Not an aroid at all. Hoya belongs to the milkweed family, Apocynaceae, not to the aroids most houseplants come from, and it shows in the flowers: dense, rounded clusters of small waxy stars, often heavily scented in the evening. There are several hundred species, native from India and southern China through Southeast Asia to Australia and the Pacific islands (Plants of the World Online, n.d.).

In the wild most are epiphytes, scrambling over tree bark with their roots in the open air, so they are built to dry out between rains and to grow in very little soil. That is the single most useful thing to know about them: they want an airy mix, a small pot, and a chance to dry.

They are also one of the few popular houseplants that are safe around pets, which makes the trailing habit an asset rather than a worry.

Light. Bright, indirect light keeps a Hoya healthy, and a few hours of gentle morning sun push it toward flowering. Light is the main lever on blooming: a plant that never flowers is usually a plant that wants more of it. Acclimate slowly to any direct sun so the leaves do not burn.

Water and mix. Treat a Hoya like a succulent. It stores water in those thick leaves, so let the mix dry out well before watering again, and ease off further in winter. Pot it in a very free-draining, chunky mix on bark and perlite, in a pot on the small side; overwatering and a heavy pot are what undo them.

Feeding and patience. A light balanced feed, or a bloom-supporting one, through spring and summer is plenty. Blooming rewards patience: plants often need a few years and a snug pot before they start, and once they do, they return to the same spot each year.