TLDR; compact growth short internodes on Australis Lisa I have had for a year. 10-12 hours – and about 10 inches from grove soltech light.
This is my adorable Australis ‘Lisa’. It has significantly grown since I purchased it in August 2024 just a 2inch cup with 3 leaves! I thought for sure it had 2 growth points when I purchased it but I was wrong and it has just sort of stayed compact but healthy.
I do scope each of my Hoyas periodically to keep an eye for pests and it has actively grown for a year – even with my often premature up-potting.
I am hoping to encourage vining – she currently sits about 8-10 inches from a soltech grove light for about 10-12 hours a day. I do not let it dry out completely and fertilize at 1/4-1/2 strength with super thrive every watering. I also occasionally fertilize with this random Hoya “bloom boost” fertilizer ( even though I’ve never had any of them bloom ever ) maybe every 3rd watering?
Any advice for some vining!? I love the compact look too! But would love a burst of growth.
by _viccccc
9 Comments
Gradually lower the light to trigger a vine if you don’t want to wait
She does what she wants!
i find that my lisa doesn’t vine nearly as much as my other hoyas even in the same light conditions.
Also, your comment “…often premature up-potting,” could be the answer as well. She is working on roots when you up-pot, and therefore vines and leaves become a lower priority for the plant. Hoya also tend to bloom when. Little root bound, in my experience.
https://preview.redd.it/lanntgkbentf1.jpeg?width=1848&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec1c9315565cb9f56f28126567dc0d35efe8bcf5
Patience 💎
I have one and it did nothing for three years until I moved it to a different window and it exploded with vines. Most of them were eaten by a rat that was in my house a couple of weeks ago though….
Mine is ‘tight’ and slow also, got it in 07/2023. After a few blasted peduncles last year, this year I had four full flowers on it, but it it still taking its time and isn’t viney like many of its cousins are. Good luck, and good patience!
It could even potentially be its genetics or something, I dunno. Maybe the plant your plant was cloned from just has a bit more of a compact growth habit? This is purely conjecture though. Please update us if it vines in the future. I’d actually love a Lisa that grows more compactly lol
Edit: also funnily enough, I’ve got a Hoya Aleksandra, which is an inner variegated version of the Hoya australis ssp. compacta, which is supposed to have a more compact growth habit, and the damn thing vines! I have a non-variegated version of the same Hoya that is super bushy. Hoyas are funny guys
My Hoya australis Lisa looks exactly the same! She produced good amount of leaves during summer, but no vines at all. She’s a small specimen however. I don’t know much about Hoyas yet, because I came from aroids, and these tend to make smaller internodal space, if given a lot of light. I wonder if it’s the same for Hoyas.
Anyway, I like this cute look of my australis Lisa, it reminds me of much more expensive pachyclada, which I don’t have 😁