Hoya (Wax Plant), Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum), and Wandering Jew (Tradescantia) are three attractive houseplants that can be easily grown at home and used as hanging plants for decoration. Hoya, also known as Wax Plant, is a vine-like evergreen plant with thick, shiny, waxy leaves. It produces white or pink, star-shaped flowers that are fragrant. It grows easily with little water and indirect sunlight.
The scientific name of Burro’s Tail is Sedum morganianum. It is a hanging succulent with blue-green, rice-like leaves densely packed on its branches. Pink flowers bloom in summer. It requires very little water to grow.
The scientific name of Wandering Jew is Tradescantia. It is a creeping plant with bright green-purple striped leaves and small pink flowers. It spreads rapidly even in low light.
These three plants are excellent for home decoration. A comparative description of these plants is given below:
Comparison Between Hoya, Burro's Tail, and Wandering Jew - The hanging plants
| Character | Hoya (Wax Plant) | Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum) | Wandering Jew (Tradescantia) |
| Habit | Evergreen perennial climbing or trailing epiphytic herb | Succulent perennial trailing herb with pendulous stems | Perennial creeping or trailing herb forming dense mats |
| Root | Adventitious roots from nodes for attachment | Fibrous shallow roots; can root at nodes | Adventitious roots easily form at nodes |
| Stem | Slender, flexible, becoming woody with age | Fleshy, brittle, trailing stems | Soft, succulent, creeping or trailing stems |
| Leaf | Opposite, simple, thick, leathery, glossy | Alternate, simple, fleshy, cylindrical or spatulate | Alternate, simple, ovate or lanceolate, often variegated |
| Inflorescence | Axillary umbels with many flowers | Terminal or axillary cymes | Axillary clusters or terminal cymes |
| Flower | Small, waxy, star-shaped, fragrant | Small star-shaped pink or red flowers | Small white, pink, or purple flowers |
| Calyx | 5 sepals, small, slightly fused | 5 sepals, small | 3 sepals, free |
| Corolla | 5 petals, thick and waxy, often reflexed | 5 petals, pink or red | 3 petals, brightly colored |
| Androecium | 5 stamens fused with corona | 10 stamens in two whorls | 6 stamens with hairy filaments |
| Gynoecium | Bicarpellary, syncarpous, superior ovary | 5 carpels, mostly free, superior ovary | Tricarpellary, syncarpous, superior ovary |
| Fruit | Paired follicles with hairy seeds | Cluster of follicles | Small capsule |
| Family | Apocynaceae | Crassulaceae | Commelinaceae |
Floral Formula of these hanging plants:
Hoya (Wax Plant)
Br ⊕ ⚥ K(5) C(5) A5 G(2)
Burro’s Tail (Sedum morganianum)
Br ⊕ ⚥ K5 C5 A10 G5
Wandering Jew (Tradescantia)
Br ⊕ ⚥ K3 C3 A6 G(3)
