Sweetheart Hoya Is All We Want for Valentine’s Day

Here’s an article on Sweetheart Hoya plant by the Garden Editors of Better Homes & Gardens.

This plant is so easy to love, both for its cuteness and because it’s easy to grow.A glance at sweetheart hoya (Hoya kerrii) takes us right back to Valentine’s Day in grade school when we’d cut out little paper hearts for all our classmates. But this adorable green heart is alive! Also known as Valentine plant, this heart-shape hoya makes the perfect alternative to a bouquet of flowers to give (and definitely get!) for Valentine’s Day this year. You don’t have to be a gardening pro to enjoy this cute little houseplant either—we’ve got Hoya kerrii care tips that will help you keep it alive until the next Valentine’s Day and beyond.

Especially around Valentine’s Day, you’re probably most likely to find sweetheart hoya as a single potted leaf that’s only a few inches tall. That leaf is thick and fleshy, and similar to other varieties of hoya, it will eventually grow vining stems with lots of heart-shape leaves spread out along its length. It can even produce small clusters of flowers, too!

Luckily, sweetheart hoya is easy to care for. It loves getting plenty of indirect sunlight, so give it as bright a spot as possible like a table near a south-facing window. As this lovable living decor slowly grows its long vines, it’s perfect for a hanging basket. Valentine plant can tolerate low light, but it’ll grow even more slowly.

As for watering, sweetheart hoya can handle a missed watering here and there. We wouldn’t recommend letting its soil dry out completely, but it can get by on just one or two waterings per month. Water when the soil is dry to the touch, but be careful not to flood it with water (especially if your plant is in a decorative pot without drainage), because overwatering can cause the leaf to rot. A terra-cotta pot with good drainage will help keep this hoya happy.

If you’re looking to put a smile on your Valentine’s face this year, sweetheart hoya will surely do it. As it’s grown in popularity, this plant has gotten easier to find, and you’ll likely see it everywhere around Valentine’s Day. Otherwise, you can order one online or even a whole bunch to gift to your entire brunch crew.