# Help me identify a plant...

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-plant/233209
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 9, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-plant/233209 "2004-03-09T00:31:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![habs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@habs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/habs)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-plant/233209/1 "2004-03-09T00:31:46Z")

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Hi,  
I recently purchased a plant from a nursery which wasn’t labeled, and not even the gardener at the nursery knew what type of plant it was (it’s ambiguously labeled as “Varied assortment”). Perhaps someone can help me identify it? It’s a green crawler with heart-shaped leaves measuring approximately 2 to 4 inches long. The leaves are quite thick and feel a bit squishy, and inside the leaves is a white-ish resin. I know, not much to go on, but that’s as best as I can do. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks 🙂

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### Author: ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-plant/233209/2 "2004-03-09T02:17:22Z")

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The white resin points to something in the milkweed family.  
Perhaps [Milkweed vine](http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/preserves/fotomat.htm)  
or [String of hearts](http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/String_of_Hearts_Vine.asp)

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### Author: ![habs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@habs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/habs)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-plant/233209/3 "2004-03-12T00:12:41Z")

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Hi Squink. Thanks for the reply. It turned out not to be a milkweed, as you had suggested, but using the information from the link you had provided gave me some extra clues which ultimately led us to eventually identify the plant.

It is called a Hoya Kerrii, or Sweetheart Hoya. It is a succulent and it produces a cluster of white and marroon flowers that drip a yucky resin. Some useful links:

[http://www.theamateursdigest.com/40117.htm](http://www.theamateursdigest.com/40117.htm)

[http://plantsdatabase.com/go/53912/](http://plantsdatabase.com/go/53912/)

Anyways, thanks for helping us solve this. We were getting a wee bit frustrated! 🙂

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### Author: ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-plant/233209/4 "2004-03-12T00:32:43Z")

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Backwards heart shaped leaves! Very pretty.

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### Author: ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-a-plant/233209/5 "2004-03-12T00:37:45Z")

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Poison Oak. Definitely. 😉😃
