Looking to get your feet wet with hoya plants? Hoyas are gorgeous and easy to care for, and there are a TON of different varieties. Here are 9 hoya varieties for beginners that are sure to help jumpstart your hoya collection!
9 hoya varieties that are perfect for beginners!
Hey all! I realized I have quite a few hoya care posts on here, so I figured I’d round them all up into one place. I do not consider myself a hoya fanatic, but I do love a good easy plant, and I have a few varieties I love.
If you’re looking to start learning more about hoya plants and want to add some to your collection, there are a few I recommend getting started with. And the best part—not only are they gorgeous, they are pretty easy.
What are hoya plants and are they good for beginners?
Before we get started, a quick primer on hoya plants. “Hoya” is a large genus of tropical plants that are native to Asia and can also be found in Australia. There are hundreds of Hoya species, and many can be super expensive and super hard to find.
Many varieties, though, are really easy to find. And they are also really easy to care for, making them a good choice for beginner plant lovers. If you’re browsing a local nursery or garden center, hoyas might be labeled things like “wax plant” or “wax vine.” I find they are generally just labeled something like “assorted hoya.” Drives me nuts because I like to learn about exactly what I’m getting.
In general, hoyas climb and vine—but instead of the leafy look that many other viners have, hoyas generally have thick, succulent-like leaves. Hoyas have gorgeous little star-shaped, porcelain-looking flowers. They generally grow pretty slowly, but it’s worth the wait.
Here are 9 of my favorite hoya varieties for beginners that I own and love.
1. Hoya carnosa jade
You have to get the hoya carnosa out of the way first in any list of hoya varieties for beginners. The regular ol’ hoya carnosa jade has gorgeous thick green leaves and has been a houseplant staple for decades. It does well in medium to bright indirect light and hates being overwatered.
While the carnosa likes humidity, it does really well in normal household temperatures. Trails beautifully, so it looks good hanging from the ceiling or up on a shelf. This is probably the most common variety you’ll find. See my hoya carnosa care guide post for more.
2. Hoya carnosa krimson queen
The hoya carnosa krimson queen is a type of carnosa, but I want to call it and a few other types of carnosa out specifically because they are gorgeous and I love them. 🙂 I got my hoya carnosa krimson queen from a local nursery. It’s been a very slow grower but is gorgeous!
Pretty much the same requirements as the carnosa, but keep in mind that the most white variegation a plant has, the more light it might need. The white parts don’t photosynthesize. The white clumps are stunning, but don’t be shocked when they dye off. 🙂
You could also consider a hoya carnosa krimson princess, but I don’t personally have one. They are very similar, though. The main difference is that the princess tends to have a green border around its leaves, while the queen has a creamy white border.
3. Hoya carnosa Chelsea
And another carnosa…the hoya carnosa Chelsea! This is my most recently acquired hoya. My friend snagged it for me at Home Depot or Lowe’s, I can’t remember. It’s already trailing beautifully, and I’m planning to take it outside this year.
The leaves on the Chelsea are a bit rounder and have a bit of a crinkle look to them. They are also thick and juicy <3 Again, since it’s a carnosa, care is really simple. Don’t overwater. Medium to bright indirect light. Humidity is a plus. See my hoya carnosa Chelsea care and propagation post.
4. Hoya carnosa compacta
The last carnosa I’ll cover. Honestly, I always separate out the carnosa compacta because it looks so different from the carnosa. Otherwise known as a “rope plant,” the leaves curl and twist on the stem, creating a knotted “rope” look.
These plants grow sooooo slow, but they are undeniably gorgeous. My hoya carnosa compacta is probably one of my favorite plants. They look nice trailing, but they are also really interesting-looking when they are small. See my hoya carnosa compacta care guide post for more.
5. Hoya pubicalyx splash
For the longest time I thought that the hoya pubicalyx splash was a type of carnosa. They do have a lot of similarities, but they are different. The pubicalyx’s leaves are a bit longer and, I’ve found, thinner than the carnosa’s.
However, they grow just as beautifully, vining up and down. Double-decker vining, gotta love it. I’m only a little bit salty that my mom and I got ours at the same time and hers has like, tripled in size. See my hoya pubicalyx care guide post for more.
6. Hoya australis
Hoya australis plants have very shiny, slightly rounder leaves that tend to vine up more than they vine down. The stems intertwine to create really cool growth patterns, even without a trellis. Though they certainly appreciate a trellis.
Mine is pretty small, and I have it on a feather trellis I got from my friend Delaney at Plants and Lasers. I often see them sold in hanging baskets, but since they don’t seem to trail down as much, I think I prefer them as tabletop plants with a cool trellis. See my hoya australis care guide post for more.
7. Hoya curtisii
Hoya curtisii is a gorgeous trailing hoya with gorgeous silverish speckled splashes. The leaves are shaped like tiny teardrops and cascade down the pot. It’s very easy to propagate, and it trails beautifully! Learn how to care for a propagate hoya curtisii.
8. Hoya obovata
Hoya obovata grows a lot like hoya kerrii, except the leaves are round. They are so cool-looking, too! I ordered my plant online because I rarely see them locally, and it isn’t really vining yet. But it will! And that will be a glorious day. It also has a speckled “splash” on the leaves. See my hoya obovata guide post for more.
9. Hoya linearis
And let’s wrap up with the hoya linearis. This hoya is unlike all of the other hoyas in this roundup in that its leaves aren’t big, thick, and juicy. Instead, they are about an inch long and thin. They grow pretty densely on the stem, though, so they create a curtain effect.
I think this plant really shines when it is full and mature. Hoya linearis is the only one in this list that I have found to be somewhat on the picky size. The leaves will dry out if humidity is too low, so I keep mine in a bathroom that has a window. I also hang it so that light will shine down on it to avoid the top going bald 🙂
This plant is increasing in popularity right now, so you might see prices on it jacked way way up while you’re shopping. To give you guys an idea of what to expect, I found my pot at a local plant shop. The first picture below was taken right after I purchased it, and it was $48. I thought that was a great deal. See my hoya linearis care guide post for more.
Pin my post about my favorite 9 hoya varieties for beginners!
Leave a comment