With their stunning, porcelain-like flower clusters and a blooming season that stretches all the way from May to October, it’s no wonder the Wax Plant (or *Hoya*) is a total fan favorite. If you’re looking to expand your collection, you don’t need to mess around with seeds. Propagating these beauties from cuttings is actually super easy!
Put Those Extra Shoots to Work
The simplest way to propagate your Wax Plant is by using cuttings from overgrown vines. When a Hoya is happy, it can grow like crazy, often sending out long shoots in directions you didn’t intend. If your plant is starting to look a bit wild, a trim is usually necessary anyway—so why not turn those trimmings into brand-new plants?
Rooting in Water
Spring is the absolute best time to take your cuttings. This gives the young plant the entire warm season to establish itself and get strong. One pro tip: Hoyas can dry out pretty quickly once cut, so get those stems into a glass of water as soon as possible. If you can, use rainwater—your Hoya will love the natural purity. Aim for sections about four inches long. If you have one really long vine, you can actually snip it into several individual cuttings. Just make sure you make your cut right below a leaf node (that’s the spot where the leaf meets the stem).
Growing Strong Roots
Ideally, each cutting should have about three or four leaves. If you see any flower buds starting to form, go ahead and pinch them off; you want the plant to focus all its energy on growing roots rather than blooming right now. While water rooting is popular, you can also stick your cuttings directly into a moist substrate, like a mix of peat and sand. Just make sure to keep the soil consistently damp as part of your care routine. Keep your new babies in a bright spot, but out of direct sunlight. You’ll know you’ve been successful when you see new leaves starting to sprout—that’s your signal that the roots are established and it’s time to move them into their permanent pots.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet for propagating your Wax Plant:
- Timing: Spring is the best time to take cuttings.
- The Cut: Always snip just below a leaf node.
- Method: You can root them in rainwater or a moist soil mix.
- Success: New leaf growth means your plant has officially taken root!
