Hoya macgillivrayi is one of the most spectacular and sought-after Hoya species, primarily known for its exceptionally large and beautiful flowers.
Hoya macgillivrayi is native to northeastern Australia, specifically the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland.
It grows in rainforest and monsoon forest environments, from sea level up to about 450 meters (1,480 feet) in elevation. It can be found as an epiphyte (growing on trees) or a lithophyte (growing on rocks, particularly in rocky outcrops) within these humid, tropical biomes. It often prefers shaded to semi-shaded conditions in its natural habitat, but it's known to flower best in cultivation with good, bright indirect light.
The species was formally described in 1914 by Frederick Manson Bailey and named in honor of Dr. William David Kerr Macgillivray, a physician and naturalist who collected the type specimen.