11 Types of Hoya Plants | Different Types of Hoya Varieties

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Hoya varieties are popular, easy-care, vining plants which bear spectacular clusters of star-shaped, fragrant flowers and fleshy leaves.

There are over 500 species of Hoya which belong to the family Apocynaceae (Dogbane) family and are native to the tropical regions of Asia with many species also found in Australia.

Hoya Plants are referred to by many common names like Waxplant, Waxvine, Waxflower, Porcelainflower or simply Hoya. The Hoya genus was named by botanist Robert Brown, in honour of his friend, botanist Thomas Hoy.

Most Hoyas grow epiphytically on trees while some grow terrestrially or occasionally in rocky areas. They climb by twining with their adventitious roots.

The flowers appear in clusters at the tip of peduncles which are commonly referred to as spurs. The spurs are perennial and are rarely shed as new flowers are borne on the previous year's spurs. The length of the spur increases with each flowering cycle.

The leaves are simple entire, arranged in an opposite pattern and are typically succulent. They may exhibit a variety of forms and may be smooth, felted or hairy. The leaf venation may be prominent or not. Many species have leaf surfaces flecked with irregular small silvery spots.

If you would like to add these plants to your collection, we have herebelow outlined for you 11 types of Hoya Plants that you can choose from.

11 Different Types of Hoya Plants for the Home

The popular Hoya varieties which include Hoya carnosa, Hoya australis, Hoya publicalyx, Hoya wayetii, Hoya obovata, Hoya linearis, Hoya macrophylla among others.

1. Hoya carnosa

Botanical name: Hoya carnosa
Origin: Eastern Asia and Australia
Size: 15 ft

Hoya carnosa is a perennial plant whose leaves are wide oval to longitudinal oval or heart-shaped and are slightly succulent, fleshy with a waxy glossy surface.

The flowers are star-shaped, typically light pink, but may vary from near-white to dark pink and are borne in clusters. They are heavily scented and may drip excess nectar.

Hoya carnosa has many cultivars which include Hoya carnosa 'Compacta', Hoya carnosa ‘Krinkle 8’, Hoya carnosa ‘Argentea Picta’, Hoya carnosa 'Krimson Queen' among others. Learn more on how to grow and care for Hoya carnosa.

2. Hoya australis

Botanical name: Hoya australis
Origin: Eastern and northern Australia,
Size: 13-33 ft

Hoya australis is an evergreen, climbing vine which bears simple, opposite, shiny, elliptical or ovate, dark-green leaves which are more yellowish in a sunnier spot.

The plant grows by climbing and is a perfect candidate for a trellis or totem pole in a brightly-lit position like a veranda, terrace, patio among others.

The subspecies include Hoya australis australis, Hoya australis sana, Hoya australis sanae, Hoya australis oramicola, Hoya australis rupicola and Hoya australis tenuipes.

3. Hoya publicalyx

Botanical name: Hoya publicalyx
Origin: Philippines
Size: 20 ft

Hoya publicalyx is a succulent plant which bears shiny, deep-green, lanceolate leaves with speckles or splashes of silvery-gray. The leaves turn pinkish in bright light.

The plant grows with a vining habit and is often mistaken for Hoya carnosa. It is a fast-grower taking about 2 years to mature and flower. The blooms are pale-red with pink centers.

Hoya publicalyx is perfect for hanging in a hanging basket, on a shelf, a wall or a pedestal and positioned in medium to bright indirect light.

Hoya publicalyx has several cultivars which include Pink Silver, Red Button, Royal Hawaiian Purple among others.

4. Hoya wayetii

Botanical name: Hoya wayetii
Origin: Philippines
Size: 3 ft

Hoya wayetii is an evergreen, vining plant which bears long, slender, deep-green leaves whose edges turn reddish when exposed to some sunlight.

The trailing stems in Hoya wayetii cascade downwards beautifully along the sides of a hanging basket or on pedestal positioned in bright light.

Hoya wayetii has a variegated cultivar with striking yellow-white patterns on the leaves. The inflorescence in Hoya wayetii is a small cluster of mauve flowers.

5. Hoya obovata

Botanical name: Hoya obovata
Origin: Indonesia
Size: 12-20 ft

Hoya obovata is a rare, fast-growing, vining plant which bears large, fleshy, oval, dark-green leaves which may have silver splashes.

The plant may take 2-3 years to mature and flower. The blooms are clusters of star-shaped, white flowers with bright-pink centers.

6. Hoya linearis

Botanical name: Hoya linearis
Origin: Nepal and China
Size: 6-8 ft

Hoya linearis is a unique Hoya which bears long, slender, soft, slightly cylindrical leaves covered with fuzz and hang downwards beautifully in a hanging basket.

Hoya linearis also called Linear Porcelainflower is a slow grower, taking 3-5 years to mature and flower. The blooms are clusters of star-shaped white flowers with a lemony scent.

7. Hoya macrophylla

Botanical name: Hoya macrophylla
Synonmy: Hoya latifolia
Origin: Eastern Asia and Australia
Size: 5-6 ft

Hoya macrophylla also called Large-leaved Wax Plant is a climbing, rare Hoya which bears fleshy, glossy, large, dark-green leaves and often have strips of pink, white or yellow as they mature.

The blooms in Hoya macrophylla are clusters of star-shaped, cream to white flowers which release their scent at night to attract their nocturnal pollinators.

Hoya macrophylla has a variegated variety, Hoya macrophylla variegata, which features cream-yellow along the leaf edges.

8. Hoya lacunosa

Botanical name: Hoya lacunosa
Synonym: Hoya suaveolens
Origin: Southeast Asia
Height: 5-6 ft

Hoya lacunosa is a vining, ever-green plant which bears fleshy, oval, dark-green leaves with sunken veins and may feature a variegated or frosty appearance.

The inflorescence is a cluster of star-shaped, white flowers with a fuzzy texture and a cinnamon-like scent which attracts butterflies for pollination.

9. Hoya kerrii

Botanical name: Hoya kerrii
Origin: South-east Asia
Size: 13 ft

Hoya kerrii also called Hoya Hearts, Lucky Heart or Sweetheart Plant is a climbing plant which bears succulent, large, heart-shaped, green leaves.

The leaf cuttings popularly sold on St. Valentine's Day will root and remain as a single leaf for many years but cannot sprout a vine. To sprout a vine, part of the stem and a node need to be part of the cutting.

Hoya kerrii may take 2-3 years to bloom. The blooms are clusters of star-shaped, flowers which drip red to brown small balls of nectar and may have a slight scent or not any at all.

10. Hoya curtisii

Botanical name: Hoya curtisii
Origin: Thailand, Philippines, Borneo, Malaysia
Size: 1 ft

Hoya curtisii is a creeping, evergreen plant which bears small, succulent, pointed, spade-shaped, olive-green leaves with silver variegation.

The plant is a slow-grower and is suited for a hanging basket. The blooms are clusters of star-shaped, red flowers with greenish-yellow centers and have a citrusy scent.