Hoya Mitrata was described by Kerr in 1940 and ranges widely across southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines, growing as a twining epiphytic climber. It's one of the genus's most remarkable myrmecophytes, producing genuinely dimorphic foliage: broad, ovate leaves on short internodes cluster tightly together to form a "megadomatium," a multi-layered chamber that shelters ant colonies, while separate elongate, lance-shaped leaves occur along the plant's longer climbing stems.
Note: as a freshly imported bare-root plant, this specimen typically arrives with just a few leaves — the photo shows a more mature, fuller specimen for reference.
Care tip: The domatia-forming leaves look crowded and unusual by design — that's healthy, normal growth, not a problem. Flowering can take several years, so this is a patient grower's plant.
In the wild, ants build carton nests from chewed plant fiber and debris within these leaf chambers, and the plant sends roots directly into the ant colony's waste — a genuine two-way nutritional relationship, not just shelter. Give it a vertical support to climb, bright indirect light, and let the mix dry somewhat between waterings. Its name refers to the mitre-like, hooded shape the clustered domatia leaves take on as they mature.
Along with Hoya undulata and Hoya buntokensis, Mitrata belongs to a small group of Hoya that have independently evolved this same striking ant-domatia strategy — a genuine biological curiosity that's been documented in cultivation since some of the earliest botanical illustrations of Southeast Asian plants.
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Light | Bright indirect light |
| Humidity | 65–85% |
| Watering | Let dry slightly between waterings |
| Temperature | 65–85°F (18–29°C); protect from cold, below 60°F (16°C) |
| Soil | Well-draining epiphyte mix; provide a support to climb |
| Fertilizer | Diluted balanced fertilizer every 4–6 weeks during active growth |
| Origin | Southern Thailand to Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines |
Inventory Accuracy
If this item is at low stock, or you are ordering all or almost all of our current inventory, there may be an inventory discrepency. We will contact you about any issues as soon as possible.
Order Processing
Please allow 24 to
48 hrs to process your order. Expect an
email within 48 hrs to let you know your order is on your way.
Store Pickup
If you choose “Pickup
in Store” at checkout, an email will be sent when your order is ready for
pickup. Orders can be picked up during
store hours, see our home page for our current hours. The pick up address is 6637 Easton Rd,
Pipersville, PA 18947
Domestic Shipping Rates
Shipping charges, if
any, for your order will be calculated and displayed at checkout.
