What's eating my hoya nummularia?

Hoya nummularia, with its tiny round leaves and trailing habit, is susceptible to mealybugs, spider mites, and scale — the core hoya pest trio. Its dense mat of foliage can hide mealybug colonies until populations boom. Fungus gnats can be a secondary problem if the growing medium stays too wet.

White woolly masses tucked between leaves and at stem nodes; sticky residue and leaf yellowing Spot-treat with isopropyl alcohol on a swab; follow up with weekly neem oil sprays for 3–4 weeks

Tiny yellow or white stippling on leaf surfaces; fine webbing bridging stems in severe cases Rinse plant thoroughly; increase local humidity; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil on a weekly schedule

Brown or cream-colored bumps on stems; weakened vines and honeydew drips Scrape off manually; treat with diluted neem oil or horticultural oil every 10–14 days