Hoya curtisii is part of the Apocynaceae family, its native range is Thailand to Peninsula Malaysia, Borneo, Philippines. It was first described by King & Gamble from a plant collected by Curtis at Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.
H. curtisii has small pubescent, rounded leaves which are thick and fleshy with a cuspidate leaf apex, there are no visible veins or midrib. They are deep green with silvery speckles and are scarious-puncticulate (dry, membranous with tiny dots on the surface) which gives them a slightly rough texture. This creeping plant produces roots at almost every node and will form dense matting if you plant in a shallow, wide container due to the sessile leaves. H. curtisii would also look great mounted on some cork bark or in a terrarium.
The flowers of H. curtisii are surprisingly large for a plant of this size; they are reflexed with a beige corolla and a white corona which is yellow and red in the centre. Many sources suggest there are up to 30 flowers per umbel and that it can take up to 10 weeks from bud to bloom (Vermont Hoyas).
Genus name is new Latin, named after Thomas Hoy ( c. 1750– c. 1821), English gardener. Specific epithet is honoring Charles Cutis, the botanist who first collected the plant.
Pot: ø 10.5cm hanging pot.
Foliage: Approximately 25cm.
Light: Bright indirect light, meaning the plant sees the sun for 0-4 hours per day - this could be through trees or a translucent curtain, it’s important for the plant to see the sky in order to thrive. More hours of light are thought to encourage flowering.
Water: Given adequate light, allow the mix to dry out a little. If your Hoya curtisii is potted in a chunky, fast draining mix, you may need to water more frequently.
Potting mix: A chunky well-draining mix composed of coco coir, perlite or vermiculite, orchid bark, worm castings and some horticultural charcoal. I also recommend potting Hoya in coco chips.
Fertilising: Feed your plant every few waterings during the growing season or when you observe active growth. You can dilute fertiliser to half the recommended amount but never add more.
Temperature: 15-35˚C.
Humidity: Hoya would prefer higher humidity, between 60-80% but do well to adapt to average home humidity. You can increase humidity by placing the plant on a watered pebble tray or using a humidifier.
I keep some Hoya curtisii under a cloche and have found them to grow substantially faster than those exposed to average humidity.
Hoya aren’t considered toxic, however, they may make your pet or child vomit if ingested, keep out of reach just to be safe.