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Cinnamon Hoya

Hoya lacunosa (HOY-ah lak-uh-NO-suh)

Family: Apocynaceae Non-native Vine (vertical)

Cinnamon hoya is a delicate, compact, creeping, climbing epiphyte and lithophyte vine native to the tropical forests of Southern Myanmar and West and Central Malaysia. Typically, it is found along forest edges in its native habitat, climbing on tree trunks and limbs. The plant has slender, smooth stems and dense, deep green, waxy leaves. Its flowers are arranged in hanging umbels on a sturdy stalk. There are up to 30 flowers per umbel, and each bloom is white, star-shaped, fuzzy, and tightly curled with a yellow corona in the center. The blooms have a cinnamon fragrance, especially at night. This plant has a similar habit and growth pattern to Hoya bella. Cinnamon hoya is a member of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). The specific epithet, lacunosa , means "full of little cavities' and describes the pitted texture or the depressed areas between the veins on the outer surface of the plant's leaves. Prefers bright, indirect light or partial shade and grows well in a moist, well-drained orchid potting medium. A mixture of perlite, pine bark, sand, and peat moss may also be used. Hanging baskets made with coconut fibers provide good airflow to the plants' roots. The plant should be kept moist, but allow it to dry out somewhat between each watering. This plant also prefers warm temperatures between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels between 50 and 70%. It is winter hardy in zones 10b to 12b. Propagated by stem cuttings. Avoid removing spent flower stalks or peduncles. The new flowers will form on the old spurs. If needed, prune only to maintain the plant's shape or to remove dead leaves or stems. Cinnamon hoya is a highly prized ornamental houseplant with its cinnamon fragrance, white fuzzy flowers, pitted foliage, and compact habit. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant insect pests or diseases. Monitor for mealybugs and spider mites. Overwatering can cause root rot, and fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and leaf spot can occur. Direct sun can cause leaf scorch, while inadequate sunlight will make the plant weak and leggy. The sap of the plant is white and milky, and may cause skin irritation. Wear protective gloves when handling the plant. More information on Hoya .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 59 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 6 - Vine (vertical) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Episcia 'Pink Brocade' Procris repens Selenicereus undatus

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Epiphyte; Houseplant; Perennial; Vine
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
Light
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Creeping
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy; Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are deep green, ovate to lanceolate, opposite, smooth, fleshy, leathery, and shiny. They measure 0.75 to 2.75 inches long and 0.5 to 1.25 inches wide. The tip of the leaf is acute. and the base is rounded or wedge-shaped. The upper surface has a depressed midrib and 2 to 4 pairs of lateral veins. The area between the veins is slightly sunken or lacunose. The petiole is 0.25 inches long, thick, and mostly smooth.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The flower stalks arise from the leaf axils and bear a cluster or umbel of up to 30 flowers. Each bloom is white to pale yellow and has 5 ovate or elliptical lobes. The corolla is white to greenish-yellow and reflexed. The interior of the corolla has a circle of velvet-like hair. The corona has yellow, ovate-shaped lobes. The bloom is up to 0.3 inches in diameter. Each umbel measures up to 2.8 inches long. The blooms have a cinnamon fragrance. The blooms last up to 5 days.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Follicle
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruit is a dry, smooth, thick, long, lance-shaped follicle up to 2 to 2.5 inches long and 0.25 inches wide.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The stems are green, thin, cylinder-like, and are smooth or sparsely hairy. The stems are up to 5 feet long with rooting nodes along the stem.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Southern Myanmar, West and Central Malaysia.
Distribution
Native: Borneo, Java, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sumatra, and Thailand. Introduced: Southeast China
Wildlife value
Attracts butterflies and other pollinators.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Easy to Grow; Fragrance
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Follicle

Uses (ethnobotany)

In China, all parts of the plant are used to treat insect bites and wounds.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Hanging Baskets; Houseplants; Patio
Design feature
Specimen
Garden tags
#easy to grow #creeping #epiphytic #climbing plant #tropical #white flowers #easy to grow houseplant #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for dogs #humidity tolerant #compact #fragrant flowers #fast growing #interesting flowers #interesting leaves #container plant #contact dermatitis #broadleaf evergreen #perennial vines #hanging baskets
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Contact Dermatitis
Resistant to
Humidity
Propagation
Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.