Hey #HoyaHeads, looking for some advice on my droopy Fish...
I got this Hoya polyneura a few weeks ago. It arrived looking the same way it does now… leaves seem “weak” and droopy. There’s no other symptoms that I’m aware of other than the droopiness.
I tried doing some research on this, but I didn’t find much online. The only thing I saw said that sometimes Hoya polyneura can become droopy due to inconsistent temperatures, or not enough humidity.
It’s in a cabinet with grow lights (12hr) but the humidity does fluctuate, as does the temperature. But none of my other Hoyas are having this issue, so I’m still not sure if that is the culprit.
During the day, the temperature is around 80 degrees, while it dips to 70 degrees at night.
The humidity during the day stays around 50% while at night it gets up to 65-70%.
Does anyone have experience with the Fishtail Hoya? Or has anyone seen this Hoya droop before? I’m open to any and all advice! Thanks #GregGang 💚
#HoyaHangout #FishtailHoya #HoyaPolyneura #PlantDoctor
I tried doing some research on this, but I didn’t find much online. The only thing I saw said that sometimes Hoya polyneura can become droopy due to inconsistent temperatures, or not enough humidity.
It’s in a cabinet with grow lights (12hr) but the humidity does fluctuate, as does the temperature. But none of my other Hoyas are having this issue, so I’m still not sure if that is the culprit.
During the day, the temperature is around 80 degrees, while it dips to 70 degrees at night.
The humidity during the day stays around 50% while at night it gets up to 65-70%.
Does anyone have experience with the Fishtail Hoya? Or has anyone seen this Hoya droop before? I’m open to any and all advice! Thanks #GregGang 💚
#HoyaHangout #FishtailHoya #HoyaPolyneura #PlantDoctor
15ft to light, indirect
3” pot without drainage
Last watered 2 years ago
31
Best Answer
So I've had this issue with several of the "thinner" leaved hoyas.
I just find that lower humidity, and letting it fully dry between waterings helps. And time if course. My 1st Macrophylla was like this and it's back to stiff leaves and new growth after many months. Just bought another Macrophylla that has about half the leaves the same way. And not just newer ones, but older leaves too.
So I have it closer to a grow light and away from humidity in my 2nd hoya nursery.
It's usually because it was left dry too long or was inconsistently watered. It should bounce back and I'm confident you can do it.
Consistency & patience is key with rehabbing hoyas especially!
I just find that lower humidity, and letting it fully dry between waterings helps. And time if course. My 1st Macrophylla was like this and it's back to stiff leaves and new growth after many months. Just bought another Macrophylla that has about half the leaves the same way. And not just newer ones, but older leaves too.
So I have it closer to a grow light and away from humidity in my 2nd hoya nursery.
It's usually because it was left dry too long or was inconsistently watered. It should bounce back and I'm confident you can do it.
Consistency & patience is key with rehabbing hoyas especially!
Are the leaves stiff or flexible? It might just be temperamental as some Hoyas tend to be. @HoyaAddict any ideas?
I'm not a super experienced Hoya owner but my friend owned a limpy one before and the issue seemed to be the potting mixture. Extra perlite, cactus, orchid mix, etc. seemed to work. I notice that you have the potting mixture set to "regular". Do you think maybe it's holding onto too much moisture and not able to dry out properly between waterings?
@ArieBerrie I have it on regular for the watering rhythm just to err on the side of caution as I don’t know entirely what it’s made of (it’s what the plant was already potted in when I got it). It seems to be very well draining though, and I can visually see perlite in it. If it was a watering issue I’d also expect to see some type of leaf yellowing but thankfully I haven’t seen that. But it’s a good idea, thanks for the suggestion 🙂
@jaysjungle ah thank you so much for sharing your experience with thin leaf Hoyas. And your advice! That really gives me hope.
I’ve checked for pests visually and didn’t see any, but I know those little guys can be nearly microscopic sometimes. But other than the drooping, the lack of symptoms makes me think you’re right, that this is some type of adjustment issue at its root. I don’t know the seller, I got it from a nursery on Etsy that had nothing but 5-star reviews.
I’m going to try out your suggestions and keep my fingers crossed! Thanks so much.
I’ve checked for pests visually and didn’t see any, but I know those little guys can be nearly microscopic sometimes. But other than the drooping, the lack of symptoms makes me think you’re right, that this is some type of adjustment issue at its root. I don’t know the seller, I got it from a nursery on Etsy that had nothing but 5-star reviews.
I’m going to try out your suggestions and keep my fingers crossed! Thanks so much.
@ArieBerrie, that is the exact mixture I use for all of my hoyas. I use equal parts and add a little extra perlite. My hoyas seem to love it. I only water them about once a month and they're doing beautifully. Once the weather starts getting warmer I'll start watering more often.
@neomom that’s definitely true for thicker leaf Hoyas! This Polyneura is a very thin leaf Hoya, thin like paper. So in all likelihood, it’s not storing as much water in its leaves as it’s thicker leaf companions. I’ve heard that the Polyneura is a bit of an anomaly in that way… sometimes requiring more water than other Hoyas, kind of like @JCPlantProper mentioned.
And thankfully it’s definitely not an overpotting issue, it has a nice snug fit in its little clear cup. I can see its roots so that tells me it isn’t being suffocated by excess soil. It’s definitely a mystery!
And thankfully it’s definitely not an overpotting issue, it has a nice snug fit in its little clear cup. I can see its roots so that tells me it isn’t being suffocated by excess soil. It’s definitely a mystery!
@jaysjungle @DefiantDndylion @JCPlantProper @ArieBerrie @neomom uploading some better pics of the soil situation / roots 🙂
@hoyahead thanks for the pics!
I really think improving air flow to the roots will help in this situation. It will prompt more root growth. I would change the substrate or put more drainage holes in the bottom sides of that pot.
It looks pretty "soil" heavy. My hoya mix has very little peat or actual soil and more of the chunky, moisture-retaining ammendments (charcoal, chunky perlite/pumice, sphagnum, bark, etc...)
I really think improving air flow to the roots will help in this situation. It will prompt more root growth. I would change the substrate or put more drainage holes in the bottom sides of that pot.
It looks pretty "soil" heavy. My hoya mix has very little peat or actual soil and more of the chunky, moisture-retaining ammendments (charcoal, chunky perlite/pumice, sphagnum, bark, etc...)
@jaysjungle absolutely! 💯 I’m gonna borrow some of your confidence in the meantime, you’re so encouraging! 😅
@hoyahead, I'm not familiar with the fishtail, so I'm happy I'm learning something new. So many hoyas have thicker leaves, and I unknowingly guessed it was the same. I hope you can figure out what is going on with her before she get too far from a healthy state. Thank you for teaching me something new!
@neomom oh I had no idea that was the cause—I had always heard that algae in the sides of a clear pot is due to the direct light that enters into the pot. I was always under the impression that the main factor in algae formation seen in the depths/sides of soil in clear pots was the light.
Sources:
https://orchideria.com/green-algae-on-orchids/
https://www.janeperrone.com/on-the-ledge/transparent-plant-pots
https://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/16255/will-green-algae-like-blooms-in-the-side-of-a-clear-pot-cause-any-damage-to-the
Sources:
https://orchideria.com/green-algae-on-orchids/
https://www.janeperrone.com/on-the-ledge/transparent-plant-pots
https://gardening.stackexchange.com/questions/16255/will-green-algae-like-blooms-in-the-side-of-a-clear-pot-cause-any-damage-to-the
My fishtail Hoya lives in semi hydro - water reservoir beneath and barely touching bottom roots, which have developed well in this setup. I believe it provides a bit of of humidity also. Otherwise she’s in a mix of happy frog-perlite-vermiculite and she gets tap water with some dilute worm castings tea. She lives a foot from west facing window and has been thriving there.