Hoya lobbii was formally described by Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1845. It was named after Thomas Lobb (1811-1894), a British plant collector. Thomas Lobb, along with his brother William, were famous plant collectors employed by the Veitch Nurseries
It grows as a subshrub or shrub and primarily thrives in the wet tropical biome, typically found in tropical forests. It can often be found growing as an epiphyte (on trees), taking advantage of the humid conditions and dappled light found in its forest habitat.