Plant Guide

Other Names:  Hoya Plant

Description:

A beautiful succulent tropical vine that is primarily grown as a houseplant; prefers plenty of bright indirect light, but avoid direct summer sun; water only when top soil dries out; an interesting indoor accent plant; perfect for patio planters in summer

Ornamental Features

Jade Wax Plant features showy corymbs of pink star-shaped flowers with red eyes dangling from the stems in mid summer. Its attractive glossy pointy leaves emerge light green in spring, turning forest green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Jade Wax Plant is an herbaceous annual with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Jade Wax Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Jade Wax Plant will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. As a climbing vine, it should either be planted near a fence, trellis or other landscape structure where it can be trained to grow upwards on it, or allowed to trail off a retaining wall or slope. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should be grown in a location with partial shade or which is shaded from the hot afternoon sun. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Jade Wax Plant is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.