The illustrated growing guide

Hoya (Wax Plant)

Hoya carnosa

Family Apocynaceae

Est. zones 10-12

Botanical illustration of Hoya (Wax Plant)
Houseplant · Hoya carnosa

Blooms look unreal — clusters of wax stars dripping nectar. Rootbound + bright + benign neglect = flowers.

HouseplantBright indirectLow waterSlow-Moderate growthAttracts beesNone winter chill

Where to buy the plant — 2 nurseries

Hoya — a print from the Houseplants Vol. 1 collection

From the print shop

Growing hoya (wax plant)? Hang it.

Our Houseplants Vol. 1 collection carries hoya (wax plant)Hoya carnosa, print Nº 13, “Hoya.”

16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed

Shop Houseplants Vol. 1 botanical prints →

I

Overview

Will hoya (wax plant) suit your garden, and what goes wrong.

Will it thrive where you are?

Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what hoya (wax plant) actually needs.

Hardy inZones 10-12
Winter chillNone

Hoya (Wax Plant) at a glance

HardinessUSDA 10–12
Mature sizeVining to 10 ft
PollinationN/A
Chill requirementNone (not chill-dependent)
Bloom seasonPorcelain flower umbels, honey-scented, on old spurs
Harvest seasonNot yet established
Growth rateSlow-Moderate

Common hoya (wax plant) problems

II

Growing

Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.

How to grow hoya (wax plant): light, water & soil

LightBright indirect; some gentle direct sun encourages bloom
WaterLow — semi-succulent leaves; dry out between waterings
SoilChunky, airy mix (orchid bark blend) · pH 6.0 - 7.0
FertilizerMonthly in season
PruningRarely — NEVER cut the leafless flower spurs — blooms return on the same ones yearly.
SpacingOne per pot

How to plant & propagate hoya (wax plant)

PropagateStem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups

III

The year

What hoya (wax plant) asks for, month by month.

The hoya (wax plant) year, month by month

No fixed season calendar for hoya (wax plant) — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.

IV

Ecology & uses

What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.

Hoya (Wax Plant) in the garden system

AttractsBees
MoistureUpland / dry
DeerBrowsed — protect young plants
OriginIntroduced

What hoya (wax plant) is grown for

✓ Not known to be toxicSafe for pets

UseHanging collector plant
UsePet-safe blooms

Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.

V

Cultivars

Named varieties of hoya (wax plant), ruled as a catalogue.

Best hoya (wax plant) varieties & cultivars

'Krimson Queen'; 'Compacta' (rope hoya); 'Pubicalyx'

VI

Sources & plant ID

Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.

Research basis

Sources behind this profile

No extension citations are attached to hoya (wax plant)yet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.

Plant ID

BinomialHoya carnosa
FamilyApocynaceae
TypeHouseplant · Perennial
USDA symbolHOCA6
OriginIntroduced
Invasive riskLow

VII

Where to buy

Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.

Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.

Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

VIII

Questions

Hoya (Wax Plant) questions, answered straight.

Is hoya (wax plant) safe for kids and pets?

Hoya (Wax Plant) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Safe for pets. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.

How do you propagate hoya (wax plant)?

Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.

IX

Elsewhere

Where hoya (wax plant) sits in the library.

Where hoya (wax plant) sits in the library

Grows in the same world