Species · genus Hoya · Apocynaceae
Hoya linearis
Hoya linearis Wall. ex D.Don
Also known as: Wax Plant · Wax Flower
Cultivars of H. linearis
The named forms growers keep — each with its own page, each honest about how much we know.
No named cultivars catalogued under H. linearis yet. When growers document a stable, named form, it earns its own page here.
Guide
The species-level account. Cultivar pages build on this and say where they differ.
A slender trailing wax flower
Hoya linearis, known as the slender wax flower, is a trailing, semi-succulent perennial grown as a houseplant for its narrow fleshy leaves and fragrant summer blooms. It belongs to the wider hoya group of tender climbers prized indoors for their waxy, scented flowers.
Source: RHS
From the Himalayan foothills
This species ranges naturally from Nepal through China and into Indochina. In the wild, hoyas of this kind typically grow as epiphytes, tucked into tree bark and branches rather than rooted in soil, which is why they have developed leathery, water-storing leaves.
Source: RHS
Bright light, careful watering
Grow this hoya in bright, indirect light, shaded from hot summer sun, and in a fast-draining, loam-based mix with added organic matter. Water moderately through the growing season, letting the compost dry somewhat between drinks, and cut back to just keeping it barely moist over winter when the plant is semi-dormant. A balanced liquid feed applied monthly during active growth supports the display, and like other hoyas it appreciates some humidity and steady warmth rather than cold draughts or sudden light changes.
Source: RHS
Layering or semi-ripe cuttings
New plants can be raised by layering a low-growing shoot in spring or summer, pegging it into moist compost until it roots and then severing it from the parent. Semi-ripe cuttings taken with bottom heat in late summer are the other route, and can also be rooted in a glass of water before potting on.
Source: RHS
Threadlike leaves, starry clusters
Slender stems carry opposite pairs of fleshy, linear leaves reaching up to five centimetres long, giving the plant its trailing, thread-like habit. In late summer it can produce domed clusters of ten to thirteen fragrant, white, star-shaped flowers with a waxy sheen, most noticeably scented after dark.
Source: RHS
Watch for mealybugs
This hoya may be susceptible to mealybugs, so it is worth checking stems and leaf joints for their telltale waxy clusters. Otherwise it is generally free of disease.
Source: RHS
Slow to need repotting
Hoyas resent disturbance and can be left in the same pot for many years without harm. Pruning falls after flowering, in line with the general climber pruning approach, and should be light rather than severe.
Source: RHS
Care recipe
The species record — the baseline every cultivar inherits unless it says otherwise.
Care notes are early — not yet verified
- Light
- ai:claude-opus-4-8
- Water
- ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-12d)
- Humidity
- ai:claude-opus-4-8
- Soil
- ai:claude-fable-5
- Care
- ai:claude-fable-5
Bright, indirect
≈ every 12 days
High
15–27 °C
Light, airy, free-draining epiphyte mix
Stem cuttings rooted in a moist airy mix
Dilute balanced feed monthly in the growing season
Moderate
Fragrant white star clusters on mature trailing strands
Toxic to cats & dogs & humans
Apocynaceae frequently contain cardiac glycosides and irritant latex; treat as a potential hazard. This is where toxicity lives: every cultivar of this species inherits it and none can override it.
Reference images
Every image credited. Licenses link to their deeds.
Sources: ai:claude-opus-4-8 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (range 7-12d) · ai:claude-fable-5 · ai:claude-opus-4-8 (family inference)
Kept true by its growers
Every fact here carries its source. Grow Hoya linearis yourself? What you’ve observed — how it drinks, how it holds its color, a name that’s off — and a clear photo of your plant are exactly what keep this page honest. Contributions are reviewed before anything changes.
Sign in to add what you know →