Hoya lacunosa, also known as the cinnamon-scented wax plant, is a popular houseplant among gardeners and plant enthusiasts alike!
Not only are they easy to care for but their vibrant green foliage and draping nature make for a splendid addition to any space.
Perhaps you own one already or maybe you’re thinking about purchasing one. Either way, you’ll want to know what the best method of taking care of these delightful beauties involves.
For your enlightenment, I have compiled a list of some of the most popular Hoya Lacunosa varieties along with details on how to care for them so that you can get the most out of enjoying them for yourself.
Facts About Rare Hoya Lacunosa Varieties
Hoya lacunosa is a rare tropical blooming plant native to Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and parts of Australia. Because of its lovely blossoms and pleasing aroma, there is bound to be one or more varieties of this plant that will pique your curiosity.
With over 700 evergreen flowering species and new members being uncovered all the time, this is a much-loved genus.
Hoya plants produce umbels of white- or cream-colored, cinnamon-scented flowers in little bundles that last up to 2 weeks. Depending on your climate, expect to see blooms in late spring and into summer.
You’ll need to be patient as you grow them as they need to reach peak maturity before they will bloom. Sometimes, this means waiting up to 5 years.
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‘Cinnamon’
Known for its sweet, cinnamon-scented fragrance that is most pronounced at night, and its rich, yellow- or cream-colored umbels that can continue to bloom from spring to fall.
Native to Indonesia, this variety makes a beautiful hanging plant thanks to its trailing vines that can grow to be over 5 feet tall.
- Potential growth height: 2.5 to 6 feet
- Watering: 2-3 times a week
- Light: Bright, indirect
- Best temperature: 68℉ to 77℉
- Soil: Well-drained, organic soil
- Toxicity: Mildly toxic to humans and animals
- Common problems and pests: Root rot and common pests
‘Eskimo’
‘Eskimo’ features silver-flecked, heart-shaped leaves that earn it the nickname ‘heart-leafed lacunosa’. It’s perfectly suited to a hanging basket arrangement with vines that extend further when kept in semi-shade.
Blooms are creamy-white and fluffy in appearance, and these too have a welcoming cinnamon scent.
Look out also for the ‘Eskimo Silver’ variety that features a silvery shimmer on its leaves.
- Potential growth height: Up to 5 feet
- Watering: Prefers to completely dry out between waterings
- Light: Medium to bright light
- Best temperature: 68℉ to 77℉
- Soil: Well-drained, organic soil
- Toxicity: Mildly toxic to humans and animals
- Common problems and pests: Susceptible to sunburn
‘Langkawi Island’
‘Langkawi Island’ is a miniature variety with the smallest leaves of any in the Hoya family.
It also has the darkest colored foliage and distinctly sleek, spear-shaped leaves.
For best results, this variety prefers slightly acidic soil and needs a well-draining pot or container. It can also tolerate moderate to high humidity.
- Potential growth height: Up to 5 feet
- Watering: Moderate moisture
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: 68℉ to 77℉
- Soil: Well-drained, organic soil
- Toxicity: Mildly toxic to humans and animals
- Common problems and pests: Susceptible to sun stress
‘Royal Flush’
It’s the dark foliage with crimson or pink tints and silver flecks that truly define this plant. Blooms are star-shaped with flattened pale pink clusters.
To really thrive, this climber needs high humidity and plenty of sunshine. It’s ideally suited to a sheltered spot and does well either as an indoor plant or placed in a conservatory.
This one is simple to propagate. Cut a leaf with a portion of the stem attached and place it in a pot of soil or water.
- Potential growth height: 4 to 5 feet
- Watering: Allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings
- Light: Medium to bright light
- Best temperature: 58℉ to 85℉
- Soil: Well-drained, lightweight soil mix
- Toxicity: Mildly toxic to humans and animals
- Common problems and pests: Aphids, spider mites, mealybugs
‘Ruby Sue’
‘Ruby Sue’ is so-called for its distinctive blend of green and red spear-shaped leaves. Its blooms are white and yellow, not dissimilar although larger than the blooms of ‘Langkawi Island’.
This variety makes a beautiful addition to a hanging basket display because it loves well-draining soil and is attractive to hummingbirds.
- Potential growth height: Up to 5 feet
- Watering: Moderate moisture
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Best temperature: 68℉ to 77℉
- Soil: Well-drained, organic soil
- Toxicity: Mildly toxic to humans and animals
- Common problems and pests: None
‘Silver’
Hoya Lacuosa Silver has stunning variegated leaves with silvery, nearly translucent foliage.
This variation is extremely rare and can vary in its leaf shape and size. It needs high levels of humidity and a bright spot away from drafts.
- Potential growth height: up to 5 feet
- Watering: avoid over and underwatering.
- Light: bright, indirect light
- Best temperature: 60℉ to 80℉
- Soil: well-drained, well-aerated soil
- Toxicity: non-toxic
- Common problems and pests: poor watering can wilt the leaves
‘Splash’
Hoya Splash is a highly sought-after, rare plant with broad, variegated, lance-shaped leaves featuring speckles, or splashes. Indeed, the more sun exposure it receives, the more “splashing” will develop.
Bear in mind that sun placement is a balancing act. The right amount of sun will cause more splashing but too much will cause sunburn so consider placing it on a sunny window sill behind a sheath.
- Potential growth height: up to 5 feet
- Watering: let the top 1-2 inches completely dry out before watering
- Light: 6-8 hours of bright, indirect light
- Best temperature: 55℉ to 85℉
- Soil: well-drained, organic soil
- Toxicity: mildly toxic to humans and animals
- Common problems and pests: susceptible to sunburn
‘Snow Caps’
One of the more readily available Hoya Lacunosa varieties, ‘Snowcaps’ has splashy, silvery foliage and white flowers.
Blooms are clusters of fluffy white flowers that give off a delightful cinnamon aroma. Similar to Hoya Splash, place this plant where it will receive plenty of light, to maintain and stimulate even more ‘splashing’.
- Potential growth height: up to 4 feet
- Watering: allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out before watering
- Light: partial sun, partial shade
- Best temperature: 58℉ to 85℉
- Soil: well-drained, organic soil (cactus soil recommended)
- Toxicity: mildly toxic to humans and animals
- Common problems and pests: If it doesn’t get enough sun, it can lose its variegation.
‘Tove’
The Hoya Tove is a popular choice for growers and Hoya enthusiasts thanks to its hardy nature and rapid growth rate. It features leaves that often display maroon or purplish coloration on new growth. The flowers are blushed with lavender-pink, and the fragrance has a more perfume-like quality than other clones of lacunosa.
This cultivar is a rapid grower and blooms early and is favored because it is particularly hardy and versatile since it can grow in a variety of environments and can also withstand over and underwatering, as well as some low lighting.
It is characterized by its light green, speckled leaves that can take on a deep red to purple tone on new foliage. Leaves grow to a whopping 4cm long. Impressive when compared to the leaves of its cousin the Langkawi Island Hoya (just 2cm in length).
- Potential growth height: up to 4 feet
- Watering: Water when dry
- Light: bright, indirect light
- Best temperature: 58℉ to 77℉
- Soil: well-drained, organic soil
- Toxicity: mildly toxic to humans and animals
- Common problems and pests: spider mites and aphids
Hoya Lacunosa Care Guide
Hoya lacunosa is a resilient, easy-going plant that is a terrific confidence booster for those just getting started with houseplants. These plants are difficult to kill! There are, however, a few things to keep in mind to preserve the health of your plants so that they thrive.
Getting to grips with factors such as light, water, growth speed, and fertilizer will provide you with the best possible chance of getting it right and seeing your mature Hoya bloom.
Position
In zones 9 through 11, Hoya can live outdoors during the spring and summer months. Even then, when your plants are outside, keep an eye on them in case the temperature rises or falls too much. During the fall and winter seasons, Hoya is best kept indoors.
If you live in any other region, it’s best to grow them indoors year-round.
They prefer bright, indirect sunlight. Make sure they are not in direct sunlight, as this will cause their leaves to burn.
If you are going to put your plant in a direct sunlight window, make sure it is in an east-facing window with soft morning light and consider placing a sheer screen between your Hoya and the window to protect it from intense sunlight.
Since they are tropical plants, Hoyas are unable to withstand cold temperatures. Anything below 55 degrees Fahrenheit is too chilly for them, and they need to be moved indoors. If you are planning to put your plant in a window, keep this in mind as well. Remember to move it as the weather gets colder in the fall and winter. The stress of temperature swings might cause discoloration or loss of your plant’s leaves.
Height & Spread
At the height of its maturity, Hoyas can reach a height of between 2.5 to 6 feet depending on the variety. This is a moderately fast grower under optimal conditions. This means a modest watering schedule, the light conditions I referred to above, highly selective pruning, and minimum repotting.
How Fast Do Hoya Lacunosa Grow?
Hoya can take anything from between 3 years to 10 years to reach maturity. When cared for correctly, you can expect to see steady growth throughout the growing season with new leaves developing every 1-2 months.
It’s quite common for runners to appear. These are typically leafless until about 12 inches in length. Don’t be tempted to trim these back. In time, new leaves and spurs that will subsequently develop into blooms will grow from them, but this is only once the runner is sufficiently mature.
Watering
These plants do not require much water. Check for moisture in the top layers of the soil with your finger and wait until the soil is almost dry before watering.
When it is time to water, remove the plastic pot from your decorative container and place in a sink. Water thoroughly and allow all the excess water to drain through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Do not allow water to pool at the bottom of the decorative pot.
Over-watering
For Hoyas, overwatering is a major issue and will result in discolored, wilting leaves and soggy soil. If caught early, this can be remedied by allowing your plant to dry out for a few extra days and holding off further watering until the soil has dried out.
Your plant may be at risk of root rot if you do not change your routine after over-watering it. This happens when the roots are unable to absorb any oxygen because any gaps in the soil are filled with water rather than air.
If you give your plant more time to dry out and it still does not seem to be working, you may need to remove it entirely and check for root rot. Additionally, you could add a drainage aid like perlite to the soil.
In the winter when my Hoya is dormant, I often leave 3-4 weeks between waterings. It may sound drastic, and you may notice the leaves beginning to crinkle slightly but find that leaving them for this long period without water, encourages flowering in mature plants in the next season.
Under-watering
Under-watering is also a simple fix. You will know that you have under-watered your plants if the leaves start to become wrinkled or even yellow and crisp. Give your Hoya a thorough watering as I have just described, and it should bounce back in no time.
Soil
Hoyas grow best in slightly acidic soil with a pH of between 6.1 to 6.5. If you test the soil and it’s too acidic, I like to add lime to neutralize it. If the soil is alkaline, I like to reduce the pH with sulfur or organic mulch.
To help with drainage, purchase well-draining soil or add perlite, coco coir, or peat moss. In addition, always use a pot with good-sized drainage holes.
Flowers
From spring to fall, the blossoming in mature Hoya plants is composed of umbels (little bundles) of white, cream, and brown star-shaped flowers. The plant gets its name, the waxflower, from the waxy substance in the middle of the blooms.
How Long Do Blooms Last?
The blooms are lovely, but they usually last a few days, typically less than a week. Fortunately, with enough sunlight and the right amount of water, new blooms will appear soon after.
Once blooms are past their best, resist the temptation to deadhead. The spurs that are left behind are where new flowers will grow. So, instead of pinching them out as is often the case with many flowering plants, simply brush them off to ensure the spurs remain intact.
If these spurs are removed, it is unlikely that your Hoya will flower for the rest of the season or even in the following year.
What Do The Blooms Smell Like?
The blooms have a warm cinnamon scent. In the summer, I have mine hung around my front door so that my guests are greeted with a warm, welcoming scent.
Fertilizing
Only fertilize Hoya during the growing season. They have relatively modest fertilizing needs and over-fertilizing either with too much feed or used too often will cause scorching.
I recommend using a liquid houseplant fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 1-1-1 for young plants. Once mature, you could introduce a fertilizer with a slightly high ratio of phosphorus, and this could be applied throughout the growing season from spring onwards.
Pruning
Other than removing discolored leaves or damaged foliage and stems, pruning is not recommended.
Whilst it might be tempting to cut back what appears to be leggy leafless vines, this should be avoided as this is where new growth of leaves and spurs will first appear. If left to grow – usually beyond 12 inches, these vines or runners will begin to produce a small number of leaves.
In addition, pruning or pinching out spent flowers may destroy the spurs from which future blooms will appear. Far better to gently brush spent petals away gently to avoid unnecessary damage.
Repotting
Hoya becomes stressed when they are moved. They prefer to be root bound, more than the average plant. This slightly crowded environment in which they live can help encourage them to flower.
Avoid re-potting until absolutely necessary or if the leaves begin to yellow due to stress.
Make the next pot only an inch or two larger than the previous one when repotting your Hoya. If the pot is too large, the roots will take longer to absorb the water. This is called “overpotting”.
Overpotting causes stress to your plants since the roots are unable to absorb the water quickly enough, resulting in standing water in the soil. Root rot is a dangerous risk when the roots are sitting in the soggy soil!
How to Propagate Hoya Lacunosa
This plant is so easy to propagate, and it is best to do this during peak growth seasons (spring and summer) when your plant has the most energy and is benefitting from warm lighting and an increased water intake.
Before you start propagating, be sure to disinfect your scissors to avoid infection.
For best results, you will need a 5-8 inch long, healthy-looking stem. Be sure to count the nodes in the cutting to ensure there are more than two, then cut a quarter of an inch below the last node and place it in water or a well-draining potting mix.
The nodes are little black nubs on the vines where the new roots are going to sprout.
Common Problems with Hoya Lacunosa
When your Hoya is doing well, the last thing you want is to be blindsided by a problem. There are simple fixes that can be implemented to avoid such things. For example, sun stress is an easy thing to avoid if you know what to look for.
Sun Stress
While this wax plant family prefers bright sun indoors, direct sunlight may be too much for it outside. Give the plant some shade if you are going to put it outside to keep the leaves from getting too hot.
When exposed to higher light levels, Hoyas can get sun stressed and turn a red-ish hue, which some people appreciate and are not always harmful to your plant. If you enjoy this look, make sure to monitor your plant and rotate it regularly, since sun stress can lead to sunburn and this is something to be avoided.
Hoya Lacunosa Varieties Final Thoughts
I have listed some of my favorite Hoya Lucunosa Varieties ranging from the very common to the lesser-known Hoya Splash.
Use this guide to determine the best variation for your space and climate and keep in mind the water and light requirements as you choose your Hoyas.
