Hoya Compacta, is known for its folded curling leaves that tend to completely cover the stem. This is perhaps one of the most unique plants in the hoya genus. Its full name is Hoya Carnosa Compacta. Being a Carnosa, it has light pink blooms similar to the Krimson Queen, and regular Hoya Carnosa varieties. Because this plant’s stem is typically covered, it will hang in long trailing strands, rather than climb a trellis, like other hoyas can.
Sadly, I have never been lucky enough to experience this plant in bloom. So, I can’t give advice on getting it to bloom, but for everything else you need to know, about how to care for your Hoya Compacta, I have you covered!
Hoya Compacta Care: Lighting Requirements
Lighting is crucial to growing a Hoya Compacta. This plant is a slow grower, and needs as much energy as possible to grow. The Hoya Compacta will grow best in bright light. This plant is already a slow grower, so if you put it in a low light setting, you will likely see little to no growth on this plant.
I recommend having this plant in a south facing window. It can take a lot of light, but keep an eye on it just in case the direct sunlight is too much for it. If you are moving the plant from a dark space to a brighter spot, be sure to move it slowly, as a rapid change in lighting could cause burning. I would recommend keeping it off to the side of the window, and moving it a little closer to the window each week. It could also do great in an east or west facing window.
If you don’t have space for it in a brighter spot, a north facing window could be okay for it, but I would recommend supplementing this plant with a grow light. I’m not sure why, but I have found that Hoyas respond really well to grow lights. Keep it 6-8 inches from a grow light, and it should be happy.
Hoya Compacta Care: Water
Hoya Compacta is pretty laxed when it comes to watering. So long as you aren’t overwatering this plant, it is difficult to kill. They have thick fleshy leaves that can store water. The Hoya Compacta is tough however, they aren’t quite as drought tolerant as a succulent. So I wouldn’t recommend leaving it without watering for multiple weeks, several times in a row. It might bounce back from that level of neglect the first time, but likely will suffer from continued neglect.
Let the plant dry out about 60-70% before watering. This can vary depending on the pot size, but typically I wait until the first three inches of the soil are completely dry. It can be tricky to tell if this plant is being underwatered, but if you see wrinkly leaves, you may want to try increasing your watering frequency.
Hoya Compacta Care: Soil & Potting
Soil
Hoyas are epiphytes, which means they grow on other plants in the wild. Because they are epiphytes, they prefer an airy soil that will allow their roots to breathe. I recommend growing Hoya Compacts in a chunky aroid mix. Premade mixes can be hard to find at a fair price, so I recommend making it at home. All of the ingredients can be easily found at a garden center, or online.
Potting
Hoya Compacta roots can latch very tightly to porous surfaces, so I don’t recommend growing them in terracotta. This can lead to either damaging the root system when it comes time to repot, or having to smash the pot to get it out. It is better to grow Hoya Compacta in a plastic nursery pot, or a ceramic pot. Hoya Compacta also prefers to be a little rootbound. So, I recommend waiting about 2 years between repots, unless you suspect it needs it sooner.
Hoya Compacta Care: Humidity & Temperature
While Hoya Compacta can tolerate average indoor humidity levels, they appreciate slightly higher humidity, mimicking their native tropical habitat. To increase humidity, consider placing it near lots of other plants where they can create a microclimate, or using a room humidifier. Maintaining temperatures between 60°F to 80°F (15°C to 27°C) is ideal for Hoya Compacta, avoiding drastic fluctuations and drafts.
Hoya Compacta Propagation Guide
Propagating Hoya Compacta allows you to expand your plant collection and share the joy of gardening with others. Due to the fact that this plant grows slowly, I wouldn’t recommend propagating yours, unless it is quite large. This plant can also be a little tricky to propagate, just because the stem can be tricky to get to. I have only propagated mine once, and it was because a friend knocked it over the day I bought mine, and it broke the stem. Luckily it was easy to propagate, and I was able to pot it up with the mother plant after a few months.
To propagate a Hoya Compacta, take a cutting, and trim off any leaves near the base of the cutting, to expose the stem. Leave the cutting to callus over for a few hours. Note that this plant produces a milky white sap that can irritate skin, and once dry is nearly impossible to get off any surfaces. So, be careful when you cut your Hoya Compacta.
Hoya Compacta cuttings are really top heavy, so they won’t be able to sit in a jar of water like most cuttings. Instead, get a small pot and fill it with perlite, and place the cutting in the perlite, with the stem buried in it. Then place it in a shallow dish of water, where the perlite will wick moisture up to the cutting. Refill the water every few days, being sure not to let it fully dry out.
After a few weeks, roots should develop. You can check by gently tugging, if there is resistance, it has started rooting, if there isn’t, it likely hasn’t rooted. It can be tricky to tell when this plant has a large enough root system to be potted up, so if you are unsure, I would wait a few more weeks. Once it is ready, you can simply pot it up, without worrying about removing the perlite from the roots or anything.
Thank you so much for reading this far! I hope this guide answered any questions you have about how to care for your Hoya Compacta. If you have any additional questions about Hoya Compacta care, feel free to leave a comment. Good luck on your plant care journey, and Happy Growing!