I have wanted this Hoya for a very long time – mostly because it had been discussed in various Hoya forums as a difficult, but very beautiful plant.  I finally broke down and ordered one from a Thai seller, and it arrived in very, very bad shape.  What had been a huge plant lost all of its leaves except for 8 and two of those were broken in half.  I took a good cutting from it and put it and the mother plant into my intensive care area under the lights, and two months later it is making a big comeback.  The mother plant now has close to 30 leaves and the cutting has taken – so I am very hopeful.  The leaves do look like a Tortoise shell and are every bit as cool as described!  I will report back at the end of the summer on this plant, and how it is faring.  **Update**  It is now mid-August, and my plant has bloomed!!!  Very exciting – the plant continues to amaze!  Here is a link to my Hoya elliptica video tour to see what the plant looks like now: youtu.be/O9pZt41Jhic