Hoya waymaniae

Every genus has its less-celebrated members — and in a group as large and beloved as Hoya, that means there are genuine treasures in the less-visited corners. Hoya waymaniae is one of them: a species that hasn’t accumulated the collector frenzy of the headline names, but which grows with the characteristic ease and quiet reliability that make Hoyas so satisfying to live with. Named in the tradition of honouring botanical collectors and researchers who expanded our knowledge of the genus, it carries a provenance that the mainstream varieties cannot claim.

It grows steadily, trails gracefully, and in time produces the waxy, star-shaped flower clusters that are the genus’s signature reward. For collectors building breadth as well as depth — species that fewer people have, that carry a story — waymaniae is a worthwhile addition.