Hoya compacta

Hoya compacta, also known as the wax plant or Hindu Rope, is one of the most distinctive forms of Hoya. It is a cultivar of Hoya carnosa, valued for its very slow growth and unusually shaped leaves. It was first discovered as a natural mutation at Hummel’s Exotic Gardens in California and later became popular with growers around the world.

It produces long trailing or climbing shoots covered with strongly curled, twisted leaves that grow closely along the stems. The individual leaves often curl around one another as well, giving the shoots their characteristic green rope-like appearance. The leaves are thick, fleshy, glossy and dark green. Because the plant grows slowly, it gradually develops its distinctive shape, with older specimens forming impressive long trailing shoots.

The flowers appear mainly during the warmer part of the year in rounded clusters containing numerous small, star-shaped flowers. The corolla is pink to pale pink, while the centre has a lighter corona with reddish colouring. The flowers are waxy, slightly hairy and pleasantly fragrant. Individual flowers open gradually within the cluster, and the same flower spur can produce flowers again, so it should not be removed after flowering.

Hoya compacta is well suited to hanging containers or growing with a support. It grows best in bright, filtered light and in an airy, well-drained substrate. Water thoroughly but only after the substrate has dried out, as the plant does not tolerate constantly wet roots. Reduce watering during autumn and winter. It appreciates warm, stable conditions and higher humidity. Thanks to its unusually twisted leaves, it is attractive even without flowers and gradually develops an impressive green trailing habit.