Scientific Name
Hoya praetorii Miq.
Common Name(s)
Wax Plant, Wax Flower, Wax Vine
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Marsdenieae
Genus: Hoya
Origin
This species is native to Sumatra, Indonesia.
Flower
Color: Orange and beige/burgundy
Bloom Time: Mid-spring to early summer
Description
Hoya praetorii is a perennial vine with one of the most unusual and prettiest flowers in the genus. Leaves dark green with prominent lowered veins and only a few flecks. They are up to 7 inches (18 cm) long and 3.6 inches (90 cm) wide.
The flowers have an orange corolla that is very hairy, close to the beige or burgundy corona. Each flower is about (0.8 inches (2 cm) long when reflexed and a little more than 0.4 inches (1 cm) in diameter. The flowers last up to 2 weeks.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Hoya plants don't ask for much beyond the well-draining soil and the warm, humid conditions that many tropical flowers crave. They don't like wet feet or heavy soil, and as many grow as epiphytes in nature (similar to bromeliads and orchids). Give them at least a half-day of sunshine, and bring them indoors when temperatures drop below 50 degrees F (10 degrees C).
When your Hoyas finishes blooming, leave the flower stalk, as it may produce new flowers. Removing the stalk forces the plant to produce a new stalk, which delays blooming and wastes the plant's energy. They are light feeders, and a monthly drink of compost tea or dilute fish emulsion provides all the nutrition these tropicals need. Hoyas like the security of a snug pot and plants that are a bit root bound will flower more prolifically than those swimming around in a giant pot.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Hoya.
Links
- Back to genus Hoya
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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