Hoya bonii

A Vietnamese wet-forest climber: Hoya bonii

Hoya bonii is native to Vietnam, where it grows as a climber in wet tropical forest. The species was originally associated with the historical region of Tonkin in northern Vietnam.

Care for waxy-leaved epiphytes

• Feeding: Apply dilute complete fertiliser after watering when roots or the runner are visibly extending. Use a weak solution, and improve the light before increasing the fertiliser dose.
• Light: Place the plant near a bright window with the direct sun filtered. Increase exposure only while the leaf surface remains firm and evenly coloured.
• Watering and roots: Water the entire root zone after the upper layer has dried, then let excess water escape. Use an airy epiphytic substrate and remove collapsed old material before adding fresh mix.
• Temperature and airflow: Keep the plant warm and leave open space around the foliage. The mix around the roots should dry through the upper layer within several days and should not remain cold and damp.
• Flowering and pruning: Leave old peduncles attached during pruning, as mature spurs may bloom again in the future.

Common issues with Hoya bonii

• The oldest leaves yellow while the root ball remains wet: The root system is deteriorating in compact, airless mix. Clear away stale mix, cut off decayed roots and repot into a snug container with fresh airy mix and unobstructed drainage. Take a firm green node cutting at once if soft or black tissue reaches the stem.
• Dry pale patches appear on the window-facing side of the broad green leaves: The leaf moved into stronger sun too quickly. Move the plant farther from the window and leave the firm marked leaf attached. Once fresh growth has hardened, introduce morning sun gradually.
• A soft broad leaf creases against the support: The runner changed direction around a sharp bend while the tissue was soft. Reposition the hoop or trellis before the next leaf opens. Leave firm cosmetic marks alone. If the stem is split, blackening or soft, trim back to firm green tissue.
• A new broad leaf stops expanding at a smaller size: The tip remains viable, but root uptake is too erratic to sustain extension. Clear the area around the tip and keep it in bright filtered light. Water thoroughly after the upper mix dries. Wait for new growth before applying dilute fertiliser again. Keep the broad-leaved tip intact while any tissue remains firm and green. Prune only after the entire tip turns black, soft or fully dry.

Hoya bonii has insufficient safety evidence for people and pets

• Its toxicity to humans, cats and dogs has not been reliably established.
• There is not enough dependable safety information to identify a toxin or confirm that this exact plant is non-toxic.
• Even without a confirmed toxin, chewing plant material may cause mouth irritationor stomach upset. Contact a veterinarian for pet symptoms or a medical professional for human symptoms, especially if they persist.

Hoya bonii: where the name comes from

Hoya honours the English gardener Thomas Hoy. The epithet bonii honours the French missionary and plant collector Joseph Bon.

Robert Brown established the genus Hoya in 1810 in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, page 459.

Julien Noël Costantin first described Hoya bonii in 1912 in Flore Générale de l’Indo-Chine, volume 4, page 140.