Struggling with hoya plant care in winter. Learn how to protect your Hoyas from low light, cold windows, dry air, and overwatering. Practical tips on light, temperature, humidity, watering, fertilizing, grow lights, and choosing which Hoyas can handle a cold Canadian winter.
Why Winter Is “Make Or Break” For Hoya Plant Care
If you live in Canada or anywhere with real winters, you already know the story.
Short days. Grey skies. Heating on. Windows cold enough to double as fridge doors.
For us that is annoying.
For Hoyas, it can be the difference between “cute winter pause” and “why is my plant dropping all its leaves”.
That is why hoya plant care in winter is its own topic, not just a footnote under general Hoya care. Light levels drop, temperatures fluctuate, heaters dry the air, and watering habits that worked in July suddenly cause root rot in January.
In this guide, we will walk through:
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How to give your Hoyas enough light without burning them
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Where to place Hoyas near windows when it is freezing outside
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How temperature and windowsill material can kill roots quietly
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How often to water in winter and when to stop guessing
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When to fertilize, when to stop, and why
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Humidity tricks that do not require turning your home into a greenhouse
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Which Hoyas can handle cooler windows and which should never go there
Think of this as your winter survival manual for hoya plant care.
The Big Two: Light And Temperature
Almost every winter problem with Hoyas comes back to these two: light and temperature. Everything else is built on top of them.
Light: Why Winter Makes Hoya Plant Care Tricky
Even if you have “good” windows, winter light in Canada is weaker and shorter. Sun angle is low, days are short, and many windows are blocked by other buildings or trees.
For hoya plant care, that means:
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Growth slows or stops for many varieties
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Variegated Hoyas sulk and lose color if they are too dark
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Plants that grew well on a shelf in summer suddenly stretch and look sad
You have three main options.
1. Use grow lights where you can
Grow lights are the single biggest cheat code for winter hoya plant care.
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Put your most precious or fussy Hoyas under grow lights
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Use a timer for 10 to 12 hours of light daily
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If possible, use reflective surfaces (grow tents, white boards, mylar, even white foam) so the light bounces back onto the leaves
Grow tents are not pretty, but they are effective. The reflective lining keeps light in, the temperature is slightly higher than the room, and humidity stays higher as well. That combination is basically “Hoya spa winter edition”.
2. Use windows wisely
If you do not want grow lights everywhere, windows still work. Just be honest about how good your window really is.
Best choices for Hoyas:
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Bright south or west windows with filtered light
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East windows that get gentle morning sun
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Large unobstructed windows with no building right in front
Realistic expectations:
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Most Hoyas will survive in a decent window
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Only some will thrive or bloom in winter under natural light alone
3. Accept that some Hoyas will simply pause
Part of sensible hoya plant care is accepting that certain species will take winter off. If the light is low and the temperature is cool, they may not grow much. That is fine. Your job is to keep them alive, not force growth in January.
Temperature: The Silent Hoya Killer In Winter
The second pillar of hoya plant care in winter is temperature. And this is where many people lose plants without realizing why.
Key ideas:
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Air temperature in the room is not the same as leaf temperature at the window
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The windowsill itself can get very cold
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Some Hoyas handle cool conditions well, others absolutely do not
Check your windowsill material
Look at what your plants are actually sitting on:
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Stone or tile sill – gets very cold, holds the cold
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Concrete – also cold
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Wood or PVC – usually a bit warmer
If the surface is cold to the touch, it might be chilling your root zone. To protect the roots:
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Put a piece of wood, cork, or styrofoam under the pots
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Lift the pots slightly off the sill with stands or risers
You are not being dramatic. Cold roots plus low light is a fast lane to leaf drop.
Keep leaves away from cold glass
Do not let Hoyas press against the window glass. The glass can be several degrees colder, especially at night. Leaves that touch it can get damaged, spotty, or drop.
Good hoya plant care rule:
Keep a small air gap between leaves and glass. If the window is drafty, move pots a little farther in.
Match species to temperature
Not all Hoyas are equal in winter.
More tolerant, good candidates for windows:
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Hoya carnosa
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Hoya pubicalyx
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Hoya bella
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Hoya linearis
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Hoya serpens
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Some altitude-loving species
Fussier types that prefer warmer, more stable conditions:
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Many tropical lowland species
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Thin-leaved, finicky types
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Rare imports you spent way too much money on
If a Hoya is expensive, rare, or known to be dramatic, do not sacrifice it to the cold window. Keep it under lights, away from drafts, and in the warmer part of the room.
Watering In Winter: Doing Less Is Doing It Right
If you remember only one thing about hoya plant care in winter, make it this:
“Low light + cold roots + frequent water = root rot.”
It is not about how much water at once. It is about how often.
Practical watering rules for winter
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Always let the mix dry much more than in summer
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Cooler room and less light = longer gaps between waterings
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Use a wooden skewer or chopstick to check the center of the pot
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If the skewer comes out cool and damp, wait
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If you use a moisture meter, only water when it is actually reading dry
You can water quite generously when you water. A proper soak helps avoid dry pockets in the soil. The key is stretching the time between those soakings.
If you keep Hoyas:
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Under grow lights, in a warm tent or cabinet
You may still need to water fairly regularly, because growth continues. -
In a cold window, with very low light
You may water every 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes even longer, depending on pot size and mix.
It is better to underwater a bit than overdo it. Hoyas are tough and can bounce back from mild drought much easier than from rotted roots.
Fertilizing: Sometimes Yes, Often No
Another piece of winter hoya plant care that people overcomplicate is fertilizer.
Simple rule:
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If your Hoyas are actively growing under good light and warm conditions, keep fertilizing lightly.
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If they are barely growing because it is cold and dim, cut fertilizer way back or stop.
Some growers:
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Use diluted fertilizer with every watering when plants are growing
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Switch to half strength once a month in winter
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Stop completely for plants that are clearly resting
Never fertilize into dry soil. Always water first, then fertilize. That is standard hoya plant care, winter or not, because it reduces the risk of root burn.
Humidity: Helpful, But Not Worth Losing Your Mind Over
Canadian winters plus forced air heating can mean very dry indoor air. That is not ideal, but most common Hoyas are more tolerant than people think.
For hoya plant care:
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40 to 60 percent relative humidity is perfectly acceptable
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Common Hoyas like carnosa, pubicalyx, and australis handle it fine
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Ultra sensitive species or thin-leaved types appreciate higher humidity but do not always demand it
Things that help:
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Group plants together so they create a slightly more humid microclimate
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Use a humidifier if your air drops into the low 20s
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Cabinets and tents naturally sit at higher humidity than the room
Do not mist obsessively to fight dry air. It does almost nothing for long-term humidity and can encourage fungal spots if the environment is cold.
Picking Which Hoyas Go Where For Winter
Good hoya plant care is partly about triage. Who gets the prime spots, and who roughs it near the window.
A simple way to decide:
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Top tier, most precious and sensitive Hoyas
Put them under grow lights, in tents or cabinets, warmer room zones -
Middle tier, moderately tough Hoyas
Near decent windows but not touching glass, maybe some supplemental light -
Tough-as-nails Hoyas
In the window zone, warmer sills, as long as roots do not get ice cold
If a plant starts dropping leaves quickly right after a cold spell, listen to it. That is usually its way of saying “I hate it here”. Move it away from the window, check the roots, and adjust watering.
Pests And General Winter Housekeeping
Winter is not just about temperatures and light. It can also be peak season for visitors you did not invite.
For solid hoya plant care:
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Check for mealybugs and spider mites regularly, especially on crowded shelves
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Look under leaves and around nodes
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Wipe down leaves when you water or during your monthly cleaning session
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Isolate heavily infested plants if needed
Crowded shelves and grow tents are great for humidity and light, but also make it very easy for pests to move from plant to plant. A quick routine inspection saves you a lot of drama later.
Winter is also a good time to:
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Trim dead vines and empty peduncles
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Cut back truly dead growth
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Refresh labels and reorganize your collection
FAQ About Hoya Plant Care In Winter
1. Do Hoyas stop growing in winter?
Many do slow down or pause if light and temperature drop. Under strong grow lights and warm conditions, some Hoyas continue to grow year round. Adjust hoya plant care to what you actually see, not the calendar.
2. How often should I water a Hoya in winter?
There is no fixed schedule. As a rough idea, every 2 to 4 weeks for a medium pot in a cool room is common. Always check that the mix is dry deep down before watering. That is the safest approach to winter hoya plant care.
3. Can I keep Hoyas in a north window all winter?
They may survive, but they will likely not thrive. If a north window is all you have, choose tougher species and move rare or fragile types under a grow light.
4. Should I fertilize my Hoya in winter?
Only if it is actively growing and has good light. If your Hoya is resting, dimly lit, and cool, it is better to skip fertilizer until spring.
5. What temperature is too cold for Hoyas?
Most Hoyas are happiest above 18 °C. Many tolerate brief drops to 10–12 °C, but staying that cold for long periods, especially at the window, is risky. Good hoya plant care keeps both air and root zone out of the “fridge” zone.
Call To Action: Get Your Hoya Winter-Ready Today
Winter does not have to be a horror movie for your plants. Once you understand light, temperature, watering, and humidity, hoya plant care in winter becomes much calmer and more predictable.
Take ten minutes today to:
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Check which Hoyas sit closest to cold glass
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Lift any pots off freezing stone sills
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Decide which plants deserve grow light or tent space
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Stretch out your watering schedule instead of sticking to summer habits
Small tweaks now can save you from big losses in February.
If you found this breakdown helpful, share it with another Hoya-obsessed friend and start planning your winter setup together. The more prepared you are, the more likely your Hoyas are not just surviving winter, but blooming straight through it.
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