As the sibling of ‘Chouke’, ‘Mathilde’ fills the role of the other desirable characteristics that could result from the union of Hoya carnosa and serpens. While ‘Chouke’ benefits from vigorous growth and larger leaves, like carnosa; ‘Mathilde’ is much closer to serpens. Small, perfect, round button leaves grow in pairs along a thin stem that grows quickly as long as it’s in good conditions. Though serpens is rather picky, ‘Mathilde’, luckily, inherits most of carnosa’s hardy nature; thick leaves that can tolerate lower humidity, robust roots that resist rot better than regular serpens, and the vigorous propagation growth seen in pure carnosa. Cuttings are quite easy to make; with one node being sufficient to produce a whole, healthy plant in very little time; a matter of just weeks. Flowers are much closer to serpens, which is joyous, as ‘Mathilde’ blooms are fuzzy, white, and not particularly fragrant. Although serpens requires high humidity and specialized care; ‘Mathilde’ can survive, actually thrive, in the same conditions as carnosa; houseplant mix amended with perlite, tree bark, and a lighter helping of fertilizer than most Hoyas receive. This hybrid is basically tailor-made for hanging basket cultivation; as long, sprawling vines can form an unrivaled display quite quickly as long as the plant is kept happy. It is quite clear why ‘Mathilde’ has become one of the most popular Hoya clones in the houseplant world; it’s adorable, hardy, and easy to propagate.
