The different types of wax flowers or porcelain flowers actually come from tropical regions, but as houseplants they also cope relatively well with dry indoor air. Under certain conditions, the Hoya genus can also be placed in the garden seasonally, but various factors must be taken into account.
Can you keep a porcelain flower in the garden?
The porcelain flower can be placed in the garden as long as it is cultivated in a pot, protected from direct sunlight and avoids cool temperatures. Pay attention to drainage to prevent waterlogging and use low-lime water for watering.
Possible locations for the wax flower in the garden
So that the change between the location in the garden and the winter quarters in the house does not cause too much disruption in the development of the plant, wax flowers should only be placed outdoors in pots. If you already have specimens of the porcelain flower on your windowsill and want to start an experiment with porcelain flowers in the garden, you can propagate the plant relatively easily using offshoots. Like the locations in the house, the garden location of a Hoya on the terrace or in a seating area should not be too sunny. Direct sunlight on the leaves of the rainforest plant can otherwise cause the leaves to turn yellow or brown.
Caring for the Hoya in the garden
Yellow and brown discolored leaves of wax flowers can also be a sign of waterlogging in the root area. The wax flower should never dry out completely, but it should not stand “with its feet” in water either. Therefore, there should be a drainage layer (€19.00 on Amazon) in the lower part of the plant pot into which excess irrigation water can drain away. If possible, only water with low-lime rainwater. From time to time, you can also spray the leaves of the porcelain flower with lukewarm water to mimic the climate of the tropical rainforest. Properties of the wax flower relevant to care are:
- New flower buds can develop on dead flowers
- The Hoya plants are all easy to cut
- the flowers form on the side facing the light
Beware of cool temperatures
Even in the garden, you should avoid turning or moving the porcelain flower after it has been set up, otherwise it may stop blooming for a long time. In autumn you should definitely not miss the right time to move indoors, as the Hoya species are very sensitive to cold. As soon as the temperatures at night fall permanently below 10 degrees Celsius, the wax flower should be moved to a winter place in the house with a room temperature of around 15 degrees Celsius.
Tip
You should exercise a certain degree of caution if small children or pets are regularly or sometimes unsupervised in your garden. Finally, many Hoya species can be toxic to birds and humans if accidentally consumed.
