Hoya macgillivrayi

First I have to say, I really like Hoya macgillivrayi! I’m a sucker for the large leaved Hoyas, and this ones large dagger shaped leaves are seriously to die for! This one is in the same cluster as Hoya onychoides, so the care is pretty much the same. However I find macgillivrayi to be much easier to keep happy. It’s less likely to throw its new leaves on the ground if you are late on watering. I’m really hoping that it will bloom for me soon!

Potting: Like many Hoyas, macgillivrayi likes a chunky mix that allows the roots to breathe. If your mix is too heavy the roots can suffocate and you will end up with root rot. I mix up my own mix for Hoyas and they do really well in it. I like a mix of roughly two parts potting soil, two parts orchid bark(or mix), and a little less than one part pumice. It is nice and chunky so it drains really well, but still retains enough moisture to not dry out too fast. If you don’t feel like mixing your own Hoya mix, Black Gold Orchid Mix(not bark) works really well right out of the bag with a little potting soil thrown in.

Light: I have my macgillivrayi in a window that faces East/South-East. I also have grow lights that run 12-14 hours a day hanging over all my Hoyas, and this one likes a lot of light. The new leaves actually come in a very rich red when grown in high light!

Watering: This is one of my Hoyas that is really thirsty. So I water when the surface of my mix is dry but a knuckle or two down(depending on pot size) is still moist, but not wet. They also like a lot of humidity so I have mine parked near a humidifier that runs during the day.

Fertilizing: macgillivrayi, like most Hoyas likes to be fed. But isn’t a heavy feeder. So I go with Foliage Pro at 1/4tsp per gallon of water, with every watering. If you have them under lights you can fertilize through the winter and just reduce it to every other watering. If you don’t use grow lights, I would stop fertilizer through the winter.

Propagating and Pruning: Hoya macgillivrayi is super easy to propagate! Just snip a piece and make sure you have a node or two. Then you can root it in water, leca, or right in soil. I prefer leca because I have the best luck with my fussier Hoyas.

Toxicity: not toxic to pets or kids. However if you have a latex allergy be cautious when cutting as the sap can cause a reaction in people that are sensitive to it.