Other than Hoya carnosa North America has not been a Hoya hot spot that's for sure. I am not sure why Hoyas are so much more popular in Sweden than here but who knows, maybe Carl Linnaeus the father of Botanical Nomenclature (and a Swede had something to do with it? LOL

Hoyas are still very uncommon but then again many of the current horticultural crops are the old standbys that have been proven to grow and perform well in shady conditions indoors.

Many Hoyas look very similar so without flowers to compare it is easy to mistake species. The fact that Hoyas are often epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) that rely on wind dispersed seeds (just like the common milkweed)they are often found growing well up off the ground and often out of reach. Hoyas are also usually plants of mature old growth forests and with the rate of logging increasing around the world Hoya habitats and populations are more stressed than ever before.
We have the Victorians to credit for the popularity of ferns and orchids which are now more accessible than ever before and perhaps Hoyas will share in the popularity in years to come. Plants that take years to bloom are often passed over by many gardeners who want flowers fast but I know from experience that I could not take enough Hoyas to sell at my orchid society meetings. With the increasing availability due to the growing number of Hoya hobbyists and specialty growers and the ease at which Hoyas can be grown form cuttings it's only a matter of time before more people start to grow these plants here in North America.

Mike