Hoya, commonly known as Waxflowers, is a genus of over 500 species of plants known for their waxy, star-shaped flowers and attractive foliage.
Numerous varieties have been developed and selected for different leaf forms or flower colors. Hoyas grow well indoors, preferring bright light, but tolerate fairly low light levels, although they may not flower without bright light.
Grown for their attractive foliage and strongly scented flowers, they’re regarded as collectors’ plants. This is because some are rare and hard to find, unlike the common hoya carnosa. With so many options to plant, there comes an analysis paralysis for most of us.
That’s why we’ve come up with a list of twenty-three (23) hoya varieties that will suit your needs.
Shooting Star Hoya (Hoya multiflora)
Image: Jennyhsu47 under cc license
This hoya cultivar is called as such because of its star-shaped flowers that resemble shooting stars. It has long, narrow leaves and is a prolific bloomer under the right growing conditions.
Place your Shooting Star Hoya on a brightly lit porch, patio—or a bathroom with a regularly used shower (it will love the extra humidity). You can check other plants that cherish moisture.
Wax Plant/Porcelain flower (Hoya carnosa)
Hoya carnosa is one of the most common and widely grown species, known for its thick, waxy leaves and clusters of star-shaped flowers. When people think of a hoya plant, this cultivar is what comes to mind.
The most popular Varieties include Hoya carnosa ‘Tricolor’ and Hoya carnosa ‘Krimsom Princess.’
Hoya Retusa (Hoya retusa)
One of the most unique-looking hoyas, the hoya retusa, has thin stick-like foliage. This characteristic has earned it the nickname “grass-leafed hoya.” Not only is it attractive, but this hoya is considered low-maintenance and easy to grow.
It looks great in hanging planters where its foliage can spread out.
Sweetheart Hoya (Hoya kerrii)
Also known as the Valentine’s Hoya, it's a popular gift plant, especially around Valentine's Day. It’s often called the "Sweetheart Hoya" due to its heart-shaped dark green leaves.
There are other cultivars such as the variegated (Albomarginata), large heart, and splash hoyas. All these are relatively rare to find in most plant nurseries.
Hoya Mathilde (Hoya mathilde)
Image credit: Midwestern Jungle
The hoya mathilde is a hybrid between the hoya carnosa and hoya serpens. It has small round leaves and stays relatively small compared to other varieties.
While the serpens can be hard to find, the hoya mathilde is often found at most nurseries. Like the shooting star Hoya, it is known for being a prolific bloomer.
Deep Honey Fragrance (Hoya wayetii)
This plant has long, slender foliage that often has a red margin when exposed to sufficient sun. Like many other hoya varieties, it has a vining growth habit.
This variety produces clusters of pinkish-white flowers.
Hoya Kentiana Variegata (Hoya kentiana)
A narrow-leaved species, the hoya kentiana has green bean-shaped leaves rimmed in dark green and maroon. It is rare and difficult to find, often kept by collectors and hoya enthusiasts.
It is commonly confused with its close relatives, the hoya wayetii and hoya shepherdii.
Hindu Rope Plant (Hoya compacta)
While a slow grower, Hindu rope hoya has unique, twisted, and curled leaves that resemble a rope. When the conditions are suitable, it produces gorgeous clusters of pinkish-white flowers.
Great for hanging baskets or anywhere with space for the vines to trail.
Black Dragon Hoya (Hoya pubicalyx)
Black Dragon hoya is an elegant houseplant, prized for its fleshy leaves and dark, fragrant flowers. It adds an exotic and sophisticated touch to any indoor space, creating a lush and captivating ambiance.
This variety produces small star-shaped flowers, a dark red, almost black color, grouped in umbels. They smell awesome and spice up the air around.
Macrophylla Hoya (Hoya latifolia)
Hoya Latifolia formerly known as Macrophylla bears beautiful leathery, textured foliage. The slightly elongated leaves have pale veins and a variegated cream-sometimes-pink border.
The general appearance of the leaves is quite different from the typical hoyas. The plant produces clusters of white flowers with pink centers.
Hoya Fitchii (Hoya fitchii)
The hoya fitchii is an attractive hoya species with large green leaves decorated with delicate white veining. Not only is its foliage eye-catching, but its flowers are too.
The fitchii’s blooms are coral, pink, and yellow with a sweet aroma.
Common Hoya (Hoya australis)
Hoya australis features round, glossy leaves and produces fragrant white flowers with red centers. Leaves growing in sunnier positions are a more yellowish green while those in shadier situations are dark green.
This cultivar grows well in containers or trained to grow on trellises where they attract butterflies.
Hoya Rosita (Hoya Rosita)
Image: krejzolzz via Reddit
Hoya rosita is a hybrid of hoya wayetii and hoya tsangii.
It is considered rare and difficult to find. It’s characterized by thick oblong medium-to-light green leaves rimmed in dark green and maroon.
Beautiful Wax Plant (Hoya bella)
Initially discovered by the Cornish plant collector Thomas Lobb, Hoya bella is a smaller, more gorgeous, and more delicate of the hoya species.
It is an easy, low-maintenance plant that rewards its owner with a beautiful display of white-pink waxy flowers, that tend to hang downwards making it ideal to grow in hanging baskets.
Hoya Serpens (Hoya serpens)
Hoya serpens is known for its small round leaves and unique light green flowers.
Compared to other types of hoyas it is considered somewhat difficult to care for but is also fast-growing under the right conditions.
Linear Porcelain Plant (Hoya linearis)
The linear porcelain plant is a unique and attractive houseplant known for its long, trailing stems adorned with slender, needle-shaped leaves.
When grown under ideal sunny conditions, it produces fragrant white flowers that smell like fresh lemons.
Hoya Burtoniae (Hoya burtoniae)
Image: fotoflux via Reddit
The hoya burtoniae has attractive dark green, fuzzy, almond-shaped leaves and a bushy growth habit. When sun-stressed, they take on light pink and red variegation.
Unfortunately, these hoyas are considered rare and can be hard to find.
Conclusion
I wanted to keep this list short and sweet with the most amazing examples of hoya varieties. However, I’ve received some more additions which I’ll be expounding on as I learn more about them.
They are Hoya obovata (featured image), Hoya retusa, Hoya shepherdii, Hoya lacunose, and Hoya curtisii. If you have any first-hand information about them I’d love if you could share including photos too.
All the same, these are all fascinating groups of plants to collect and grow.