Have you ever had difficulty distinguishing between Hoya and Krimson Princess? I guess that’s why you are here. Let’s get this misunderstanding out of the way.
I have had these two plants for a long time. So, I can clearly distinguish Hoya Krimson Queen by its pink, white, and green color variegation, but you may still confuse its resemblance with Krimson Princess.
The main difference between Hoya Krimson Queen and Princess is the center of Krimson Queen leaves is green with white outer margins, while the center of Krimson Princess is creamy with green borderlines. Also, Krimson Queen has a brown stem and a light pink flower whereas the Krimson Princess has a pink stem and a reddish-pink flower.
Still, confused? Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through why these two plants are often confused as well as how to tell a Hoya Queen from a Princess.
Contents
Difference Between Hoya Krimson Queen and Princess
Since both of these plants are usually interchanged because of their similar appearance. Here is an easier and cute way to remember the difference:
The Queen wears her white as a crown (with white leaf edges, similar to a silver crown), and the Princess wears her white as a gown, (white in the middle, edges or margins are green).
Because these plants are often confused due to their similar appearance, it is best to start by identifying the differences.
| Parameters | Hoya Krimson Queen | Hoya Krimson Princess |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf Color | The Center is green with white outer margins | The Center is creamy white with green borderlines |
| Stem Color | Brown | Reddish-purple stems |
| Variegation | No | Variegated |
| Flower | Reddish pink | Pink |
Leaf Color And Texture
Hoya Krimson Queen Leaves with Creamy White Margin
- The leaves are usually bordered in a creamy white margin.
- The leaves of Hoya carnosa ‘Krimson Queen’ are waxy and succulent, with a slightly smooth surface.
- Hoya Krimson Queen has thin cordate-shaped leaves that can grow up to 5 cm long.
- It has darker green leaves and brown stems.
- It also has an extended internode.
Hoya Krimson Princess Leaves With Green Borderlines
- The texture of Krimson Princess is waxy and a little bit smoother than Krimson Queen.
- The leaves center-color is creamy white with green borderlines.
- Krimson Princess is much thicker in appearance, with leaves that grow around 3-4 cm long.
- The leaves of the Krimson Queen are typically variegated in three colors: pink, creamy-white, and green.
Flower
Indoors grown Hoyas have a lower chance of blooming due to the lack of sunlight and micronutrients that only wild plants receive.
To tell the Queen from the Princess, you’ll need to closely examine both plants’ flowers, as their flowers look very similar.
However, compared to Krimson Queen, Krimson Princess has a bright reddish center, while Krimson Queen is fully pink.
Taxonomy
It’s difficult to tell the difference between Hoya Krimson Queen and Princess by looking at them. However, if you look at their taxonomy, you’ll notice that these two are distinct.
| Hoya Krimson Queen | Hoya Krimson Princess | |
| Botanical Name | Hoya carnosa ‘Rubra’ | Hoya carnosa albomarginata |
| Family | Apocynaceae | Apocynaceae |
Though they might be both under the Hoya genus, they are relatively different in terms of variety. In general, they are different in classification but both are part of the same family.
Growth Habit
The growth rate of Krimson Queen is much quicker compared to Krimson Princess. As I have discussed earlier, Krimson Queen composes dark green leaves, indicating an abundant chlorophyll within.
Chlorophyll absorbs light which is essential to complete the process of photosynthesis.
Meanwhile, Krimson Princess is slow in its growth process because it has lighter green pigment, indicating the shortage of chlorophyll.
Therefore, you may prefer using Krimson Queen for propagation since it can grow rapidly compared to Krimson Princess.
Height and Structure
Hoya Krimson Queen can grow approximately 5 to 7 ft when growing indoors. But it can reach up to 25 ft when planted in the wild.
While Krimson Princess is a little bit lower, about 3 to 4 ft when planted indoor and around 15 to 18 ft when in the wild.
Furthermore, Krimson Queen’s stem possesses light-brown color, while Krimson Princess’s stem showcases a stunning pinkish appearance.
Price
The average price of Krimson Queen (Check the price on Amazon) ranges from $31 to $49. On the other hand, Krimson Princess (Amazon link) has an average price of $18 to $20, depending on the plant’s size.
The price of both Krimson Queen and Princess significantly varies depending on your location.
Though looking on through different stores online, it’s safe to say that Krimson Queen is much more expensive nowadays compared to Krimson Princess.
Growing Requirements
You need to know whether you’re growing a Hoya Krimson Queen or Princess because they individually have specific requirements to thrive and develop.
Once you distinguish your plant’s identity based on the physical differences that you have read earlier, now, it’s time to become familiar with their needs.
Watering Frequency
Based on the leaf observation, you can see that Krimson Princess has much thicker leaves than Krimson Queen.
In that case, you can conclude that Krimson Princess leaves can hold too much water, hence it doesn’t require too much watering frequency.
Ideally, you can water your Krimson Princess once every 7 to 10 days. Remember that having too much watering is worse than having not enough.
Meanwhile, Krimson Queen requires much more watering frequency than Krimson Princess because of their thin leaves composition that can only handle a minimal amount of water.
Typically, I recommend watering your Krimson Queen once or twice a week.
Sunlight
Since both Krimson Queen and Princess originally came from tropical regions, they will be very much happy to stay in an area where there is an adequate amount of indirect sunlight. Therefore the ideal place for your Hoya is an east-facing window, where sunlight is much abundant.
Though they both love to enjoy sunlight, it’s recommended to allow your Krimson Princess to be exposed a little bit longer than Krimson Queen.
Krimson Queen is more capable of handling too much water due to its thick leaf structure. Whereas Krimson Princess can only store a few, making the soil left soaking for a certain period.
That’s the reason why allowing it to stay a bit longer under sunlight is a good idea so the soil can dry up quickly to avoid root rot or any pathogenic attacks.
Not to mention that sunlight can help Krimson Princess for its nutrient and energy production, given the fact that their leaves are variegated with light pigments.
Fertilizer
In general, the Hoya genus doesn’t require too much fertilizer. In fact, if you’re using compost, then you don’t need to apply fertilizer anymore.
But if you want to add some nutrients to your plant, applying a modest amount of fertilizer will help.
In using fertilizer for your Krimson Queen, make sure you are applying organic instead of synthetic fertilizer. In that way, you will avoid causing fertilizer to burn the roots.
However, Krimson Princess needs an adequate amount of fertilizers. In that case, you need to carefully dilute the dose into half or probably a quarter to reduce concentration. But nonetheless, it’s a good substitute for organic fertilizer.
Just keep in mind to avoid using fertilizer during winters because your plant might be in its dormant season.
I understand your urge to provide sufficient nutrients to your plant, but applying too much fertilizer is definitely not the best solution for that.
Similarities Between Hoya Krimson Queen VS. Princess
Here are some of the similarities that Krimson Queen and Princess have in common that’s why most people or even garden shops tend to interchange them with each other.
Flowering
Truth be told, there is no assurance that either Krimson Queen or Princess will bloom even if it’s planted outdoors.
Though you have read earlier that the flowers of these two houseplants differ in structure, their flowering season is the same. It usually takes 2-3 years of intervals before they bloom again.
Of course, who could not notice how relatively similar the scents of their flowers are?
The flowers of both Krimson Queen and Princess are the most obvious reason people interchange these two Hoya Variants.
Temperature
Hoya Krimson Queen and Princess both love temperatures between 60 to 95°F (15 to 35°C).
Though they are tropical plants thriving in hot areas, they can totally adapt to your home temperature as long as it’s within the given temperature range.
Also, they are both vulnerable to frosts. So it will be better if you keep them away from moist windows during the winter season as this low temperature will deplete your plant’s growth.
Humidity
In terms of humidity, the Hoya genus will thrive more in a high humid environment.
Therefore it will be adequate to place them in an area with a humidity level between 70% to 80%.
But in case your area is not capable of providing such humidity, you can try using a humidifier or put your houseplants closer to each other.
You might probably think of misting or overhead watering your plant for a more convenient process, but that would be dangerous to either Krimson Queen or Princess.
Excess water on top of the leaves might cause pathogenic infestations.
Soil
The natural habitat of the Hoya genus allows them to hang on trees and exposes their roots to air.
This setup is less likely to happen when you’re growing either Krimson Queen or Princess as houseplants. Still, you can always improvise by using the right kind of soil and hanging it on your ceiling.
A well-draining soil is the best potting mix that you can use for both Krimson Queen and Princess.
This kind of mix will help the plant’s soil in its draining process and provide a well-aerated structure.
To achieve that kind of potting mix, just add orchid bark, peat moss, and perlite to your soil. Orchid bark and perlite will help the draining process, while peat moss will hold enough water for the plant’s usage.
Pruning
Proving their low maintenance distinction, Krimson Queen and Princess doesn’t require regular trimming. In fact, pruning them is not a guaranteed way of promoting new growth.
One of the reasons for pruning your Hoya genus is to control the plant’s growing size, especially when you have it indoors.
It could also be a solution for root rot or other pathogenic infections.
Nonetheless, pruning either your Hoya Krimson Queen or Princess is not recommended if the plant isn’t at risk at all.
Repotting
Similar to all Hoya genus, Krimson Queen and Princess are not fond of being repotted from time to time. They love to stay on a spot where they have become comfortable growing.
As much as possible, repot your plant with not less than 3 years of interval.
Apparently, certain inevitable situations will force you to repot, like treating diseases or fungal attacks. In that case, you need to check these reminders.
- Avoid repotting on a huge pot. Simply go up one size from the previous pot.
- Use a well-draining potting mix.
- Check the drainage of the pot. If possible, drill additional holes underneath.
- Do not reuse old potting mix.
Final Words
To sum it up, Hoya Krimson Queen is different from Krimson Princess in various aspects such as taxonomy, leaf shape, foliage color, flower structure, growth habit, pricing, height, and growing requirements.
Though they might differ in classification, Krimson Queen and Princess both came from the Hoya genus, making them similar in some features. Those similarities can be observed in their flowering season, temperature needs, humidity level, soil requirements, and pruning and repotting process.
After reading this article, I hope you can easily distinguish whether you’re dealing with a Hoya Krimson Queen or Princess.
(Sources: College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, Science Direct, University of Florida, United States Department of Agriculture)