Hoya kerrii, also called the sweetheart plant or lucky heart, is famous for its thick heart-shaped leaves. It is slow-growing, forgiving and perfect for a sunny windowsill, which makes it one of the most popular rare Hoyas for beginners.
Light
Give Hoya kerrii plenty of bright light, including a few hours of gentle direct sun. Variegated forms such as Albomarginata and Mediopicta need extra light to keep their cream colouring. A south or east window is ideal in the Netherlands.
Watering
Hoyas store water in their leaves, so it is much safer to under-water than over-water. Water thoroughly only when the soil is completely dry, usually every 10 to 14 days in summer and every 3 to 4 weeks in winter. Wrinkled leaves mean thirst; yellow, soft leaves mean too much water.
Soil and pot
Use a very airy mix: two parts orchid bark, one part perlite and one part regular potting soil. Choose a small pot with drainage holes. Hoyas bloom best when slightly root-bound.
Why a single heart leaf stays a single leaf
A single heart-shaped leaf in a pot is only a leaf cutting. It will stay alive for years but rarely grows a vine because it has no node. For a plant that actually grows, buy a Hoya kerrii cutting with a node and at least two leaves.
Propagation
Cut a vine below a node, remove the lowest leaf and root the cutting in damp sphagnum moss or perlite. Keep it warm and bright and expect roots in 3 to 6 weeks.
Feeding and flowering
Feed once a month in spring and summer with a half-strength fertilizer. Mature plants produce round clusters of fragrant flowers on the same peduncle year after year, so never cut the stalk off.
Looking for your own? Browse our Hoya collection and find rare Hoya cuttings shipped carefully from the Netherlands.