Hoya

Hoya carnosa

Honeyplant

Hoya carnosa is a climbing epiphyte and lithophyte from subtropical and tropical East Asia, naturally rooting on bark and rock where roots drain fast and dry between rains. Give it a gritty, fast-draining mix and bright indirect light, and water only when the top inch or two of mix is fully dry; its thick, waxy leaves store water, so it tolerates drought far better than sitting wet. Good airflow and a snug pot suit its epiphytic roots.

Hoya kerrii

Heart Hoya

A climbing epiphyte and lithophyte from Southeast Asia, Hoya kerrii grips bark and rock rather than sitting in heavy soil, so it drains fast and stores water in its thick, succulent leaves. Give it a chunky, free-draining mix and bright indirect light, and water only when the mix has dried out nearly throughout — when the leaves feel slightly less firm and the top of the mix is dry well below the surface. It tolerates ordinary household humidity and rots if kept continuously wet.

Hoya pubicalyx

Hoya

Hoya pubicalyx is a climbing vine from the Philippines that grows as an epiphyte on host trees, so its semi-succulent leaves store water and its roots want fast-draining, airy mix that never sits wet. Give it bright indirect light, and let the top inch or two of mix dry before watering again. Water only when the mix is dry to a depth of about two inches, hedging toward the drier end to avoid root rot.

Hoya linearis

Hoya linearis

Hoya linearis is an epiphytic subshrub from the cool, humid montane forests of the Himalaya and southern China, where it hangs from branches with trailing, needle-like foliage. Grown in an open, fast-draining epiphyte mix with good airflow, it drains quickly and rots if left sitting wet, so let the mix approach dryness between waterings and water only when the top inch feels dry. It prefers bright indirect light and consistently high humidity rather than direct sun.