    12 years ago

    There is a simple tip to help decide how much water a Hoya will want. If a plant has thin leaves like Hoya multiflora does then it wants to stay moist, thin leaves transpire moisture much faster than the thick succulent or hardened leaves of other Hoyas. These differences in leaves are all adaptations to the specific environments that these plants are found in and knowing about these adaptations will help you grow your plants better.

    I found my Hoya blashernazii to be quite temperamental while it was small but now it is a pretty tough Hoya. My plant did drop a leaf here and there during its first year but nothing since.

    Mike

  • maggnome
    12 years ago

    Sometimes yellow leaves just happen, at least in my experience. Obviously there is a reason for it, but you might not have done anything wrong, per se. One of my African Violets (yes, I know this is the Hoya forum!) has a couple of leaves that turned yellow, yet they are still strong, healthy leaves that show no signs of wilting. The rest of the plant looks normal and is quite robust as well. At first I thought something was wrong, but when the other leaves stayed green I realized that it was just a little temperamental.

    Checking for pests is definitely a good idea though.

  • greedygh0st
    12 years ago

    Sorry, yeah I kept second guessing that phrasing of mine as well. When I say "you screwed up at some point" I meant in the general way that all of us "screw up" as far as our plants and pets are concerned. Like, the way I screwed up by going out for drinks tonight instead of coming right home to feed the cat. And now he's mad. So sometimes yellow leaves just mean that degree of mad. Not dead cat mad, just annoyed cat mad.

    I found blashernaezii quite easy all along, but it spent its first 6 months in warm high humidity. So that doesn't really count.

  • patrick51
    12 years ago

    Lightning...first off, an east window is fine for both of these hoyas. Your problem is allowing them to get too dry. Both of these hoyas must remain moist. As G.G. pointed out, H. multiflora (H. javanica) prefers high humidity, but this can be compensated for by keeping the soil moist. There are many factors involved in the frequency of watering..the size of the pot...the smaller the pot, the more frequently you need to water the plant. Also, keep in mind the temperature, humidity and the amount of light the plants are subject to. H. multiflora is an easy hoya to grow...simply keep the soil moist, not wet. H. blashernaezii is a more difficult hoya to deal with...my experience is that it is "fussy" until it's well established..once established, it's an easy hoya. Do not, under any circumstance, allow either of these hoyas to dry out...it will result in yellow leaves. The difference you describe between the yellow leaves of multiflora and blashernaezii is due to the succulency of these hoyas..multiflora is much less succulent, and the yellow leaves will fall off quite quickly...blashernaezii is much more succulent, and the yellow leaves will hang on for weeks. Be sure that your soil mixture is "fast draining", keep the plants moist, not wet. I find that I need to water H. multiflora thoroughly once a week....blashernaezii requires thorough watering twice each week...the difference may be attributed to pot size and the fact that blashernaezii is closer to the ceiling, i.e., warmer temperature. Accustom yourself to test for soil dryness by sticking your finger into the soil..if it's dry, water thorougly..if moist, wait a day or two and re-test. And, as Jacob indicated, check for pests..the most prevalent one being mealybugs..but, these are easy to detect and remedy. Wishing you much success. Fondly, Patick

  • maggnome
    12 years ago

    GG, I'm envisioning you coming home and getting a stern lecture from your hungry cat, ha! I know that my friends' cats get very whiny when they are not fed on time.

    Great post, Patrick.

    -Jacob

  • lightning96
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    You're right GG, I did screw up with multiflora, I don't mind you saying so! I have put it in my aquarium now, which has 99% humidity, hopefully it will recover. It's a tiny plant. I somehow managed to bring those hoyas in my east window to a great state of dryness this past January, and I realize that was a big mistake for multiflora. I have a few other moisture-lovers there too who are showing no signs of stress, such as a large & sprawling sp. aff. paziae, and an odorata (or cembra, probably). Well I will try not to make that mistake twice.

    I'm interested to hear that your blashernaezii (GG) has been kept in very bright light. I guess then mine did get too dry. However, it does not look much worse for my treatment of it (poor thing) and it's growing 4 new leaves in different places.

    Thank you GG, Patrick, Mike, and Jacob for taking the time to share your experiences. I try to remain attentive to all my plants' needs through the winter and I feel bad about my lapses. Hopefully multiflora will pull through.

  • imgl
    12 years ago

    I'm so happy with my tiny hoya multiflora! I purchased this tiny little plant from John at Almost Eden in mid March. I repotted and set it in an east window. I now have a peduncle with lots of buds on it!! I couldn't believe it that a plant this small ( it was in a 2" pot) could bloom so quickly! Thanks John!!
    Ingrid

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