Hoya carnosa 'Tricolour'

Hoya carnosa 'tricolour', known as the Wax Flower, is from a genus of plants that is native to Australia, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

 

Hoya carnosa has clusters of star-shaped, white or pink flowers which are scented at night. The clusters look like tiny wax miniatures (which is where their nickname comes from!) and contrast beautifully with their dark green leaves. The flowers have a fuzzy sheen because they’re covered in tiny hairs. Sometimes excess nectars drips from the flowers. The wax flower likes warm conditions and needs a minimum temperature of at least 10°C. When your Wax Flower is in growth, you’ll need to feed it monthly and water it freely. Allow the sandy soil to dry right out between watering and cut down on watering over winter but still keep the compost moist. Regularly spraying with water will keep the humidity high. Your Hoya will thrive in very bright light, and partial direct sunlight when possible.

 

Clean the leaves frequently with a damp cloth to remove dust and help them to photosynthesise better. No regular pruning is needed for Hoya carnosa, but you may want to trim them down to keep them in a set space. Wax Flowers are usually free from diseases but can sometimes be prone to mealy bugs when they are grown under glass. This plant should not be ingested.