Hoya carnosa, a houseplant with porcelain flowers

Hoya carnosa grows in the tropical forests of Malaysia, India and Australia. In our latitudes, this specimen of the Apocynaceae family is known as the porcelain flower. It is cultivated as an indoor plant, particularly for its flowering.

Hoya carnosa is a perennial climber. In the absence of support or when suspended, it will adopt a drooping habit, similar to that of miniature Wax Flower. In the wild, its lianas can reach six meters in height. They appear as long, flexible, hairless branching stems.

The green foliage is punctuated by gray spots. But unlike the leaves of hoya kerrii, those of Hoya carnosa are not heart-shaped. Oval and elliptical, they measure between three and five centimetres wide and three to thirteen centimetres long. Blades are waxy and firm, almost like those of a succulent.

From spring to late summer, Hoya carnosa is adorned with flowers that look as if they have been designed by a ceramist. The umbels support up to 30 velvety white or pearly-pink flowers. They are five-pointed stars, two centimetres in diameter. At their center is a hard, smooth purple crown, housing the stamens and pistil. This is where the nectar is produced, giving the flowers their subtle fragrance.

The porcelain flower plant is non-toxic. You can grow it without fear, even if you live with pets or young children. Just be careful with your furniture! The nectar escaping from the pistil could stain them.