Hoya 'Mathilde'

Hoya ‘Mathilde’ is a popular hybrid created from a cross between Hoya carnosa and Hoya serpens, combining the vining growth and flowering reliability of carnosa with the smaller leaves and compact habit of serpens. The foliage is typically small, round to oval, and lightly speckled with silver, forming dense trailing stems that make it attractive even without blooms. When flowering, it produces clusters of soft white, star-shaped flowers with a pink to red corona, which are highly fragrant and nectar-rich, often blooming multiple times a year under good conditions. Its balance of manageable size, ornamental foliage, and prolific flowers has made it one of the most widely grown Hoya hybrids.

Distinctive Features

• Foliage: Small, round, deep green leaves densely speckled with silver. The foliage is slightly fuzzy and grows along slender, trailing vines.
• Flowers: Tight umbels of white, star-shaped blooms with pinkish centres. Sweetly fragrant, particularly in the evening hours.
• Growth Habit: A slow-growing trailing epiphyte, well-suited to hanging baskets or mounted displays.

Care Tips

• Light: Bright, indirect light is best. Avoid harsh sun which may scorch the leaves.
• Water: Allow to dry out between waterings. Water less in winter and more during active growth in warmer months.
• Humidity: Prefers moderate to high humidity. Benefits from occasional misting or proximity to a humidifier.
• Media: Well-aerated, fast-draining mix such as orchid bark, perlite, and a small amount of peat or coco coir.
• Temperature: Thrives between 16–28 °C. Sensitive to cold; protect from temperatures below 10 °C.
• Fertiliser: Balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength, applied monthly during spring and summer.
• Repotting: Only when root-bound, typically every 2–3 years. Use a pot just large enough to accommodate the root system.