Hoya odetteae (Hoya tsangii)

Hoya odetteae (Hoya tsangii) is a compact Hoya, appreciated for its fine foliage and clusters of small flowers, which open greenish and mature to yellow. The product retains both names from the commercial title because, in horticulture, they have often been used for the same material. The name odetteae commemorates Odette Cumming, who collected material in Mindanao. It is also known as Wax Flower or Our Lady’s Tear. The flowers are fragrant, with a fresh scent.

Foliage and growth. The foliage consists of small, narrow, light green leaves, sometimes with a paler central vein and a slight fold along the middle. In cultivation, the leaves are usually approximately 2–6 cm long and 0.5–1 cm wide. New growth may have reddish margins, which fade as the leaf matures. The plant does not readily twine around a support; its growth habit is better suited to hanging displays, with long, flexible shoots.

Flowers and fragrance. The flowers are small, almost globular, approximately 5 mm in size, and open pistachio green before turning yellow as they mature. An umbel may contain anywhere from a few flowers to nearly 20. The fragrance is genuine and described in cultivation as fresh and of light to medium intensity, rather than as a strong caramel note. Perceived intensity may vary between specimens and growing conditions, so it is not guaranteed to be identical with every flowering.

Botanical identity and origin. Hoya odetteae Kloppenb. was published in 1998 and is an accepted species, native to the Philippines (Mindanao); it grows as a climbing epiphyte or lithophyte in the humid tropical biome. Hoya tsangii C.M.Burton, published in 1988, is also accepted, with a range indicated in the Philippines (southern Luzon). The two names have often been applied to the same material, and the product title retains this commercial pairing. Import from Taiwan is a supply channel, not a collection locality.

The decorative pot is not included in the price.

Substrate: use an airy, well-draining mix suitable for epiphytic species. We recommend the professional substrate for Hoya and Anthurium - SG Mix.

For complete recommendations on light, watering, substrate, fertilizing, propagation, and flowering, read the complete Hoya care guide.