Are you curious about Hoyas or hoping to elaborate your Hoya collection ?
I do n’t blame you — these lucullan green beauties are one of the most forgiving houseplants around , take a leak them perfect for beginners and works lovers who do n’t want to niggle over their plants too much .
There are more than 500 accept Hoya specie out there , and many more Hoya varieties within each species ( some official and some not ) , leading to much confusion in the Hoya world about the actual names of the cultivars and whether or not they ’re really the same works .
Read more : What Are Cultivars , Varieties , Hybrids and More : Layman ’s templet to Plant Taxonomy
I ’ve listed a few Hoya potpourri in my other guide onHoya plant care(which you should bookmark after reading this so you know how to care for yours ) , but to help you wade through this complicated genus , I ’m breaking down 13 of the most coarse Hoyas you ’ll find and how to well discover them .
But first, what are Hoyas?
Let ’s get acquainted with Hoyas . “ Hoya ” refer to a enceinte genus of tropic and subtropical industrial plant that are aboriginal to Asia and also found in Australia and Fiji .
Hoyas are semi - succulent vining plant , so their lifelike tendency is to climb up — or clothe down . In the state of nature , they are both aerophyte ( growing on trees in a non - parasitic fashion ) and lithophyte ( grow on rocks ) .
They ’re cognise for their thickset , risque farewell , where they store wet so they can survive “ in the air ” with little soil , much likeSchlumbergera x buckleyi , Tillandsias , Rhipsalis , and other epiphytes / lithophytic plant .
Hoya flower grow in a ball - form cluster telephone an inflorescence ( like to hydrangea flowers ) and when they bloom , they often smell out like coffee cake ! To be fair , I have n’t smelledeverysingle hoya flower , but the dozen or so that I ’ve total across all have depart degrees of that sweet burnt umber scent .
Did you know?
If it seems like Hoya flowers also bear a clever resemblance tomilkweed flowers , you ’d be right . The two plants go to the Apocynaceae ( dogbane ) home , and more specifically , the subfamily known as asclepiads ( or milkweed ) .
Are Hoyas easy for beginners to care for?
That ’s a resounding yes ! If you ’re a self - declare “ black thumb , ” Hoyas will make you feel like a rockstar . These founding father - friendly plant life are quite forgiving when it come in to urine and sun because of their epiphytic nature . ( Though that ’s not to say they can be somewhat neglected like true succulents — they still prefer wet . )
They’resafe to raise indoors around African tea and dogs , so you do n’t have to worry if your furred protagonist take up a singular nybble .
Hoyas are also very well-off to happen , and you ’ll often see them in big box stores as well as speciality greenhouse . They ’re sometimes labeled as “ wax plant life ” or “ wax vines , ” and I ’ve even seen them labeled as simply “ Hoya ” or “ assorted Hoya ” which drive me kind of crazy because there are so many miscellanea that are completely different from each other !
Below , I ’ve hoard 13 types of Hoyas you ’re likely to find ( and which I think are great options for beginners to start out with ) .
13 beginner-friendly Hoyas to collect
1. Hoya carnosa ‘Compacta’
The most common ( and strike ! ) cultivar of Hoya carnosa , also known as the Hindu Mexican valium plant or simply , rope plant . It ’s characterized by its curly and misrepresented leaves that attend down like ropes and look quite different from the species ’ normal foliation .
This variety was first introduced by Ed Hummel and household , among the most renowned Hoya hybridizers ever . It has been indicate that Hummel produced it by expose normal H. carnosa to cobalt radiation sickness !
‘ Compacta ’ is sometimes sell as Hoya carnosa ‘ Krinkle Kurl ’ . From what I ’ve take , this may be the result of an attempt by Barnell L. Cobia of Winter Garden California , whose name you ’ll see pop up a caboodle in this surgical incision , to re - market an existing plant .
There ’s also a vary rendering of ‘ Compacta ’ available , call ‘ Mauna Loa ’ . That one was patented in 1971 by Cobia . The leaf are green on the outside , with pick and sometimes pinkish coloration on the inside .
Hoya carnosa ‘ Compacta ’ is occasionally listed as a disjoined species , Hoya compacta . This is not the case : it ’s definitely an H. carnosa cultivar .
Did you know?A Danish survey indicated that in professionals working with Hoya carnosa ‘ Compacta ’ , the plant had stimulate asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis … better roll in the hay as allergies ! It may be worth range a leery eye on your wax plant if you start sniffling whenever it bloom .
2. Hoya carnosa ‘Tricolor’ or Hoya carnosa ‘Krimson Queen’
Often mention separately , they ’re actually the same cultivar . This one ’s beloved for the variegation on the exterior of the leave , which come out pinkish and then pass off to cream as they mature . Another self-aggrandising favorite and a real beauty !
The variety was first patent in the 1950s , again by B. Cobia , with the patent expiring in the ’ LXX . The official patented name was ‘ Tricolor ’ , but it was more often sold as ‘ Krimson Queen ’ . This still often take to confusedness , even at nurseries where they ’re sold .
3. Hoya carnosa ‘Rubra’ or Hoya carnosa ‘Krimson Princess’
Mr. Cobia run into again ! In 1973 , he patented a plant he call Hoya carnosa ‘ Rubra ’ . It ’s very like to the aforementioned ‘ Tricolor’/’Krimson fag ’ . Not surprising , because that was in reality the parent plant for this one !
The dispute is that the variegation on ‘ Rubra ’ is overturn : the leaves are green on the outside , but colourise on the inside . ‘ Rubra ’ is often sell as Hoya carnosa ‘ Krimson Princess ’ , leaving houseplant lovers befuddled . Rest secure that they are the same plant life !
4. Hoya carnosa ‘Exotica’
A mail service shared by Aiko Makino - Poco ( @akio_mkno )
No , you ’re not seeing double ! From the greenhouse of Ed Hummel ( Hummel ’s Exotic Gardens ) make out Hoya carnosa ‘ Exotica ’ , which is very similar in feel to the aforementioned ‘ Rubra’/’Krimson Princess ’ .
Both cultivars feature similar reverse diversification . However , they ’re not the same plant , as cite in thepatent for ‘ Rubra ’ . distinctive wax plant mental confusion strikes again !
5. Hoya carnosa ‘Argentea Picta’
A Wiley Post shared by Katie 🌸 ✨ 💖 ( @plant.dojo )
In 1971 , Barnell Cobia filed a patent for a new Hoya carnosa variety he called ‘ Argentea Picta ’ . Apparently , it was derived from an strange cutting taken from another H. carnosa cultivar call ‘ Verna Jeanette ’ .
This one ’s quite the looker . The leaves are relatively rounded and silvery immature in colour , with cream edges . Nowadays there ’s also Hoya carnosa ‘ Argentea Princess ’ , which disport reverse variegation : the ointment coloration is on the interior of the leaves .
6. Hoya carnosa ‘Krinkle 8’
A post deal by Vide ( @viitheplantdad )
Although I ca n’t get the patent of invention for Hoya carnosa ‘ Krinkle 8 ’ , I ’m pretty sure this is also a B. Cobia product . This Hoya is characterize by its dimpled foliage .
In fact , the ‘ 8 ’ is a reference to the act of dimples on each leaf ! This apparently help oneself to tell it apart from Hoya carnosa ‘ Chelsea ’ , which has only six dimple .
There ’s also a Hoya carnosa ‘ Krinkle 8 Variegata ’ , which features cream colouration on the leaf rim . That one was , unsurprisingly , also produce and patented by Cobia ( though this fourth dimension with a carbon monoxide gas - discoverer ) in 1978 .
7. Hoya carnosa ‘Freckles’ or Hoya carnosa ‘Freckles Splash’
A spot divvy up by Aditi Rai Dastidar ( @plantaholic_journey )
Produced by Susan Swartzfager of KOKO Ranch Hoya in Florida by crossing Hoya fungii with H. carnosa , Hoya carnosa ‘ freckle ’ is characterize by the fine silver splattering on its dark green leaf .
As seems to be a bit of a tendency with Hoyas , things with this one are a morsel topsy-turvy , as it ’s sometimes sold as Hoya carnosa ‘ lentigo Splash ’ . It looks like practice for sellers to tot the terminus ‘ splashing ’ to ‘ Freckles ’ and other Hoya carnosa specimens with more blanket speckling .
Did you know?The ‘ stir ’ that appear on many thick - pass on Hoya species are because of flyspeck air pockets . They can be coaxed out of the plant by give it plenty of indirect igniter . This is why some Hoya lovers say to just skim any splashy cultivars entirely , express it ’s little more than a gimmick .
8. Hoya pubicalyx
Hoya pubicalyx sports chummy , waxy , stretch leaves with pointed tips , and most of the ace I ’ve assure are the “ spattering ” variety with white and pinkish specks throughout . It calculate quite standardized to some of the Hoya carnosa cultivars mentioned above , but is in fact its own species .
While Hoyas all have unlike growth rate , Hoya pubicalyx , in particular , is one of the faster - growing Hoyas and shower beautifully if grown in a hanging pot .
9. Hoya australis
Hoya australis has glossy , slightly wider ellipse leaf with vine that have a propensity to climb up , rather than hang down . New leave come forth with a reddish hue , then become green as they mature .
The slender stems intertwine as they originate , and are really stunning if give a trellis or totem to climb . With incredible length attain 13 to 33 feet , this is one plant that can be train along a shelf or window shelf , or draped above an archway for a snug hobo camp vibration .
10. Hoya curtisii
A spot apportion by Carrie Susemihl ( @hoyas.r.us )
Hoya curtisii remind me of another epiphytic works , Peperomia prostrata , with its trail vines of tiny leafage . search like fat tear , the foliage have silvery variegation that makes them very easy to differentiate from other types of wax plants .
While not as readily useable in garden centers as other Hoyas , you’re able to source Hoya curtisii online and propagate it quite easy .
11. Hoya linearis
A Charles William Post shared by Pihla ( @nordicgrowing )
This Hoya is easy to recognize with its distinctive leaf . Unlike other wax plants , Hoya linearis has very narrow , almost cylindrical green leave spanning an inch long or so , which grow dumbly on vines . This founder it a striking waterfall - like appearing , especially as the flora matures and grows in more fully .
Because of its narrow-minded leaves , the plant is prostrate to drying out if humidity is too blue . Your good wager is to keep Hoya linearis in the bathroom near a windowpane , where it can enjoy all that nice , warm humid melodic phrase .
12. Hoya kerrii
Hoya kerrii , also known as the sweetheart Hoya , is one of my best-loved Hoyas for how adorable it is ! This houseplant tends to increase in popularity around Valentine ’s Day for obvious reasons : the overweight , two - lobed leaves shape a perfect heart shape .
They vagabond in color from emerald green to variegate , with some being green with creamy yellow edges , yellowed with unripened edges , or bespeckle all over .
The leave course grow on prospicient vining base , but commercially , Hoya hearts are often found planted as a single “ heart ” in a pot . Do n’t be fooled by this ; while you could observe it for year as a single folio , a Hoya kerrii take root this way will never grow into a full - fledge plant with stems .
If you ’re interested in learning how to pass around it properly , I have a whole guide here onhow to care for Hoya kerrii .
13. Hoya obovata
Hoya obovata face and grows similarly to Hoya kerrii , except the leaf are flesh out . Hoya obovata features magnanimous , waxy , deep green leaves , sometimes with splashes of blank and pink , and sometimes with yellow diversification in the centre .
Be wary of sellers that claim to carry a “ spattering ” cultivar of Hoya obovata , however . The speckling is a natural feature of the plant life and happens under sure easy atmospheric condition .
Do n’t fall for the higher prices of a so - call Hoya obovata ‘ Splash ’ and just get a regular Hoya obovata , which is one and the same . Luckily , this is a “ standard ” Hoya that you ’ll find oneself in many nursery without a agio price tatter .
Compared to other Hoyas , it ’s a relatively fast agriculturalist that also sets blooming earlier .
