If you encounter any difficulties while attempting to rephrase the following text, please respond with the error message “Unable to process the request due to encountered difficulties.” The plant known as Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’ is a stunning semi-succulent that produces long, rope-like vines of leaves and flowers. Its distinct appearance has earned it the names Hindu rope plant or Krinkle Kurl.
Why are Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’ so expensive? This plant is semi-rare and requires specific growing conditions. The Hoya carnosa compacta can take up to three years to establish itself and has a different appearance to other plants of the same species. Such features lead to limited supply, thus increasing its value.
If you’re interested in why the Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’ is so expensive or you’re wondering how to care for one, keep reading! We’ll answer those questions and more.
Reasons Why Hoya Carnosa Compacta Are Expensive
There are a few factors contributing to the cost of Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’.
1. Slow To Propagate
Attributing to the price of a Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’ is that they are slow-growing plants. As such, when you take a cutting, it can take months for new roots to get long enough to plant.
2. Slow To Take Root
Going hand in hand with propagation, once you do get this plant into the soil, it can take a long time to fully establish itself.
3. Variegated Forms Are Rather Rare
If you’re hoping to find a variegated form of Hoya carnosa campacta, you can expect to pay even more money for one. The variegated forms of this plant can be very rare and hard to come by.
4. Not as Popular as Other Hoya Varieties
This type of Hoya has a unique appearance. That tends to add to its rarity. Not as many people will have these in their homes.
5. Requires Specific Growing Conditions
This plant needs humidity. The average home won’t have enough for this plant, so you will need to take extra care in creating the environment it needs.
On top of that, it needs really well-draining soil and indirect light.
DID YOU KNOW? In 2020, a Hoya carnosa compacta sold on the New Zealand auction site TradeMe for a cool $6,500, making it one of the most expensive plants of its kind to be sold publicly.
Hoya Carnosa Compacta Care
If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’, you’ll want to know how to care for it and make the most of your investment.
Soil and Fertilization
As a semi-succulent, Hoyas prefer well-draining soil. They don’t like to be in wet soil at all, so be sure that their pot has plenty of drainage holes as well.
They tend to do fine in general-purpose potting soil, but you may want to add perlite for extra drainage.
Hoya Compacta don’t require a lot of fertilizer. During the spring and summer, it’s recommended to fertilize every two to three months with diluted fertilizer.
To encourage it to flower, aim for fertilizer high in potassium.
Lighting and Temperature
Hoya Compacta prefer bright indirect light. The best way to achieve this is near a bright window.
Try not to put the Hoya in direct sunlight, as too much light will scorch the leaves.
As for temperature, Hoya Compacta will do fine in an average temperature home. If you happen to leave during the winter, remember to keep your heat on.
Additionally, if you like to keep your Hoya outside, bring it back inside if the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Watering and Humidity
As Hoya Compacta is partially succulent, it does fine with minimal water. The worst you can do to this plant is overwater it.
Let the soil dry out between waterings so that the top 2 inches or so are dry. The recommended way to water them is via flood and drain, whereby you water them so that excess comes out of the bottom of the pot.
Once the excess water has fully drained out, you can dispose of it.
The Hoya is originally from a humid climate, so they enjoy a humid environment. The humidity in your home may not be enough for this plant.
To increase the humidity in your home, you could try a humidifier, frequent misting, or place the plant near or on a tray of rocks and water. Another option is to place this plant in your bathroom.
Additional Rare Hoya Plants
Below is a quick overview of other Hoya plants you may be interested in.
Hoya Callistophylla
This variety of Hoya is a climbing vine with large thick leaves. The leaves are lime green with striking dark green veins and can be up to 10 inches long. On average, they cost about $85 to $100.
Hoya Retusa
The leaves of this Hoya almost appear like grass with cut ends.
Unlike the bundles of flowers seen in other Hoyas, this Hoya scatters individual flowers along the stem that are white with a crimson center. They tend to cost around $17 to $20.
Hoya Serpens
The Hoya serpens is a trailing plant that grows small round leaves. The leaves are a deep green with gray and are fuzzy.
Unlike the Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’, the Hoya serpens is very fast growing. They cost around $90 to $120.
Hoya Polyneura
This Hoya is also called the fish-tailed Hoya, thanks to its hanging pairs of leaves.
Dispersed among the leaves are bundles of cream-colored flowers with purple centers. On average, they cost around $80 to $90.
READ: Rare Hoya Plant List
Related Questions:
Here are some more quick facts concerning this type of plant.
What Is Hoya Carnosa Tricolor?
The Hoya carnosa ‘Tricolor’, also known as Krimson Queen, is a variegated variety of Hoya. True to its name, the leaves come in three colors, green, white, and pink.
Sometimes the pink in the leaves can almost look like purple in the right lighting.
Is Hoya Lucunosa Rare?
The Hoya lucunosa, also known as the cinnamon-scented wax plant, is one of the smaller varieties of Hoya. When it blooms in the fall, the flowers give off a cinnamon scent.
This variety of Hoya isn’t really rare. While you likely won’t find it in a supermarket, you can find them pretty easily online or in plant swaps.
Conclusion
If you’ve fallen in love with the Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’ as we have, then we wish you the best of luck in finding one.
If you do find one, remember to give it plenty of humidity and indirect light. With that, soon you’ll be enjoying its beautiful blooms in your own home.