'Krimson Queen' has cream margins, green center. 'Krimson Princess' has green margins, cream center. And, if I'm not totally mixed up now, I think rubra is the same as 'Queen', although by my estimation, the real name should be Hoya carnosa rubra variegata. I know - it's all very confusing!

Denise in Omaha

Krimson Princess is an invalid name for Hoya carnosa variegata, I believe the only valid name for that plant (besides H carnosa variegata) is "Rubra". Krimson Queen is an invalid name for Hoya carnosa "Tricolor", I think Tricolor is a valid name. K Princess and K Queen are more like "nicknames", and most people call the plant by those...So Rubra is the same as Princess, not Queen....and yes, it is all confusing until you have said it, read it, talked about it, downloaded it, grown it, watered it or killed it a few times. And then, of course, you can go on ebay or to any growers website and find them both called by several other names. It is no wonder everyone is confused....I am going by information from a cultivar list I have that Chris Burton compiled, she is pretty knowledgable when it comes to hoyas!

I don't know if I would say that KQ and KP are "invalid". I know on Chris' list they are not called that, but I think they've both become pretty valid names. But I don't know...maybe they're just "popular and invalid". I still can't see why Hoya carnosa variegata would be the actual name for KP...it just doesn't make sense, since both KP and KQ are variegated. I think most people on here and on other hoya forums would know them as KP and KQ, even if they are not "technically" valid. So it's just easier to use those. All I can say is, the less confusing the better!

Tracy...'Rubra' is the same as 'Krimson Princess'. I know it's very confusing, but you'll get it down in no time! As for other carnosas, there are quite a few cultivars. I've recently seen carnosa 'Marlea' and carnosa 'Chelsea' lately. There are more I'm sure, but I just can't think right now. As Ines said, 'Tricolor' is also 'Krimson Queen'. And to confuse you more, there are many people that actually sell carnosa KP (or Rubra) as "Strawberries and Cream" (I've seen it on Ebay so many times). How awful!!! Now THAT'S what I call INVALID!!! And don't even bother with EA tags! They have gone above and beyond with their mislabeling lately! Just become familiar with the hoyas that EA sells (do a search on here), and then get to know them by looks so that you don't have to rely on their crazy labels.
Anyway, to make it simple and to answer your question about the 4 names you listed:
KP=Rubra
KQ=Tricolor

HTH,
Gabi

I have a strong feeling of deja vu....

Only names published in the manner prescribed by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature of Plants are considered valid names. Names of plants are often unknowingly published more than once, obviously no one is policing this list, so even some valid names are not legitimate, but that is a whole other subject.

If I wanted to go thru the hassle, I could as a grower start selling hoya carnosa variegata tomorrow under the name "Pile of Green and White Slime" and no one could stop me. Some trade names stick as nicknames for plants, some people obviously become very attached to those names. Krimson Princess and Krimson Queen have not even been officially used as trade names for a long time. I think it would be easier if people new to hoyas and everyone else just got into the habit of calling them by their botanical names, it is good practice to know what the plants are really called, you can always learn the nicknames later so that you then know what the heck everyone else is talking about. I myself find it easier to differentiate between variegata, or Rubra, and tricolor, because tricolor is so named because of the leaves on that one sometimes being solid colors, along with the variegation, more so than variegata does, variegata just converts back to solid green. Rubra you can remember due to the red vines where the new growth is... How do the words queen and princess make it easier to remember which is which? I heard once it had something to do with the queen wearing her white velvet on the outside or some such thing, not that that would give me any clue. I don't know any queens or anything about how queens wear velvet.

Anyway, the grower calling their hoya "Strawberries and Cream" has just as much right to do so as anyone using Krimson Princess.

That being said, I have been in the woods all night and I have to go check myself for deer ticks.

I hear you on getting in the habit of using botanically correct names. And it drives me NUTS when I see people selling a "Crinkle 8" or a "Ruba" on Ebay!! But, I think you'd have a hard time convincing people to get out of the KQ/KP habit. As for "strawberries and cream", it just sounds so stupid!

To me, I find it easier to remember KP and KQ, only because KQ seems more like a Queen, and KP seems like the younger child, AKA Princess. Yes, this is how my sick mind works. KQ is just more firm (foliage-wise) and "serious", like a Queen, whereas KP seems more playful and colorful and vibrant, like a princess. I'm really not as nuts as I sound...this is just my thought process :)

Usually KQ is only "tricolored" when it grows new pink leaves. Otherwise it's only 2 colors (well, mostly)...green and white. That's why I would think "tricolor" was KP, just because it has 3 colors consistently (creme and green foliage with red stems). But I definitely could get used to using "Rubra"...that makes complete sense. Anyway, that's just how my mind works.

I really don't know if I'm making any sense right now. It's late and my brain function deteriorates after 5 days of work.

Ines, I hope you don't have ticks.

No, no ticks, thanks for your concern. In the woods I pulled a few off of me, one was so small it could fit on the head of a pin and you still would have a hard time seeing it. Those little guys are the ones you get lyme disease from. Plus, they are nothing but little blood sucking spiders --- they give me the chills! I had on enough DEET to kill an elephant, and they still were on me!

Guys, I don't want to stop anyone from using KP or KQ, just have people get in the habit of using the botanical names as well. The main thing that makes me angry is that with all these names bouncing around, it is easy for people who don't know and buy online to get ripped off, buying the same plant more than once. Strawberries and Cream, for example - say you have "KP" or whatever, and you see this strawberries name and think "Oh, I never heard of that one, gonna get it!" But if the seller tells you the plants REAL name, you will know you already have it and won't buy it from them...that sort of thing. It isn't just with hoyas, it is with alot of plants - for example, do you have any idea how many different cacti I have seen nicknamed "Dog tail Cactus"??? I could fill my whole house with the ones I have come across! People need to know the botanical names, and if no picture of the plant is shown to ID it, at least ask what the botanical name is, and if a seller can't tell you, find one that can! I want to save what little room I have for plants I don't already have.

Of course, once you get familiar with hoyas, it becomes much easier to remember what to call them, botanical names or not. Gabi, I am not sure about why tricolor is called that, it was just a guess - you are right about the leaves, but even the 3 only coming in one color when brand new could still be why they call it that. Who knows. I never even heard the terms KP or KQ until I joined these forums, years ago when I got my first hoyas, I just knew them as "the green one" and "the one with the white" (tricolor) Eventually I looked up the names, but mostly I just called them hoyas, I had know idea back then that there were so many! It wasn't till years later that I came across a Krimson Princess.

Learning so much