How To Expand Your Plant Collection: Hoya Lacunosa Mint

I am continuing my articles on trying new plants, and it’s another Hoya. The Hoya Lacunosa Mint has small, shiny, variegated mint-colored leaves. I am a huge fan of plants with large, dark, trailing leaves. So, I hit one of my three preferences with this plant. Here, I share tips for enjoying this lovely trailing plant and the best ways to keep it healthy. Hoya Recommendations   

I credit Stephanie on YouTube for my new passion for Hoya. At first sight, the Hoya Lacunosa’s small leaves turned me off. But the shiny variegation hooked me.

In fact, I was so in love that I ordered three 2-inch plants and combined them into one pot. Many thanks to Gabriella Plants for sending me some healthy, well-packaged plants!

Here is the link to Stephanie’s channel. You will love her presentations on houseplants, and she is a true Hoya head! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AOw1bbzTA5M

Here is the link to their website: https://www.gabriellaplants.com/

Proper Care

Let me start by saying that there is no such thing as a houseplant. We humans, love to bring nature indoors, where we spend most of our time. And all we can do is try our best to mimic what happens in nature.

Watering 

As for proper indoor care, I start with watering because that is where I am most likely to mess things up. As noted above, my tendency to overwater almost caused me to lose my Lacunosa Mint.

Easy Root Rot

After purchasing my first H. Lacunosa Mint, I rotted some of the leaves by over-watering them. My mistake deflated me, so I had to order another plant to fill in the part of the pot left bare from the loss. But I got the lesson.

Let Them Dry Out Completely

Hoyas don’t like too much water and prefer to dry out between waterings. As usual, my impatience caused root rot, which I caught early. Because it was my first mint-colored plant, I wanted it to grow fast. However, that was a costly mistake.

Fertilizing

I bought my first houseplants when I got my first solo apartment in 1986. However, I did not pay attention to fertilizing until the pandemic slowed me down. Before that, I’d lived in places with low light conditions, so if I lost a plant, I would toss it and buy a new one. Of course, that causes a lot of financial waste.

 Skip Nitrogen-Rich Fertilizers

After some research, I learned that nitrogen helps plants produce larger leaves. This is a benefit for most of my houseplants, such as my Scindapsus and Syngonium. However, Hoya plants prefer not to have too much nitrogen. Instead, I fertilize my Hoya with a basic liquid fertilizer, such as Miracle-Gro.

Balance Fertilizers Are Best

It is best to fertilize Hoya with a diluted solution of a balanced liquid fertilizer. Otherwise, too much nitrogen will cause the succulent leaves to become soft. It will also prevent those beautiful blooms that many Hoya parents love so much.

Growing Media

Like all houseplants, Hoya can grow long-term in a vase of water. But remember to change the water often. Also, you will still need to fertilize the roots every so often.

Roots Need Adequate Airflow

Otherwise, Hoya Lacunosa Mint prefers a chunky soil that drains well or a non-soil medium. Remember, houseplants do not have access to outdoor oxygen. Thus, we must provide adequate oxygen indoors. And we do that by using a growing medium that allows ample airflow to the roots.

Well-Draining Soil Mixture

What exactly does “well-draining” soil or a soilless mixture mean? I have killed so many plants with my overwatering habit that I have become an expert on this topic! A well-draining soil or soilless mix provides your plant’s roots with the most breathing room.

Balance of Water and Oxygen

To clarify, plant roots need water, but they need a lot of oxygen, too. And if your houseplant’s growing medium is heavy, it is bound for the bin.

Amend Soil Generously

One recommendation for a chunky medium is lots of perlite, orchard bark, and pumice. I am particularly fond of chunky perlite. I find that most perlite available at big-box stores is often more powdery than chunky, so I avoid those except for my propagations.

Chunky Perlite

Recently, I learned about a soilless mixture called “Molly’s Mix.” It contains huge chunks of perlite, or you can order “chunky perlite” online.

Pumice

Before I learned about Molly’s Mix, I used pumice, which I ordered online in 2 or 3-gallon quantities. And unlike perlite, pumice can be sterilized and reused. 

Growth Rate

Earlier, I mentioned that the growing season runs from spring to summer. But I noticed growth during these cold winter months. So, now that spring is here, I am excited to see explosive growth with my Hoya.

Lighting

Hoya Lacuosa Mint requires indirect bright light—a suggestion for most indoor plants. So, I am trying to maximize the light I do get by putting as many plants as possible on the south side of my house. At the same time, I won’t stress myself out over the shorter, low-light days of winter.

Artificial Lighting

I have a couple of artificial lights, but I don’t use them. I am lazy and don’t want the hassle of setting up grow lights all over my home. I have a large Sansi bulb I bought to put in a floor lamp and another grow light setup gifted to me. But man, that seems like too much work. And in these retirement years, I am about everything slow and easy.

Setting Up Grow Lights is Work

As is, I already have a lot of houseplants and an outdoor garden to care for. So, I cannot see adding more to my plate. Setting up grow lights would remove the therapeutic effect of having indoor plants.

CINNAMON BLOOMS

Hoya Lacunosa Mint is often called “Cinnamon” plants. This is because its flowers give off a cinnamon-like scent. I love cinnamon! I find ways to use the sticks or powder every day: burn it, boil it, or add it to my morning coffee.

Not a Fan of Hoya Blooms

However, I’m not a big fan of having plants flower indoors; I prefer to leave the blooms for my outdoor gardens. The only exception I’d make is a small gardenia bush indoors, but I don’t have enough light to grow one. I also live in a growing zone that makes it hard to keep a gardenia healthy outdoors.

Highly Recommended

In closing, I recommend this plant if you don’t already have it. If you have experience with this lovely plant, please share how it is working out for you.