porcelainflower
Hoya carnosa (L.f.) R.Br.
Porcelainflower combines fleshy foliage with intricately layered blooms. It is a climbing plant that can live on trees or rocks, and its trailing shoots also suit hanging containers. The tropical East African flora describes strongly scented flower clusters that can produce abundant dripping nectar. Kew POWO: Hoya carnosaFlora of Tropical East Africa via Kew: Hoya carnosaSingapore NParks: Hoya carnosa
Botanical name
Hoya carnosa (L.f.) R.Br. is accepted by Kew; Asclepias carnosa L.f. is its original name. Kew POWO: Hoya carnosa
Recognizing the plant
Glossy, thick leaves stand in opposite pairs and are oval with smooth margins. Each pale flower forms a star, often white with a pink tint, surrounding a smaller white central star marked red in the middle. The surface has the waxy appearance behind the name wax plant. Clusters arise from persistent, leafless flowering spurs, which can bloom again. The dry fruits are podlike. Singapore NParks: Hoya carnosa
Native range
Kew records its native range from southern China to Laos, and from southern Kyushu in Japan through the southern Japanese islands to Taiwan. It is chiefly a subtropical species; the present range treatment also includes Myanmar. Kew POWO: Hoya carnosa
Ecological relationships
Singapore’s NParks lists its leaves as a butterfly host resource, without identifying a particular butterfly species. Singapore NParks: Hoya carnosa
Botanical sources
- Kew POWO: Hoya carnosa
- Flora of Tropical East Africa via Kew: Hoya carnosa
- Singapore NParks: Hoya carnosa
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.