Overwatering
Wet soil plus yellowing lower leaves points squarely at overwatering — the fastest way to lose a hoya.
Diagnosis
Overwatering
What's happening
Hoya carnosa is a semi-succulent epiphyte that stores water in its thick, waxy leaves, so it expects to dry out hard between waterings. When the roots sit in soggy mix they can't take up oxygen and begin to suffocate and rot. The plant responds by dropping its oldest leaves first, which go soft and yellow before they fall.
How to fix it
Stop watering and let the soil dry out almost completely. Slip the plant out of its pot and check the roots — healthy hoya roots are firm and pale, so trim any brown, mushy ones with sterilized scissors and repot into a chunky, fast-draining mix with plenty of bark or perlite in a pot with drainage holes. From now on, water only when the leaves feel slightly soft and the soil is dry well down; hoya is far happier dry than wet.
What fixes it
- A soil moisture meter — A moisture meter removes the guesswork — only water when it reads dry all the way down the probe.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Hoya Carnosa care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this