Hoya wayetii

Hoya wayetii is a species of flowering plant in the genus Hoya that is native to the Philippines. The plant has a vining growth habit and is often mistaken for Hoya kentiana or Hoya shepherdii. Its long, slender foliage often has a red margin when exposed to sufficient sun. Hoya wayetii is a perennial, epiphytic plant with twisting, branched shoots that can also hang. The thread-like shoots, which are heavily leafed, become somewhat lignified with age. The opposite, succulent leaves are short-stalked and have a round and bare, dark green leaf stalk that is 0.5 to 1.5 cm long in cross-section. The narrow-lanceolate leaf blades are 5 to 14.5 cm long and 1.5 to 2.7 cm wide, with a top that is dark green with slightly darker edges and a bottom that is a little lighter. The base of the leaf blade is wedge-shaped, and the apex tapers to a point. The inflorescence of Hoya wayetii is umbel-shaped, consisting of 20 to 30 flowers that hang. The light green sepals are 1.7 mm long and 1.3 mm wide at the base, with a rounded apex and cilia on the edges. Hoya plants are native to Southeast Asia, and there are over 500 species and even more cultivars available. Their common name, waxplant, refers to their thick, waxy leaves, which help them retain water in the heat. They are excellent climbers and will take off if you give them a trellis to grow on. Their other-worldly, star-shaped flowers come in brilliant shades of red, pink, yellow, and more and are often fragrant.