Varieties and types of exotic hoya
This exquisite plant, native to tropical forests, has successfully taken root in the middle latitudes. That is why the varieties and types of hoya amaze the imagination, and have long become favorite indoor flowers. The plant is widely used for landscaping living quarters to give it a tropical flavor. Housewives call it wax ivy, or simply curly vine.
What is this exquisite evergreen? First, we will consider a general description, and then we will get acquainted with the varieties and types of hoya that are known today. This approach will help you fall in love with this cute wax flower and happily grow it at home. So, let's laugh to go on this entertaining journey through the flower kingdom.
Botanical information about the plant
Since the hoya is a climbing plant, old shoots become lignified over time to support the weight of young foliage.
The leaf plates of the plant are usually leathery in nature with moderate fleshiness. Each of them is coated with a substance that resembles beeswax. The plate is painted green, covered with small gray dots. Interestingly, different varieties and types of hoya have their own foliage size and shade. At a young age, the leaves are distinguished by a chic shine, but gradually become dull.
Hoya inflorescences are usually collected in umbrellas, which have about 50 buds. They often differ in shape, although each of them has 5 rounded petals. The diameter of the bud is about 1 or 2 cm. Inside the flower there is a crown, consisting of five original projections. It rises majestically above the delicate petals.
If you want to have a hoya with large inflorescences, it is advisable to pay attention to the "Imperial" variety. Each bud in it reaches about 8 cm.
Inflorescences of a velvety nature are often painted in the following colors:
- brown;
- white;
- green;
- pink;
- burgundy.
Interestingly, the blossoming buds stay in the inflorescence for about 21 days, after which a new one appears in its place. The plant begins to bloom in late spring and ends in mid-fall. At the same time, it exudes a pleasant aroma that fills the living space.
It is advisable for people who are sensitive to various odors to be judicious when starting Wax Ivy in the house.
Hoya varieties and types - a journey to the kingdom of flowers
Modern biologists classify about 200 species of this lovely tropical visitor. Each of them has its own characteristics, beauty, aroma and identity. And this is not surprising, because in its natural environment the flower is found on the territory:
- Asia;
- India;
- Indonesia;
- Australia;
- Africa;
- Polynesia;
- Canary Islands.
The plant grows successfully in wet meadows near reservoirs... It can be seen on open forest edges, in the jungle and even in rocky terrain. The flower gained popularity thanks to the attentive English gardener Thomas Hoya, who singled it out as a separate species. As a gift, the plant received his name. Let us consider in more detail the popular types of hoya and varieties with photos, which often wind in the houses of our compatriots.
Australian
This variety of Wax Liana is found in Indonesia and Australia, where it was noticed by scientists around 1770. Currently, a great variety of flower varieties have been bred, which are distinguished by their uniqueness. Hoya Australis, photo of which is presented above, is a perennial plant that lives up to 10 years of age. Its dense foliage is oval, glossy, and crimson in color.
Owners of this flower should prepare stable supports for massive vine shoots in advance.
Inflorescences appear in the form of umbrellas, consisting of many miniature buds. The maximum number is about 40 pieces. Each specimen, up to 2 cm in diameter, is pale white. During lush flowering, it exudes a rich herbal scent. The first time buds appear on the hoya in the second or third year after planting. This period is repeated 2 times a year from the first days of summer to late autumn.
Liana does not like cardinal pruning, therefore, obsolete or diseased leaves should be removed.
Today there are many subspecies of the "Australian" hoya. Here is some of them:
- "Trail" (has the smallest buds);
- Forester and Liddle (cream-colored flowers);
- Bailey Hill (yellowish-round foliage, white flowers with a scarlet blotch);
- "Tonga" (large buds);
- "Pextoni" (elongated sheet plate).
The most popular subspecies - "Hoya australis lisa", which throws out buds in the form of a five-pointed star. The petals are creamy white with a scarlet drop in the center. They exude a pleasant aroma and give off a heady sugar nectar.
Limoniaca
Such a wax liana is distinguished by its small size, but expressive star-shaped flowers. They are painted in snow-white color or pale yellow. Delicate petals are pretentiously curved back, and the inner crown is flattened.
In the photo of Schisandra's hoya (another name for the variety), it is clearly visible that the central part of the bud is painted red. It grows up to 2 cm in diameter and is virtually odorless. It is crowned with a slightly pubescent peduncle, which shimmers stylishly in bright light.
The leaf plates of such hoya are usually small in size: length 8 cm, width - 4. They are painted yellow-green, through which intricate vein patterns are visible. The foliage is located along the entire length of the climbing shoot, which lignifies over the years. The plant successfully develops away from direct sunlight and artificial lighting.
Compact
Despite the fact that the homeland of this hoya is the majestic Himalayas, it is rather small in size. The main feature is twisted foliage with original curls. Most often dark green. With excessive exposure to sunlight, they fade, acquiring a yellowish tint.
Hoya Compact blooms with pale pink asterisks in a spherical inflorescence. They exude a honey or coffee aroma after sunset. The minimum air temperature in the room must be at least 15 degrees. Maximum - no higher than 25 ° C. Otherwise, the hoya can get sick and stop growing.
The plant loves to be sprayed with summer water and pruned periodically. As a result, a large number of young shoots appear on it.
Merilia
The flower boasts original foliage coloring. A rich green tone smoothly turns into a dark red. At the same time, the plate is decorated with white longitudinal lines, which clearly stand out against the green-red background.
Hoya Merilia takes root wonderfully in small containers for indoor plants. Its dense shoots are able to climb up an artificial support, which looks spectacular in a home interior.
Pimentiliana
The houseplant is a fast growing hoya species. A large number of green shoots adorn each adult plant. It is interesting that at the nodes it does not let go of air roots, which is usual for its relatives.They can only appear at high humidity levels.
On bare pedicels, about 1.5 cm long, the Pimentiliana hoya throws out glamorous buds. An exquisite corolla and a majestic crown are painted in white or yellowish color. Each umbrella has about a dozen flowers. On close contact, a heady aroma with sweet notes is heard.
Meredichi
This exquisite hoya was first discovered on the island of Borneo (Australia) at an altitude of about 35 m above sea level. It grew in calcareous soil and did not seem to need anything. But after a while, another botanist did not find her there. In 1999, she was sighted in the state of Sabah and classified as the "Hoya Meredichi" species.
Its beauty is manifested in large leaves, gracefully "stitched" with many dark veins. Their length reaches 15 cm, and their width is up to 9. Depending on the type of flower, they come in the following colors:
- light green;
- yellow-green;
- blue-green.
In shape, it is a leaf plate, mainly of an oval character. The edges are pointed. Its giant inflorescences in the form of yellow balls are truly a masterpiece. They are yellow-white and cream in color, collected in loose inflorescences in the form of umbrellas. Their inner crown is always white, and the petals are found in different tones. Umbrellas stay on the hoya for several days, so you can enjoy their beauty to your heart's content.
Publicis
The flower has long leaves of a fleshy character. Silver blotches are visible on the surface of the plate. In shape, it can be oblong or oval. Length - 15 cm, width - 6 cm.
During the flowering period, as shown in the photo, the Hoya Publicis throws balls or umbrellas among the dense greenery. Each of them consists of 30 buds, which are colored gray, gray-black or pink. Bright crimson petals surround an ornate crown that resembles an asterisk. Such a flower creates a pleasant atmosphere in the house, especially when it exudes a delicate aroma.
Hoya Green
If you look at the variety from the outside, you can note the following features:
- Decorative curly lashes.
- The thickness of the shoots is up to 0.5 cm.
- Leathery green leaves.
- Each has a mesh pattern of 10 pairs of veins.
- Semi-spherical loose inflorescence, consisting of fifty buds.
This is just a general description of "Hoya Greenii", but the flower is already admirable. A few highlights remain to be added. The length of the plate is about 15 cm, the width is about 4 cm. The surface is matte, but smooth. The color is dark green.
The outer part of the corolla is glossy, the inner part has delicate hairs. An exquisite crown of white or pale pink color majestically rises above the rim. It is colored pink in the center. The buds remain on the plant for about 10 days, but unfortunately they don't smell.
Denisee
Among the majestic mountains at an altitude of over 1000 m, a biologist found a wonderful plant. It was wrapped in a dense carpet of centuries-old trees of tropical forests, through which lovely flowers could be seen. It was Denisee's hoya.
The leaf plates of the plant are dark green in color with a glamorous shine. The main vein runs in the center, which is clearly visible, which cannot be said about the rest.
The original bell-shaped buds are up to 2 cm in diameter. The outer part is bare, and the inner part is densely covered with delicate hairs. In general, there are up to 10 of them on one inflorescence. When the plant blooms, you don't want to take your eyes off it.
Variegated
Its main advantage, of course, is the variegated foliage, which is located on long, two-meter shoots. The unique inverted heart shape immediately attracts attention. The bright green color of the leaf plates creates an incredible feeling of freshness in the room where such a miracle grows. In the provided photo of the Variegated Hoya, you can see the features of this flower.
When the vine blooms, graceful umbrellas appear on it. They consist of many snow-white, lemon or pink buds with a dark center.Their edges are cream colored.
Variegated wax liana belongs to slow-growing varieties, so when growing such a plant at home, you should be patient.
"Сarmelae"
In early spring 2010, this unique flower was found on the island of Luzon. It got its name in honor of the leading expert of the expedition - Carmela Hispaniola.
Hoya Carmelae is distinguished by almost round foliage about one and a half centimeters long. Unlike its congeners, veins are not visible on the plate. They are painted dark green.
To change the color of the leaves of a flower, it can be placed in a sunny place. After some time, they will acquire a raspberry tint.
During the flowering period, a fluffy umbrella appears among the foliage, in which there are about 25 buds. They are often bright pink in color.
Longifolia
Another name for the variety is "Long-leaved", which calls for attention to leaf plates. They are arranged in pairs along a long, curly shoot. They have an oblong oval shape, fleshy character. Length - up to 13 s, width - about 2 cm. Each leaf is colored dark green. The surface is smooth. The veins are not visible. The back of the leaf is slightly lighter than the top of the leaf.
Hoya Longifolia in its loose inflorescence contains up to 13 buds. Each of them has a white or pinkish crown topped with triangular petals. When the buds bloom, the room is filled with a persistent perfumery scent.
Thompson
In 1883, the plant was discovered high in the mountains in India. It is also found in China. It was named after the collector Thompson who first found it.
Looking at the photo of Hoya Thompson, you can see the dark green oval foliage. Each plate is velvety pubescent and painted with silvery spots. On average, they grow up to 5 cm in length. The width is only 2 cm.
Compared to foliage, flowers seem to be giants. The spherical inflorescence holds up to 30 milky buds. There is an orange speck in the center of each. The edges are crowned with pointed petals in the form of glamorous stars. During their lush bloom, they exude a heady jasmine scent. Usually its presence is felt within 21 days. The peculiarity of such a plant is that it begins to bloom in late autumn, meeting winter with an exquisite bouquet.
"Leucorhoda"
The exquisite vine of this species is distinguished by curly thin shoots that grow rather quickly. Its graceful light green leaves are located on either side of the stem. Their length reaches 11 cm, and a maximum width of 6. The shape of the foliage is in the form of an ellipse with pointed tips.
Noya Leucorhoda has an original flower umbrella consisting of 10 large buds. Delicate white petals frame a pinkish crown that never changes shape.
Since the vine grows quickly, you need to prepare in advance a support for weaving its curly shoots.
Optimistic
Liana with this name boasts silky foliage of dense texture. This is achieved through the glossy surface of the plate.
Hoya Optimistic is famous for its unusual buds. They look like a juicy star-shaped fruit. Its edges are colored red, which smoothly turns into a yellow tone. In the center of the bud, a corolla looks spectacular, with a yellow frame and a ruby middle.
"Sammaniana"
The historical homeland of this vine is the high mountain forests in Sumatra. It was there that she was first discovered by specialists. Hoya Sammaniana is considered to be a terrestrial plant capable of rising to a height of five meters. All elements of the plant are not pubescent, but inside the shoots are filled with milk.
The sheet plate is elliptical. The outer part is colored dark green, the bottom is slightly lighter. Some specimens have a subtle purple tint. During the flowering period, against such an exquisite background, fragrant buds appear in the form of bells.Often there are only a few of them. They are colored pale yellow with a slight greenish tint. A pink blotch stands out around the main calyx. Truly a wonderful masterpiece of creation.
Obovata
In its natural environment, this cute tropical flower is found in the humid forests of Indonesia, Thailand, India. It was first recorded by biologists at the end of the 19th century. In Europe, it appeared several decades later, but as a houseplant.
The Hoya Obovata depicted in the photo is a vivid evidence of the skill of the Great Creator, who treats people with love. This flower develops quickly enough at home. On the huge shoots, lobed leaves of light green color grow, in the center of which there is a wide strip of yellow-green coloring. Additional light green foliage features a silvery blotch.
When the vine begins to bloom, chic bunk buds are formed. The main petals are slightly pointed and turned downward. They frame a stylish flower crown that resembles a five-pointed star. At the very peak of the plant's flowering (May or June), the room is filled with a sweetish aroma. How can you not admire such beauty?