Hoya lacunosa 'Black Aurora'

Unrooted cutting of Hoya lacunosa 'Black Aurora'.
Three to five nodes.

Hoya lacunosa ‘Black Aurora’ is a distinctive dark-foliaged selection of Hoya lacunosa, combining deep coloration with silvery markings that can give the leaves an almost metallic appearance.

The foliage is small and pointed, with colors ranging from deep green to burgundy, purple-black, and nearly black depending on the individual leaf and growing conditions. Irregular silver splash can appear across the surface, creating especially strong contrast against the darker background. New growth may also emerge in wine-red or bronze tones before changing as the leaf matures.

The combination of black-purple pigmentation and silver is what makes ‘Black Aurora’ particularly recognizable among the many Hoya lacunosa selections currently in cultivation.

Hoya lacunosa itself is an accepted species with a broad natural range extending from southern Myanmar and Thailand through Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and the Philippines. It was formally published by Carl Ludwig Blume in 1827.

The species produces clusters of small, softly fuzzy flowers. Published botanical descriptions record white corollas with violet markings, while the intensely fragrant blooms associated with Hoya lacunosa are one of the reasons the species and its many selections remain so popular with collectors.

Botanical background: Hoya lacunosa Blume
Name in cultivation: ‘Black Aurora’
Native range of species: Southern Myanmar through western and central Malesia
First published: 1827
Notable features: Dark green to black-purple foliage, wine-toned new growth, and contrasting silver splash

Please note that foliage color and the amount of silver marking can vary considerably. New growth may look different from mature foliage, and the exact darkness or amount of splash on future leaves cannot be guaranteed.

A note about this plant: Species-level botanical information above is based on published taxonomic records. Information concerning ‘Black Aurora’ and its horticultural characteristics was gathered from publicly available sources and observations of cultivated material. We have not found reliable original collection, breeder, selection, or registration documentation establishing where or by whom ‘Black Aurora’ originated and cannot independently confirm or deny those details.