I bought this hoya australis a little over a month ago.

The tip of this tendril seems to be yellowing or drying up.
Not sure what it means or what I should do.

It has a new little shoot coming out right next to it that seems to be doing okay.

Anyone know what could be causing this unhappy looking tip?

A photograph of the entire plant would be most helpful. Also, soil composition and watering habits

Sure thing! :)

Soil is mostly organic potting soil mixed with some orchid bark and perlite.

I water it about every week and a half.

It sits near a north facing window that's been getting a good amount of indirect light this time of year.

I know Lin will weigh in, but I think you are keeping it too dry.

That could be it. I've heard soooo often that they like to be dry but now I might be hyper paranoid about overwatering now :/

Your potting mix is great, it can handle a little more moisture I personally think.

Hi stoofers, Welcome to the site!

I agree with Gina, your plant is staying too dry which is likely the reason the one stem dried up. That stem will not recover, is no longer viable and you can snip it off. It appears your Wax Plant (Hoya australis subsp. tenuipes) is in a terracotta pot and the soil does look a bit on the dry side. Hoya australis likes a chunky, well draining potting medium and bright light. Since terracotta does tend to dry out rather quickly, you will have to adjust your watering routine accordingly by watering more often.

Hoya australis is one of my all time favorites, mine usually blooms from November to February and the flowers are very fragrant.

Thank you so much! Good to know. I will be sure to keep all of that in mind! Such beautiful blooms! Hopefully with a little more TLC mine will bloom for me someday thanks again!

Do you all personally think watering a hoya once a week is too much, if the soil is completely dry?

No. Mine in the greenhouse are planted in a variety of ways. Some originate from the ground, because they have big big heavy leaves and wanted to climb, and some are in hanging pots (where they still climb, up wires, over onto other plants etc) They get watered DAILY. Because I have a sprinkler system. BUT it depends on the soil mix you have it in, and also on how hot it is in the growing space. Its between 85-90F in the greenhouse, and our humidity in summer generally runs 85-100% all on its own. Not the average conditions of the average house. I have hoyas that are growing epiphytical under these conditions with no soil....pieces got separated from their mother plants, probably by the pesky squirrel, and left in crevices between the metal frame and the glazing of the wall, rooted, and started growing there.
This are my hoya kerrii, the albo-marginated and the Picta variegated. Both of these plants are basically growing as epiphytes...their stems have been planted in small 4" clay pots for many years, and they have produced adventitious stem roots at intervals that have attached to other things and get watered.
I don;t think once a week for a house grown hoya is too much at all, if the plant is in a well draining soil mix that does not stay wet and heavy under the surface

That big root mass you see in the kind of right center is an adventitious stem root mass.

Wheezy807,

In my opinion, if the soil is completely dry in a few days to a week, it should definitely be watered again. You don't want the roots to stay overly wet, causing root rot but you don't want them to get dry and desiccated either.

I don't go by the old adage of a set watering schedule (like once a week, twice a week, once a month, etc.) The frequency of watering any plant will depend on the composition of the soil that is being used and how quickly it dries out.

I live in a warm, humid climate and I pot up my Hoyas and most of my other plants in a well draining medium (a mixture of potting soil, perlite and orchid bark mix.) This chunky mix allows for air pockets around the roots which keeps the soil from becoming and staying saturated, eliminating the chance of root rot. That medium is optimum for my warm, humid growing conditions but may not work for others.

Well, I thank you for the info. I have been underwatering, and have two plants that have substantial stem die back. I have wondered if I should prune these tips. Do I just take of a bit above the dried up portion, or should I go right beneath a node.

I had to repot two hoya because they were sold in a miserable soil that never ever dried out, I even lost one big stem over this soggy stuff. However, the repotting was so challenging. The leaves are so congested. I did not get the two plants anchored deep enough in the pot and I have stems constantly poking up out of the top of the soil. Any advice on this?

I would snip the tips back if it bothers you. If you snip just below the brown, on th green part, just a **tiny** smudge, that stem may produce an offshoot. Tip-Pruning plants releases a hormone in the plant that stimulates growth.

As far as not getting stems far enough in and repotting, I will only say how I myself repot: I don;t remove all the old soil from anything, ever. I may give it a little shake to knock some off, but I try to leave the root ball as intact as possible, and put it in only a slightly larger pot, or the same pot with new well draining soil underneath and filled in around the sides. That is just my way, I am sure others have ways that work equally well for them. But if you can just get rid of 1/3-1/2 of the bad heavy soil and replace it with something that will allow better aeration of the roots, that can be very helpful

That makes so much sense. I seem to be learning impaired for Hoya. Frustrates the heck out of me;. Thank you so much.