The plant with wax flowers

Botanical information and notes

Plants belonging to the genus Hoya, known in Italy as “wax flowers”, belong to the family Asclepiadaceae and include more than two hundred species native to the Australian and Asian continents. They have a climbing or bushy habit and, depending on the species, can reach considerable heights (some even exceed 20 meters). The leaves are oval and fleshy, bright green or streaked with yellow depending on the species to which they belong, arranged on long succulent stems with a disorderly habit. The flowers are star-shaped, with five main petals thick and fleshy fused together, covered with abundant viscous nectar of a waxy nature (hence the common name); they are grouped in spherical inflorescences composed of about 20 flowers. the most widespread and marketed species in Europe is Hoya carnosa,

some species

Of the more than two hundred extant species of Hoya, few are cultivated in Europe. The most common is undoubtedly the Hoya carnosa, originating from China. It is particularly resistant to low temperatures and is often grown in pots both on porches and at home. The inflorescences are medium in size and the flowers are pink. Another fairly common species is the Hoya multiflora, similar to the previous one but native to Malaysia; the clusters are slightly larger and thicker than those of Hoya carnosa, and the flower color varies from cream to yellow. In addition, the habit is more hanging than climbing, so it lends itself well to growing in hanging pots. Hoya purpurea, also from Malaysia, is less widespread but is still known for its large purple inflorescences.

The waxflower plant: how to grow it.

If you want to grow waxflowers, choose a hardy, hardy species like Hoya carnosa. In specialized nurseries, it is possible to buy young plants, often sold in hanging pots, but easily reproduced by cuttings. At the beginning of summer, a twig of about ten centimeters is cut from the mother plant, carefully cleaned of the leaves present at the base and abundantly sprayed with rooting hormone. The growing medium should be well drained, then add fine vermiculite or river sand to the universal soil. To favor the rooting, the pot must be exposed in a luminous place but not in full sun, covered with a small greenhouse or with a sheet of PVC to prevent it from drying out too much; in fact, it should always be moist, but not soggy, because theThe wax flowering plant fear of standing water.

Young potted wax flower» width=»745″ height=»400″ longdesc=»/piante-appartamento/piante-appartamento/la-pianta-dai-fiori-di-cera.asp»>After a few months, when the plant has produced new shoots, it can be transferred to a larger pot. Waxflowers do not lend themselves easily to vegetable growing, as in autumn and winter rains would wet the soil and sudden frosts could quickly kill the plant. Once the settling has been carried out in the same type of soil used for the cut, it is necessary to create a suitable support for the growth of the plant: the ideal is a small iron grid or trellises placed in the shape of an arch. In summer, fertilization is essential, using a product rich in nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, etc.) to be diluted in water for this purpose. During the flowering period, dry leaves and flowers should be removed, but they should never be cut as waxflowers produce new flowers on the same branch as the previous year, so pruning is not recommended. In regions where temperatures drop below 10°C in winter, the plant should be fixed in a removable greenhouse or directly at home.