Hoya australis 'Lisa' D9 - fragrant flowers

Hoya australis 'Lisa' is a variegated cultivar with a vine-like growth habit, prized for its multicolored foliage. The oval leaves combine dark green, light green, cream, and yellow, while new growth may have pink, red, or purple tones that fade as it matures. Each leaf may develop a different pattern, so the plant's appearance evolves with new growth. It is a decorative Hoya accessible to novice collectors, and its stems can be trained on a support or left to trail.

Accepted botanical name of the species. Hoya australis R.Br. ex J.Traill

Cultivar.

Natural distribution of the species. Borneo, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Fiji, Australia, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna.

'Lisa' is a cultivar developed and maintained in cultivation, not a wild form originating from the species' entire natural range. Specialist sources link it to the group known horticulturally as Hoya australis subsp. tenuipes. The cultivar was described in 2007 as a variegated sport of unknown horticultural origin; a selection in Thailand is considered possible, but is unconfirmed.

Foliage and growth habit. The leaves are opposite, oval, smooth, and slightly fleshy. The variegation forms complex patterns in shades of cream, yellow, and several tones of green, while new leaves often emerge pink-red or purple. The intensity, distribution, and proportion of the colors naturally vary between specimens and between leaves on the same plant. The stems are flexible and climbing, suitable for a hoop, trellis, or hanging pot.

Flowers and fragrance. At maturity, the plant may produce umbels of waxy, star-shaped flowers, predominantly white with a pinkish-red center. The flowers are intensely fragrant and may last about a week. Flowering depends on the specimen's maturity and growing conditions, and the peduncles may produce new buds in subsequent cycles.

Notes about specimens. Plants in the same pot may be at different stages of development. Some leaves may have minor defects or characteristic coloration.

Shipping note: this cultivar is sensitive to temperature and may react to unsuitable temperatures or shipping stress. After receiving the package, the plant may lose some leaves.

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

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