Problem with Heuschkeliana
I bought a Pink Heuschkeliana a while back and it has been doing very well until recently.
A lot of the leaves are dying and I haven't changed its care at all.
I have a Yellow Heuschkeliana which is doing fine but I am really getting worried about the Pink one.
As usual I don't know if I might be underwatering or overwatering.
It sits back from a Southeast facing window and I water it once a week when the pot feels light.
I wonder if I am not giving it enough water.
Any advice?
Comments (23)
- 10 years ago
Can you take a picture?
Sounds like a root issue. Have you checked the roots? They should be even in color, plump and noth thready. They should not snell funny.Also, check the stem that the roots are coming out of. It should be either green or yellowish, but not black or brown. It should be firm and not mushy. It should not smell funny.
- 10 years ago
Mine is just doing okay. I haven't had to that long. Not sure what it likes and doesn't like yet.
Did you see, someone just paid almost $70. For a 5 inch pot.
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I water mine once weekly, and it does great! Not worth $70...unless that 5 inch pot is overflowing and the vines are like 20 inches plus!
- 10 years agolast modified: 10 years ago
Please post a picture after you check the roots. I had some issues with my own heushkeliana, if yours has similar troubles I may have some tips to share.
Mine was all wrinkly and dehydrated from too much sun and not nearly enough water, I put it in an open ziplock and gradually pulled it down around the plant to let it acclimate back to the house conditions. Come to think of it, it threw aerial roots like crazy in the humidity treatment, so if it is root rot that could be a great way to get it to root again quickly.
When I have plants bagged, a good trick I picked up from someone on the board is to water before bagging, then only water (and fairly infrequently) with a with a spritz or two of mist from a spray bottle as it starts drying out. This helps prevent rot, and I have also found keeping the bag open rather than sealed with these helps further prevent rot as well. And shortens the amount of time needed to acclimate back to regular conditions in your house.
Hope this helps, and good luck!
- 10 years ago
I read they like warmth so I placed mine on top of the T5 fluorescent light baffle and it seems to have perked up. I'm going to try the open bag as well, thanks Kim for the suggestion.
Ebay auctions just get rediculous sometimes. A Lacunosa just went for over $100. I thought I was out of my mind for paying about $35. for a rare (?) Lucardenasiana that is now declining drastically. Even cuttings aren't doing well. :-(
- 10 years agolast modified: 10 years ago
Ok, I can see getting crazy excited about Gunung-Gaiding, but $100 for a lacunosa? I hope it was huge.
And Janice, so sorry for the hijack, we haven't forgotten you I promise! We all just get so excited about any opportunity to talk about our favorite genus that we can't help ourselves.
Janice (Virginia - zone 6)
Original Author10 years agolast modified: 10 years agoNo problem!
I am interested in your comments too.
I have a Gunung-Gaiding which I got from SRQ Hoyas. I love the leaves and it seems to be growing well. It has put out a couple of lovely new leaves.
After some thought I am wondering if I could be under watering my Pink Heuschkeliana. I have a Yellow one that I also got from SRQ Hoyas. I find that the soil mix retains water much more than the mix of the Pink one. I water the Yellow one about once every 10 days or so and it is in a much smaller pot. About 3" I think while my Pink one is in a 5" pot.
I have been watering the Pink one once a week during the late fall and winter and it was doing really well. Now I wonder if I should be giving it more water and that the reason some of the leaves are dying is that there isn't enough moisture to support them.
The Yellow plant has two new leaves and looks fine so I would assume it is happy. The soil stays more moist and for longer than the Pink plant so this is why I am thinking that the Pink plant needs watering a little more frequently.
When I pick up the Pink plant one week from the last watering it feels very light. I do feel the weight of the pot and also stick my fingers in the mix to check for moisture but the Pink plant always feels very light every time.
Any thoughts on this?
- 10 years ago
I got mine from "yellowgreen2u" on ebay a few weeks ago and i only paid $10 plus shipping and it was also in a 5inch pot. I was lucky that i was the only bidder!
- 10 years ago
What type of potting media do you all use for your Hueschkeliana?
- 10 years ago
I just put my carnosa/genevieve no offical name hybrid in a bag, wrinkly leaves and good roots, must have under watered at some point. Couple weeks and it will be plump and happy and ready to go back home.
Hmmm, as for my potting media for my heuschkeliana... to be honest my mixes tend to be a combination of experimentation and what I have on hand. I still use soil mixes as a base, because my house tends to get dry and I tend to underwater. Still working on getting a good mix down for long term health and soil structure, that meets my day to day needs. I peeked into the pot, and mine is growing in a mix of soil, probably a cactus mix with lots of pumice (just got a big sack of MG cactus mix, they must be high... stuff is heading to the garden), and equal parts of bark and perlite. Seems to be happy in it!
- 10 years ago
Well, you know how I said they like heat (per Doug at Vermont Hoyas) I guess the t5 light was just way to hot for it. The leaves are soft and some are getting yellow. Wondering if I should repot....but into what? I have orchiata, MG potting mix, coir and perlite (and a little charcoal left)
I still don't know if they prefer to be dry or moist. Any ideas?
- 10 years agolast modified: 10 years ago
What is it in now? I would mix that MG mix, orchiata bark (it is bark, right?), and perlite in about equal amounts. Check the roots of course, if they are healthy it is probably too much light and not enough water. I have been growing mine a little on the moist side above the kitchen sink. Sheltered south window.
Here is my little guy, aside from being a bit dehydrated at one point it is doing well. I can't remember of this was cuttings or rooted when I got it, I think cuttings.

- 10 years ago
He looks very happy. Mine is in 50/50 coir, perlite. Maybe I'll let it rest for a few days and repot.
- 10 years ago
I have not yet worked with coir, I know some growers love it and some hate it. I plan on moving away from the soil base, just have not done so yet. Kind of want to do what Doug of Vermont Hoyas does, and mix up a trash barrel sized stash of mix at a time!
Janice (Virginia - zone 6)
Original Author10 years agoI did pull the plant out of the pot and, as far as I can tell, the roots look healthy.
The are white and there is no bad smell.
Some of the stems seem to be drying out and the leaves on those stems are falling off.
I did read on a hoya growers website that it likes to be kept on the moist side and I was letting it totally dry out before water so, I wonder, if that is the problem?
I know my yellow flowering plant is doing fine and it stays more moist and for longer than the pink flowering one as the soil mix is more water retentive.Janice (Virginia - zone 6)
Original Author10 years agoI have been giving it more water but stems are still drying up.
What am I doing wrong???
I ordered three new plants including a replacement Heuschkeliana from Gardinos where I got the original. Paula is not charging me for the replacement though I don't think the plant is the problem.
I don't want to kill the new plant so I need to figure out what I need to do differently.- 10 years ago
I don't know your weather conditions, but I only water mine once a week. Here in the Puget Sound, the natural humidity makes up for the long, nasty, rainy late Fall-Spring. Maybe that is why I can get away with watering it so little. If the roots are not the issue, it could be the potting media (although Gardino's pots theirs up in a nice mix...at least on their ebay auctions). Make sure it is well-draining and aerated. A half and half mix of fine grade orchid bark and perlite will do in a pinch. You can even buy some decent stuff from Lowes premixed (Gubler Fine Grade orchid mix-it is in a light blue bag). Soak it overnight (the mix) and rinse well, then rinse the roots on your plant the best you can with tepid water, and repot in the new mix.
Other than that, I really have no advice, as heuschkeliana is one of my nicest, easier growers.
- 10 years ago
My Heuschkeliana bit the dust :-(
I also have a problem with Limoniaca. I purchased 2 from Gardinos and they both died within weeks of receiving them so I'm not sure if it's me or they just don't like being in Raleigh! lol
There are some on my list that I can't afford to try again and again. :-(
- 10 years ago
Janice, if it looks dry and the roots are good, bag it for awhile. Or have you done that already?
- 10 years ago
Janice - you are very lucky Paula was kind enough to send you a replacement plant at no charge. Any plant of theirs that died on me and I reordered, I was never given a free replacement. Even after spending hundreds of dollars, if I had any complaints Paula suggested that I may not want to purchase from them if I wasn't happy. I was very surprised by her reaction (I didn't even go all Jersey on her....as I easily could have. I guess I'm mellowing with age, lol)

Kim