Charming hoya Matilda splash - all the secrets of care
One way to obtain plant varieties is through cross-pollination. This is usually a deliberate action. But in 1994, only a chance presented a new variety - the charming Matilda hoya.
Hoya Matilda photo
Characteristics of the variety
Breeding history
In the greenhouse of the Belgian botanist Begine, Hoya Carnosa and Hoya Serpence were blooming nearby.
Outside their natural habitat, pollination is difficult. The Belgian had an unusual pod on one of the flowers, which gave seeds to 2 new plants. One of the varieties was named after the Queen of Belgium - Matilda.
The full name of the variety is hoya cv. Mathilde splash. Here cv. = cultivar indicates its hybrid origin. The silvery speckles on the leaves that look like water droplets led to the addition of splash.
External parameters
The homeland of the Hoyev family is Southeast Asia and Australia. In the process of selection, this ornamental plant has become more compact.
In apartments, in conditions of a shortage of space, the hoya fights for life on verticals. It can be cultivated on supports as a climbing plant or as an ampelous plant. Hoya Mathilde splash has:
- stems up to 1.5 mm thick;
- oval leaves 3 cm long and 2 cm wide;
- flower umbrellas, consisting of 15-20 flowers. The corolla of the flower is white or pale pink, 2 cm in diameter. The crown is white with a red center.
Under favorable conditions, flowering lasts all year round.
Purchase and adaptation
When buying a flower, it must acclimatize within a month and undergo quarantine. Only after that further manipulations are possible with him.
Hoya Matilda Splash
Landing rules
Ceramic and clay pots are most suitable for planting, allowing the roots to "breathe". Initially, it is necessary to plan the installation of future supports, if the plans are to grow vines. For ampel style - the presence of points of suspension of the pots.
Selection of soil and location
All types of hoya are succulents. And according to the growing conditions in the wild, they are close to epiphytes. This explains why hoya does not like excess moisture. Only light, breathable soil is suitable for this flower. This will also reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
The best basis for the substrate is expanded clay. You can also use perlite, sphagnum, high moor peat. Drainage is required.
The necessary conditions
Hoya Matilda, although she was born in a Belgian greenhouse, considers the conditions of her ancestors to be comfortable - tropical rainforests.
Humidity
Hoya easily tolerates a short drought, but excess moisture in the soil is destructive for a flower. The humidity in the room should be moderate. In cool conditions, watering the plant should be reduced to a minimum.
Temperature
The homeland of this evergreen creeper is the tropics.
Best temperature:
- in the spring-summer period for a flower - within 20-25 ° С;
- in autumn and winter, it can be lowered to 15-18 °, creating rest for the plant.
If Matilda's year-round flowering is planned, then the temperature in winter is not lowered!
Lighting
In the wild, vines always grow in the shade of large trees. When determining a place in a hoya room, it is necessary to exclude exposure to direct sunlight at noon. At the same time, a lack of light will adversely affect the appearance of the flower, the color of its foliage. Only good lighting will provide a bright silver speck (splash).
Window sills on the east or west side are well suited for placing vines. If it is north, phytolamp lighting may be required.
Care
Hoya Matilda splash is unpretentious in care. But in order to achieve regular and long-lasting flowering, this tropical plant needs to create certain conditions.
Hoya Matilda care
Top dressing
Hoya is a slow-growing liana with dense foliage. For growth and development, it requires the basic elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They are contained in mineral complexes of the full composition of NPK in pre-calculated proportions.
Young plants need a high dose of nitrogen to form leaves, they are given a composition of 2-1-2 or even 3-1-2.
To stimulate flowering and during dormancy, the proportion of nitrogen is reduced, fertilized with fat at a concentration of 5-10-5.
Fertilizer is applied:
- during the growing season - 2 times a month;
- during rest - once a month.
If you switch to a high phosphorus fertilizer about a month before the hoya blooms, you will provide amazing flower caps!
Watering
Liana hoya prefers infrequent but intense watering. In the intervals between water procedures, the top layer of the soil should dry out by 3-4 cm. This provides the necessary aeration of the plant root system. In the summertime, the flower can be given a warm shower, simulating a tropical downpour.
The water temperature should not exceed 40 ° C. Such procedures are possible as long as the size of the plant allows it. In this case, the leaching of minerals from the substrate must be compensated for by subsequent feeding.
Transfer
Home liana requires regular transplanting to preserve its decorative properties. Young hoyis are transplanted every year, adults - every 3-4 years. This is done in the spring, before flowering, using the transshipment method without disturbing the earthen coma.
The new container should be slightly larger (2-3 cm) than the old one. Otherwise, the hoya will begin to develop the root system to the detriment of budding, until it fills the container.
When transplanting, the roots are revised, removing diseased and damaged ones. They try to keep the soil level 1-2 cm below the edge of the walls.
Reproduction methods
Seeds
Reproduction of hoya seeds at home is a long, laborious and unreliable process. And the result - the flowering of a young plant - will have to wait a long time. Therefore, these vines are propagated by vegetative methods.
Hoya Matilda Splash Photo
Cuttings
This is the most common breeding method. It is carried out like this:
- cut the cuttings from the shoots of the previous year no more than 8 cm long with 2 pairs of leaves;
- remove the milky juice with running water;
- cut the 2 bottom sheets;
- the stalk is placed in water or directly into a loose substrate - perlite or vermiculite;
- a greenhouse is being built on top.
After 2-3 weeks, the roots sprout from a node in water or soil. After that, the sprout is transferred to a permanent place. Such a plant begins to bloom after about 4 years.
Air layering
Hoya lianas are close to epiphytes in terms of growth conditions. They easily form aerial roots.
For reproduction:
- A knot near the top of a long shoot is freed from the leaves;
- Pinned to the surface of the ground in a separate cup;
- Sprinkle on top with a substrate. The end of the stem with leaves must remain free (it is constantly kept moist);
- New roots will begin to grow at the dug-in node.
After rooting, the cuttings are separated from the mother plant and planted separately.The advantage of this method is that the hoya can bloom next year.
Diseases and pests
The main danger to domestic hoya is represented by fungal diseases and sucking insect pests.
| Diseases / pests | Treatment | Prophylaxis |
Fungal diseases:
| Copper-containing preparations, first of all - Bordeaux mixture. From modern drugs - phytosporin. | Elimination of high humidity and low temperatures. |
Sucking insects:
| Insecticides: Aktara, Aktofit, Confidor. Garden oil, laundry soap. | The introduction of quarantine for newly acquired plants, regular inspection of flowers for the presence of insects, egg clutches, cobwebs. |
Common problems when growing Matilda hoya:
| Problem | Cause |
| Falling leaves, blackening of leaves and dying off of stems | Poorly drained soil, too low room temperature, watering with cold water. |
| Withering and dying off of shoots | Excessive moisture or overfeeding with fertilizers, which makes the roots unable to absorb water due to soil salinity. |
| Root rot | Non-drying soil. |
| Lack of flowering | Insufficient lighting, overfeeding with nitrogen, too radical pruning |
Everything about the hoya is attractive. From its wonderful scent to small clusters of white and pink fluffy flowers and tiny silver mottled leaves.
Grow Matilda in a pot on a small trellis or in a hanging basket and let it flow over the edge of the planter - you get a delightful cascade of exquisite greenery that can decorate any interior.
