Pollinator plant

wax plant

Hoya carnosa

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Common names

27 names · 18 languages
EnglishYour language
+2 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (17)
Dutch
  • Wasbloem
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • hoja masitá[4]
Danish
  • almindelig voksblomst[4]
Finnish
  • isoposliinikukka[4]
Hebrew
  • בת-שבע מטפסת[4]
Italian
Japanese
  • サクララン[4]
Polish
  • Hoja różowa[4]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Хойя мясистая[4]
Slovak
  • hoja mäsitá[4]
Spanish
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Mata de cera[3]
Swedish
  • porslinsblomma[4]
Thai
  • นมพิจิตร[4]
  • โฮย่าเกลียวสวาท[4]
Turkish
  • Mum Çiçeği[4]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Hoya carnosa — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Wax Plant — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Hoya carnosa.
  • Honey Plant — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Hoya carnosa.
  • Porcelain Flower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Hoya carnosa.
  • Porcelainflower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Hoya carnosa.
[2] Hoya carnosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • wax plant — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Common Wax-plant — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Canastilla asiática — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Flor de cera asiática — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Flor de nácar — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Fiore di cera — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Flor-de-cera — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
[3] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Hoya carnosa ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Wax plant — VernacularName.tsv, line 154911; taxon 3MRLT.
  • Porcelainflower — VernacularName.tsv, line 154910; taxon 3MRLT.
  • Mata de cera — VernacularName.tsv, line 154909; taxon 3MRLT.
[4] Hoya carnosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • wax plant — results[29].names[1]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Common Wax-plant — results[29].names[12]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Canastilla asiática — results[29].names[3]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Flor de cera asiática — results[29].names[2]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Flor de nácar — results[29].names[21]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Fiore di cera — results[29].names[11]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Flor-de-cera — results[29].names[10]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • サクララン — results[29].names[4]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • 毬蘭 — results[29].names[5]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • 球蘭 — results[29].names[6]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • hoja masitá — results[29].names[7]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Хойя мясистая — results[29].names[8]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • 球兰 — results[29].names[9]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • almindelig voksblomst — results[29].names[13]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • นมพิจิตร — results[29].names[14]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • โฮย่าเกลียวสวาท — results[29].names[15]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Hoja różowa — results[29].names[16]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • porslinsblomma — results[29].names[17]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • בת-שבע מטפסת — results[29].names[18]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • isoposliinikukka — results[29].names[19]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • hoja mäsitá — results[29].names[20]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
  • Mum Çiçeği — results[29].names[22]; taxon id 129523; Hoya carnosa.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Hoya carnosa is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Apocynaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Plant habit
Climbing

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
High Organic Matter

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Autumn; Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
S. China to Laos, Japan (S. Kyushu) to Taiwan.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Low
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

wax plant (Hoya carnosa) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from May to September.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Hoya carnosa — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 393293; ID 3MRLT; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 393293; ID 3MRLT; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Hoya carnosa — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Plant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering season
    Relevant sections
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Hoya carnosa — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1292475; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 698969, 698970, 698971, 698972, 698974, 698975, 698978, 698979

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.