Apocynaceae

A succulent tree with a dramatically swollen, sculptural caudex that stores water through the dry season. Produces vivid trumpet-shaped flowers in deep pink, red, white, and bi-colors, an extraordinary flowering display for a succulent. In temperate climates it is deciduous or semi-deciduous, losing its leaves in winter. Requires maximum bright light and warmth to flower reliably; a south-facing window or greenhouse is ideal. The caudex should be partially exposed above the soil surface for best visual effect.

Thai and other breeding programs have produced an extraordinary range of Adenium hybrids with double flowers, multicolored petals, striped and picotee forms in colors far beyond the standard deep pink. Many are grafted onto more vigorous obesum rootstocks to speed up production and improve caudex development. The graft union is visible as a slight thickening at the base of the upper plant. Care is identical to standard obesum. Grafted plants are not weaker than own-rooted plants. The rootstock is selected for vigor.

Thick, waxy, oval leaves on trailing or climbing stems. Produces clusters of small, star-shaped, waxy pink-white flowers with a sweet honey scent and a central corona of a different hue. Flowers drip nectar when fresh. One of the longest-lived and most patient-rewarding houseplants — some specimens in family collections are decades old and flower prolifically every year. Needs to be somewhat rootbound to flower reliably. Dislikes being repotted unnecessarily.

Leaves are tightly curled and folded inward, creating a rope-like, densely packed trailing stem. One of the most texturally unusual houseplants available. Grows very slowly. The compact, tangled form takes years to develop to a displayable size. Mealybugs are a persistent problem. The curled leaves create protected crevices that are difficult to treat. Inspect regularly and treat early.

Heart-shaped leaves — the most distinctive leaf shape in the genus. Widely sold around Valentine's Day as single leaves rooted in small pots. This is where the most important kerrii fact comes in: a single-leaf cutting without a node cannot produce new growth. The leaf will survive for years, staying green and alive, but will never grow into a plant. Only cuttings with a node and stem section will develop into a full Hoya. Most Valentine's Day kerrii are effectively permanent single leaves, pretty, but not a growing plant. A rooted cutting with a stem section and node is a different and far more rewarding purchase.

Lance-shaped leaves with silver splashing on a dark green ground. One of the fastest-growing Hoya. It produces long, vigorous vines quickly in good light. More free-flowering than many Hoya and less fussy about conditions. Dark pink to purple-red flowers with a strong scent. One of the most recommended Hoya for beginners — the growth rate provides quick visual reward while the care is forgiving.

Completely unlike standard Hoya in appearance. Thin, needle-like, softly fuzzy leaves trail in long, cascading curtains. One of the most elegant hanging plant options in cultivation. Requires significantly more humidity than most Hoya — the soft, hairy leaves lose moisture rapidly in dry air. 55-60%+ is needed for the leaves to maintain their lush, full appearance. Produces small white fragrant flowers. A genuinely demanding but extraordinarily beautiful plant.

Small, lance-shaped leaves and a more refined, compact trailing habit than carnosa. Produces clusters of white star-shaped flowers with a purple-pink corona. The color combination is distinctly more delicate than most Hoya. More sensitive than carnosa to cold and overwatering. Requires bright indirect light for reliable flowering. One of the most commonly available small-leaved Hoya.

Large, round to oval, thick leaves with silver-white speckling on dark green. One of the more forgiving Hoya for indoor growing — tolerates lower humidity and more irregular watering than most. The large, speckled leaves are visually distinctive and the plant grows at a reasonable pace. Pink flowers with a red corona. Increasingly widely available and a good starting point for Hoya collectors.

Very small, spade-shaped leaves with intricate silver patterning on dark green. One of the smallest-leaved commonly available Hoya. Trails densely and looks best in a hanging basket where the patterned leaves can cascade. More sensitive to cold and overwatering than carnosa. Produces tiny cream flowers. Good for growers who want the Hoya experience in a smaller, more refined scale.

The flowers are the most unusual in the genus. Each individual flower has reflexed white petals with a yellow center that point backward like a shooting star, producing a distinctive swept-back appearance unlike the typical flat Hoya flower cluster. Produces large clusters of these flowers and is one of the most free-flowering Hoya in cultivation. Large, lance-shaped leaves. Faster growing than many Hoya and more willing to flower as a young plant.

Upright, spiny, silvery-grey trunk with a rosette of long, narrow leaves at the apex. In good conditions it eventually produces large, white, fragrant flowers at the growing tip. Loses its leaves in winter. This is normal dormancy, not death. Water very sparingly during dormancy. Requires maximum indoor light and warmth to maintain good health. The spines are three-pronged and sharp throughout the trunk.

Similar to lamerei but with narrower, grey-green leaves rather than the broader, green leaves of lamerei. The two species are widely confused and often mislabelled at retail. Care is identical. Slightly more cold-sensitive than lamerei. Both species respond well to summer outdoor placement in full sun where available.

Leafless, four-angled, velvety grey-green stems in clumping habit. Produces the largest flowers of any commonly grown succulent — up to 30cm across, star-shaped, covered in fine hairs that trap flies, with a pattern of deep red and yellow lines on a cream-buff ground. The flowers are genuinely spectacular to look at and deeply unpleasant to smell. The scent is detectable indoors and intensifies in warmth. Move the plant outside or to a ventilated space when flowering.

Smaller than gigantea. Flowers reach 5-7cm rather than 30cm, but with an even more intricate spotted and mottled pattern of dark brown on yellow. The toad-like appearance is more compact and refined. Smells unpleasant but proportionally less overwhelming than gigantea. More compact growth habit and slightly more free-flowering in average indoor conditions. A better choice for smaller spaces than gigantea.

Thin, wiry, purplish stems trail with small heart-shaped leaves marbled in silver, green, and pink, native to rocky ground in South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. A semi-succulent — not as strictly drought-adapted as a true cactus, but tolerant of a dry-between-waterings routine and quick to rot if kept constantly moist. Produces small round tubers ("bulbils") along the stem with age, which can be planted to make new plants. Fast-growing once established; stems can reach several feet in a single season.

Ovate, thick, succulent leaves patterned with red-tinged mottling reminiscent of a watermelon rind, trailing on wiry stems. An epiphyte throughout Southeast Asia, growing on tree bark in dappled rainforest light. Wants a chunky, well-aerated substrate — standard potting soil holds too much moisture around its roots.

Small, round, coin-shaped succulent leaves strung densely along trailing stems, native to tropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands, where it grows as an epiphyte on tree bark in dappled light. Slow-growing and, like its relative Watermelon Dischidia, wants an airy substrate rather than standard potting soil. Rewarding once established, but slow to fill out a hanging basket.