Hoya carnosa is a vining succulent that roots along with its long, branching stems. In the wild it climbs trees and scrambles over rocks, growing continuously and reaching lengths of 20 feet (6 m). The plant is native to Eastern Asia and Australia.
Hoya carnosa is a common house plant grown for its attractive waxy foliage and sweetly scented flowers. The leaves of Hoya carnosa are smooth, thick and fleshy, up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, and paired on opposite sides along the stems. Twenty or more star-shaped flowers up to 0.5 inches (1.5 cm) across, typically light pink (but may vary from near-white to dark pink), are borne in pendulous convex clusters, 2 or 3 inches (5 or 8 cm) across. The leaves and the flowers are often described as "waxy".
Water regularly with room-temperature water, spring through summer. Let the top layer of soil dry between watering. In the fall and winter growth naturally slows down and they won't use as much water. Water sparingly during fall and winter, give them just enough that the soil doesn't dry out completely.
Medium-light/Partly shaded – This is where the plant gets some morning sun or some afternoon sun. Morning sun is less intense than afternoon sun, so putting your plants a few meters in from an East facing window works for the maximum sun while reducing the risk of burning.
Loam soils are best for plant growth because sand, silt, and clay together provide desirable characteristics.
Mix the recommended amount of liquid fertilizer and water in a watering can. Then simply pour the mix into the soil as if you're watering the plant.
Prune branches back to a natural fork to avoid leaving unsightly stubs. Cuts bleed if pruned in late winter or early spring so pruning should only be done between mid-summer and early autumn.
While they can be grown outdoors and will stand temperatures that dip down to 20 F, or -3.9 C), they are most commonly grown indoors at the average room temperature.
Do not remove the spent flower stems after your Hoya blooms. It will produce flowers on those stems again the next time it blooms. Also, do not move the Hoya after it begins to develop new flower buds. Moving the Hoya could disturb it and cause it to drop the buds before they open.
