Scientific Name
Hoya kerrii 'Variegata'
Common Name(s)
Sweetheart Hoya, Valentine Hoya, Wax Hearts
Synonym(s)
Hoya kerrii var. albomarginata
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Marsdenieae
Genus: Hoya
Origin
Hoya kerrii 'Variegata' is a variegated form of Hoya kerrii.
Description
Hoya kerrii 'Variegata' is a slow-growing, semi-succulent plant with vining stems and bright green, heart-shaped leaves with creamy-yellow or white margins. The stems can grow up to 13 feet (4 m) long. The leaves measure up to 4 inches (10 cm) long, 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide, and 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) thick.
The small flowers are star-shaped, creamy-white with pink to rose-purple centers, and appear in clusters along the stems in summer.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 11a to 11b: from 40 °F (+4.4 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Hoyas 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. Give them at least a half-day of sunshine and bring them indoors when temperatures drop below 50 °F (10 °C).
When your Hoya 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 its energy. These plants 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.
Propagate Hoyas by cuttings of top growth or by leaf cuttings. The average cutting or leaf will produce a blooming plant in 2 years or less. The easiest method of propagation is by layering.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Hoya.
Links
- Back to genus Hoya
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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