Hoya Princess Houseplant Care Guide

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Hoya Princess is a hardy plant with stunning succulent-like foliage. This plant has beautiful variegation and the new leaves oftentimes come out with pink variegation. This plant produces blooms that have a chocolate fragrance which is why many people desire this plant.

Hoya Krimson Princess main care tips.

Water. Hoya Krimson Princess should be watered every time the soil dries out. You’ll know when the plant needs water when you try to fold the leaves into a taco. If the leaf can easily fold into a taco, it’s time for a water.
Light. This plant prefers bright indirect sunlight and can even tolerate some direct light. I keep my Princess under T5 Barrina plant grow lights.
Fertilizer. Fertilizer during time growing season and pause during the dormant (typically acwinter) months.
Humidity. This plant prefers higher humidity. I keep my Princess in a greenhouse getting 60%-80% humidity. However, I keep a plant similar to it (Hoya Queen) in regular household humidity (30%) and it’s also doing great.

Here’s what to do to keep your Hoya Krimson Princess thriving.

Light

Hoya Princess prefer bright indirect light and can also be grown under plant grow lights.

I keep my Princess under plant grow lights and they are relatively close to the plant grow light, which means they are getting bright light for roughly 12 hours a day. I find this keeps the variegation and pink color stable.

A plant quite similar to this is the Hoya Queen. I keep my Hoya Queen in a south facing window and it’s happy there. It’s hanging from the ceiling and gets filtered sunlight.

Water

Hoya Princess likes to be watered when the soil is almost dry.

You can tell when this plant needs water by performing the taco test. A houseplant enthusiast online (that I cannot recall the name of) came up with this test. You simply try to fold the Hoya Princess leaf in a taco shape. If it can easily fold into a taco shape, your plant needs water. If the leaf doesn’t fold into a taco shape, your plant has enough water still.

Hoya’s are some of the easiest houseplants in my opinion and don’t need a strict watering schedule.

When watering your Hoya, make sure to aerate the soil with a chopstick. Break up any compacted soil. In nature, worms and insects do this naturally and make it so soil isn’t so compacted. When soil is well aerated, the roots receive more oxygen and get an even distribution of water.

Soil

Hoya’s prefer well-draining soil. These plants don’t like to be kept wet or sit in compacted, dense soil.

If you want to repot, you can keep things easy by using equal parts cactus mix, perlite, and orchid bark.

I’m pretty lazy when it comes to replanting plants. For example, I bought my Hoya Princess a few months ago and still haven’t repotted it. It’s thriving in the soil mix it came with from the houseplant store I bought it from. I prefer doing this anyways because it gives the plant a lot of time to get used to my home and its new growing conditions.

If you don’t want to make your own houseplant mix, you can buy pre-made mix like Fox Farm Ocean Forest. This houseplant mix has a blend of high quality ingredients that contain the best ingredients for your plants.

Temperature

Hoya Krimson Princess do well in homes between the temperatures of 65°F to 90°F (18°C to 32°C).

Fertilizer

Hoya Princess need fertilizer just like any other houseplant.

Use a natural or synthetic fertilize to give your plant the nutrients it needs. If you choose to use a synthetic fertilizer, dilute the recipe in half because synthetic fertilizers are quite strong and can kill your plant. With organic, natural fertilizers, you don’t have to worry about diluting the recipe because the fertilizer isn’t nearly as strong as synthetic fertilizers.

Most houseplants go dormant in the winter and this gives the plant time to rest. This means you don’t have to fertilize your plant in the winter and it’s actually recommended you don’t.

However, you might live in a place like I do that doesn’t experience the winter season at all. I find most of my houseplants grow year round and many of them do not go dormant, so I fertilize most of my plants year-round.

I like to use to Liqui-Dirt. Liqui-Dirt is an all purpose plant food that gives your plants all the nutrients they need to grow healthy.

Humidity

Hoya Princess prefer higher humidity but can be easily acclimated to normal household humidity.

For example, I keep my Hoya Princess in a greenhouse but I keep my Hoya Queen in regular household humidity and it’s doing great. However, I do find that Hoya’s grow a lot faster in high humidity environments.

If you need help increasing humidity, here are my best tips.

Put high humidity plants together in a group. When you group high humidity plants around each other, this creates a humid microclimate. The plants will continue to release moisture around each other through transpiration.
Place a pebble tray underneath your high humidity plants. I purchased small rocks at a hardware store and placed them on a planter tray. Place your planter on the tray. Put enough water in the tray until it hits the planter bottom and the water will evaporate around the plant.
Purchase a humidifier and run it daily near your houseplants
Place high-humidity plants in your bathroom. I place certain high humidity plants in my shower and they’re thriving.

Propagation

Propagating a Hoya Princess is simple. The easiest method is taking a cutting that has both leaves and a stem.

Root the stem in water and you’ll soon see roots growing. Once you see visible roots about 2 inches long, move the plant to your preferred substrate.

Place your cutting in bright indirect light and not in a dark corner. This will speed up the rooting process. You should see root development in about one month.

You can also take cuttings of the leaves with a petiole and place the petiole in water, but I find this to be a process that fails most of the time.

Hoya Princess Common Questions

Are Hoya Princess rare?

Hoya Princess is not rare. You can find this plant at big box stores like Lowes or Home Depot. Houseplant stores regularly sell this plant as well.

How much is a Hoya Princess?

A 2 inch pot of Hoya Princess goes for around $10. A 6 inch pot of Hoya Princess goes for $25-$45 depending on where you buy this plant.

How do you care for Hoya Princess?

Hoya Princess is a hardy plant that desires higher humidity, bright indirect sunlight, regularly waterings when the soil gets almost dry, and regular fertilizer during the growing season.

Should you mist Hoya Princess?

You can mist your Hoya Princess but you don’t have to.

Do Hoya Princess prefer to climb or hang?

Hoya Princess are mostly known for their hanging foliage but you can also encourage this plant to climb.

How do you train a Hoya Princess to climb?

Train your Hoya Princess to climb by providing the plant with a trellis or stake. Tie the plant around the trellis or stake and this will encourage climbing.

Should Hoya Princess be staked?

You can choose to stake your Hoya Princess if you prefer a plant that climbs.

How do I make my Hoya Princess grow fuller?

To encourage a fuller Hoya Princess, place cuttings of your plant back into the pot and this will create a fuller looking plant. Also make sure to regularly fertilize your plant so that the plant receives the nutrients it needs.

How do I know if my Hoya Princess is healthy?

If your Hoya Princess has foliage that is strong and doesn’t look limp, your plant is most likely healthy. Your plant should be regularly growing during its active season.

Do Hoya Princess need trimming?

You can trim your Hoya Princess but you don’t have to. Many people like to trim their plants to encourage growth and simultaneously grow more plants by propagation.

Can I grow Hoya Princess in leca?

You can definitely grow Hoya Princess in leca and they may even prefer it to soil. Hoya’s are epiphytic plants meaning they grow on trees in the wild so their roots are constantly receiving a lot of water and oxygen.

Leca substrate easily provides this since leca naturally creates a very chunky substrate that gives roots oxygen and water.

When should I repot Hoya Princess?

Hoya Princess just like other Hoya’s don’t mind being a little bit root bound. Since these aren’t really fast growing houseplants, you won’t be repotting this plant as often as other houseplants.

You can repot your plant when it seems like the plant is outgrowing the pot.

Is Hoya Princess easy to care for?

Hoya Princess is a hardy plant and easy to care for. This is a great plant for beginners just getting into houseplants.

Is Hoya Princess a fast grower?

Hoya Princess is a slower grower compared to plants like Philodendrons.

How big do Hoya Princess get?

Hoya Princess can grow up to 20 feet in the wild. In your house, you won’t see that kind of growth but you can expect your plant to get a few feet long.

Can Hoya Princess take full sun?

Hoya Princess can take a couple of hours of full sun each day, but any more than that can easily hurt the foliage.

How often do Hoya Princess bloom?

If you’re lucky enough to see a Hoya Princess bloom, it’ll likely be after you’ve had the plant for a few years.

As far as indoor houseplants go, it’s even harder to get blooms because many of the houseplants inside our homes aren’t receiving the intense light they need to bloom. To increase your chances of blooming, place your Hoya in a bright spot that even gets some direct sunlight on top of the plant.

How do I make my Hoya Princess larger?

To make your Hoya Princess larger, regularly prune and fertilize your plant. When you prune your plant, place those cuttings back into the plant to create a bushier look.

How do you propagate Hoya Princess?

Propagate Hoya princess by placing stem cuttings into water. The stem cutting should get roots within a month or so.

Can you put Hoya Princess cuttings directly into soil?

You can put Hoya Princess cuttings directly into soil.

Is Hoya Princess toxic to pets?

No, this plant is not toxic to pets. You can get more information on toxic and pet-friendly plants at ASPCA here.

Common pests

Hoya Princess is known for being susceptible to mealybugs. This is why it’s important to use a pest preventive and regularly check your houseplants for pests before the problem gets out of control.

If you find mealy bugs on your houseplant, quarantine the plant immediately. Keep away from all other houseplants. Grab a q-tip and 70% rubbing alcohol and gently wipe off any sign of mealy bug.

Other pests drawn to the Hoya Princess include scale and aphids. These pests can hurt your plant which is why prevention is key.

To help prevent any pest infestations on your plant, her are my best tips.

Regularly check your plants for pests. This is also a great time to clean your plants.
Keep your plant looking healthy by cutting off dead foliage.
Use a natural or synthetic pest preventative to keep pests at bay.
Quarantine new houseplants for two weeks before bringing them around your other houseplants.

If you find a houseplant has pests, quarantine the plant away from your houseplants. Clean the plant with an organic or nonorganic insecticide.

I use Bonide Systemic Granules on my plants as a preventative. All you do is sprinkle the systemic granules on top of the soil and let it do its magic. This product is extremely effective for fungus gnats.

Bonide Systemic Granules are a great way to get rid of unwanted pests.

Common issues

Brown tips: If your Hoya Princess has brown tips, you may be overwatering your plant. Cut back on water and only water when the plant feels very light. Or use the fun taco method test that will help you figure out when to water.

Yellowing leaves: If your Hoya Princess has yellow leaves, you may be overwatering or the soil doesn’t have proper drainage. If the soil doesn’t have proper drainage, repot and use equal parts cactus, orchid bark, and perlite. You can also move your Hoya Princess to a semi-hydroponics like leca or lechuza pon.

Curly leaves: If your Hoya Princess has curling leaves, it’s either due to overwatering or underwatering. I know, helpful right. This is why many people move this plant to leca or lechuza pon.

Key Points To Remember

Hoya Princess is an easygoing and hardy plant that is easy to take care of.

As long as you give your plant bright indirect sunlight, fertilizer regularly, and consistent water, your plant will be a happy camper.

This plant produces stunning variegated plants with new leaves coming out pink or white. I love this plant and have never had any pest pressures or problems with it.