Hoya erythrina

Botanical identity and natural origin of Hoya erythrina

Hoya erythrina is native to Vietnam and Peninsular Malaysia.

How to keep Hoya erythrina growing well

Train Hoya erythrina onto a trellis in bright indirect light, protected from hot sun. Keep it with 50–60% humidity and gentle airflow.

Use balanced orchid fertiliser about every two weeks while new growth develops, at moderate strength. Repot one size up after the roots have filled the container.

Use chunky mix and a pot with drainage holes. Water during growth when the pot feels lighter and the deeper mix is lightly moist, then drain thoroughly. As growth slows, wait until the mix is fairly dry before watering again. Keep the whole root ball from drying out completely.

Use a clean blade to cut a healthy stem piece with one or two nodes. Remove the lower leaves and place a leafless node in lightly moist, loosely packed sphagnum in a pot with drainage holes. Position the remaining leaves so they sit above the moss. Provide it with warmth, indirect light and humid air while it establishes. Transfer the cutting to airy mix once a healthy root system has formed.

Temperature: Keep conditions around 16–24 °C, keeping it clear of prolonged chilling below 10 °C.

Common problems with Hoya erythrina

• Soft, yellowing leaves with persistently wet mix: Persistent wetness can damage roots. Drain trapped water and inspect roots if decline continues. If you find a small amount of root rot, use a clean, disinfected tool to cut the soft roots back to firm, healthy tissue. Throw away the rotten roots and old mix. Repot in fresh, airy mix, using a clean pot just large enough for the roots that remain. The pot must have drainage holes. If decay is widespread, save only healthy stem cuttings. Discard the plant if no healthy stems remain, and disinfect your tools afterwards.
• Leaves soften or shrink in a dry pot: Check whether the mix around the roots is dry. If the root ball is dry, water thoroughly and drain. If the leaves still wilt after watering, inspect the roots. Avoid repeated watering while the roots are still wet.
• Cottony insects in the leaf joints: Confirm mealybugs beneath the wax and isolate the plant. Remove visible insects with a damp swab or tweezers. Inspect sheltered leaf joints, stems, the pot and any support weekly, removing any mealybugs you find until none remain. If mealybugs persist, use a product approved for home use against mealybugs on indoor ornamental plants in your country. Follow the label for how much to use, where to apply it, when to repeat treatment and all safety precautions.

Hoya erythrina 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 erythrina first published, and what does it mean?

Hoya honours the English gardener Thomas Hoy. Erythrina comes from the Greek erythros, meaning red.

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

Richard Edward Rintz first described Hoya erythrina in 1978 in Malayan Nature Journal, volume 30, page 501.