Hoya crassipetiolata

A Vietnamese wet-tropical Hoya

Hoya crassipetiolata is native to Vietnam, where it grows as a climbing epiphyte or lithophyte in wet tropical habitat.

Watering and root care for epiphytic vines

• Watering and roots: Water after the upper mix dries, allowing a little more time when the runner stops extending. Dry any water left on the leaves promptly.
• Light: Provide high indirect light for most of the day. Bright, indirect light keeps the growth compact and the veins well defined.
• Plain-green form: The dark midrib and branching veins are the main leaf feature. Give the narrow blades room to harden without folds.
• Temperature and airflow: Choose a position without chilled windows or trapped humidity. Warm conditions without cold draughts let new textured leaves harden without prolonged surface moisture.
• Feeding: Apply dilute fertiliser only while roots are healthy and new growth is forming. Wait if the root ball remains cold or wet for long periods.

Common issues with Hoya crassipetiolata

• Long narrow leaves turn pliable while moisture remains deep in the pot: Persistent moisture in the middle of the pot has started root or basal stem rot. Inspect the centre of the pot because surface dryness can hide wet mix below. Soft roots should be removed back to sound tissue before the plant is repotted and watered. If decay begins moving into the vine, take a healthy node cutting immediately.
• A pale crust forms on the mix while leaf margins turn crisp: The feed was too concentrated while the vine was growing slowly in limited light. Stop feeding, rinse the root zone with plain water, and empty the saucer. Use a weaker dose once healthy new growth appears.
• Sticky nodes appear below a distorted new leaf: Thrips, mites, scale or mealybugs are feeding on the soft developing tissue. Keep the plant apart from the collection. Check the folded tip, petioles and both leaf surfaces, then wash off visible insects. Test insecticidal soap on one leaf and follow its label for any further application if the leaf remains unmarked.

Hoya crassipetiolata is non-toxic to people and pets

• This plant is non-toxic to people, cats and dogs.
• Chewing a large amount can still cause an upset stomach.
• If a large amount is eaten and symptoms continue, contact a veterinarian or medical professional.

When was Hoya crassipetiolata first published, and what does it mean?

Hoya honours the English gardener Thomas Hoy. Crassipetiolata combines Latin crassus, meaning thick, with petiolatus, meaning petioled, referring to the robust leaf stalk.

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

Leonid Vladimirovich Averyanov, Van The Pham, and Tuan Anh Le first described Hoya crassipetiolata in 2017 in Turczaninowia, volume 20, issue 3, page 112.