The native range of Hoya acicularis is primarily Borneo (specifically Sabah and Brunei), but it's also found in the Philippines and Thailand.
In its natural habitat, it grows as an epiphyte (on trees) or sometimes a lithophyte (on rocks) in tropical forests. It thrives in humid environments with filtered light, typical of a rainforest understory.
The name "acicularis" is Latin for "needle-like," which perfectly describes its most notable feature: