Hoya hellwigiana is a striking Hoya species often admired for its beautiful, veined foliage and attractive flowers. There is some interesting recent taxonomic discussion around this species, as it is now often considered a synonym for Hoya nicholsoniae. However, in horticulture, it's still widely known and traded as Hoya hellwigiana.
Hoya hellwigiana (or Hoya nicholsoniae) is native to a broad region spanning New Guinea and the Southwest Pacific.
It primarily grows as a climber in the wet tropical biome, typically found as an epiphyte (on trees) in rainforests and coastal forests, often at lower elevations. This environment is characterized by high humidity, warm temperatures, and filtered light.

The species Hoya hellwigiana was formally described by Otto Warburg (1859-1938), a German botanist.
He published its description in 1907 in "Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis" (Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 3: 341).
The plant was likely named in honor of Carl Hellwig, a collector or patron.