Sweetheart Plant

Sweetheart Plant Overview

Hoya kerri is a slow-growing, evergreen climbing plant with characteristic heart-shaped leaves. Also called Sweetheart Plant or Valentine Hoya after its leaf shape, this plant is frequently found in shops around Valentine's day. Capable of growing over 4m tall, this species produces waxy, star-shaped red and white blooms arranged in spherical inflorescences. Also known as Wax Hearts, Wax Flower, or Wax Plant. This shrubby plant is an epiphyte with arching stems bearing heart-shaped, fleshy, green leaves. It can be trained on small trellises or pruned to keep it small and neat. Valentine Hoya is from the Apocynaceae family, it originates from Cambodia, Jawa, Laos, Malaya, Thailand and Vietnam. It is commonly grown indoors as a houseplant. The flowers are borne in umbels of star-shaped, white, sweetly scented blooms which are borne in the summer. In summer they should be placed in a sunny position but protected from direct sunlight as they can get scorched. They like to be in a humid environment so regular watering is needed. They can be watered a lot less in winter and left to almost completely dry out but should still be placed in a sunny position or under light.