Hi there! Just was wondering what the spots might be on the leaves of my hoya subcalva... I bought this plant from logees a while back and had a subcalva in the past and it didn't have the white speckles on the leaves like this hoya does. And another strange thing is that the subcalva that I used to have would also bleed a white milky sap if a leaf was damaged while this one doesn't bleed at all. So I guess question number two would be if a specific species of this plant could be so variable in terms of its makeup or if perhaps this may not even be a subcalva... Anyways thanks so much and as always I'd love to hear anyone's ideas.

Maybe meakybugs

Hmmmm. Don't think it's mealy bugs... those spots are permanent and rubbing them with a cloth and alcohol didn't remove them at all. It looks like paint splashed on the leaves or something. I'm thinking it's just normal for this plant since new leaves always show speckles once they mature. I just wonder if I really have a subcalva or another species of hoya 😐

Do the spots rub off? If not, I would consider this a variation of the plant. I don't know how long ago you had your last Hoya subcalva but plants change. And its all our fault. People choose the plants from any give species that are unique. So over the years, the plant that you thought of as H. subcalva may not be the current version of H. subcalva.

Mine has spots too. It has always had spots and I just figured it was the way it is. It doesn't get worse or better, doesn't seem to affect the plant at all so I think they just have spots naturally.

Thanks. I figured it was normal. The plant does appear happy. Hopefully the grape fragrace is the same though if it is indeed a variation (since subcalva flowers are said to smell like grape juice :). This subcalva is quite different from the last which is interesting. The last one had milky white sap and would drip sap if you accidentally bumped a leaf and injured it while this one has clear sap but doesn't really bleed at all...

Hmmm... I had to go sacrifice a leaf on one of my Hoyas. No white sap.

Very interesting... isn't that weird? From what I've heard (can't remember the source) most hoyas are supposed to have milky white sap and it's apparently rare for them not to. My obscura and another hoya both have the white sap as did my old subcalva so its ironic my new one and yours doesnt. Although I really don't mind since the white sap is messy and stains anyways ;).

Those marks reminds me of one Hoya I used to have, Hoya pubicalyx 'Silver Pink', it has those light spot variegation..too bad I have killed it a couple of years ago. But I do not know all Hoyas, but some do have those specks:

Tarev !
Killed a hoya?
Very funny, they are my toughest plant, i even took them to work and they survived.

Kathy, taking them to work is not a killer setting for them ...but I left one of them outdoors during winter, thinking it can manage it, my bad..it was one of those winters when we got too cold in the 20F's overnight and then some rains a few days later...very bad combination for it.

I have this too!! On all three of my hoyas! I've been looking for an answer to make sure that nothing bad is going to happen thank you!

I've had a Hoya Carnosa for years and years. I've taken clippings and gave them to my sisters as the original plant belonged to my grandfather. So basically we all have the same plant. It's always had the spots on the leaves. They look like paint flecks but they are not and they are on every leaf eventually. Even new leaves get them when they are big enough. But I always assumed that was just the way my plant is because it's always been that way and it doesn't seem to effect it at all. I tried washing them off with the vinegar solution recommended and it didn't do anything. They don't scratch off. They actually appear a really pale green to white and it seems to just be the plant. I was worried after reading peoples' posts about them but finally decided if my original plant was older than me and healthy then I just need to stop worrying and let it be what it is. It's not a fungus or bug and the water wasn't bad so it just has to be the variation of plant I have. If your plant is healthy and happy then it's just the way it is!😁

Wax Plant (Hoya subcalva) is what the original poster has, thread dated from 2016 by the way.
Wax Plant (Hoya carnosa) is a different species (not a cultivar so carnosa shouldn't be capitalized)
There are a few variegated ones, here's the whole H. carnosa list, not all have images
https://garden.org/plants/sear...

Hi Maryval,

Many Hoya leaves have varying levels of white, or silver speckles. Some plants may have a large amount of speckling, while others have small amounts of random speckling and maybe not even on every leaf. I think cultural conditions can cause the plant to lose the speckling just like some variegated plants lose the variegation over time. I had a Hoya carnosa that eventually lost all speckling and the leaves were solid green. I also had two really large and old variegated Krimson Princess and Krimson Queen Hoya plants that over time lost every bit of variegation and reverted back to solid green. I think it has to do with age, light, temperature etc.





Hoya pubicalyx


Hoya obovata

If you have a Hoya Carnosa with a spackled leaves, that means you have a very very expensive plant on your hand. I mean very expensive. Lucky you!!!
Just Google it "Hoya Carnosa Spackled"