by The evergreen plant Medinilla is a flowering shrub that is considered part of the Melastoma family. There are 100 known species of this plant, some of which are vines. Medinilla is native to the Philippines. In nature, it is found in Africa, Asia and on the island of Madagascar, and prefers to grow in the jungle. The first time this plant was planted in Europe was in the mid-19th century in the greenhouse of Mr. Veitch in England.
The growth and development rate of such a perennial is average. Medinilla is considered the largest epiphyte, in nature its height can reach about 150 cm. The size of the indoor plant can vary from 70 to 120 cm, while outwardly it is similar to wild specimens. Caring for such a bush is quite difficult, but if everything is done correctly, the bush will bloom for a long time and very effectively. Flowering lasts from the last days of April until mid-summer. Large spectacular inflorescences of a racemose form are outwardly similar to lilac.
Brief description of cultivation
- Temperature conditions. In winter, about 17 degrees, and in the spring-summer period – from 21 to 25 degrees. If the room is too hot, this will negatively affect the development of the bush. With the onset of the autumn period, a gradual decrease in temperature is carried out.
- Air humidity. It should be increased (approximately 75 percent). The bush in the pot is placed on a deep tray filled with wet pebbles, and it also needs to be regularly moistened with a sprayer.
- Illumination. Lighting should be bright but diffused. Be sure to protect from direct sunlight. In winter months, provide additional lighting.
- Watering. The substrate in the pot is moistened immediately after its surface dries. From spring to autumn, watering should be abundant, and in winter – moderate.
- Soil mixture. A purchased soil mixture for epiphytes will do. To prepare the substrate yourself, mix peat, perlite, humus and leaf soil (1:1:2:2).
- Fertilizer. Top dressing is carried out from mid-April to early September, 2 times a month. For this, a universal liquid fertilizer is used. In winter, fertilizer is not added to the substrate.
- Transfer. A young bush needs an annual spring transplant. And an adult plant is transplanted once every 1 years.
- Reproduction. By seed (from February to March) or by semi-lignified cuttings (from January to May).
In order for the bush to grow healthy and spectacular, it needs to be provided with optimal conditions for growth. The most important thing is to provide medinilla with increased air humidity and warmth. That is why some gardeners use a showcase or a florarium to grow this perennial. In order for new flower buds to be successfully laid, medinilla must be in a cool place (no higher than 17 degrees) from the last days of November until the end of February. When the bush has finished flowering, cut off the branches on which the inflorescences grew and reduce watering.
Caring for Medinilla at Home
It is extremely difficult for medinilla to adapt to indoor conditions. It is highly demanding both in terms of care and growing conditions. That is why not every gardener can grow it.
Temperature conditions
If the temperature regime is violated, the bush may not bloom at all or the blooming will be sparse. In summer, the optimal temperature for growing a bush is 21–25 degrees. If the room is too hot, this negatively affects the decorativeness of the bush, its foliage becomes smaller. Remember that the hotter it is in the room, the higher the air humidity level should be.
Since this evergreen plant loves fresh air, it is recommended to move it to the balcony in the summer. At the same time, it should be protected from sudden temperature changes and drafts. With the onset of the autumn months, they begin to gradually reduce the air temperature in the room. In the winter months, medinilla is kept at a temperature of about 17 degrees. In order for flowering to be long and spectacular, wintering must be cool.
Air humidity
The plant needs high air humidity, with the optimal level being about 75 percent. Thanks to high humidity, the flower tolerates heat better and is less likely to be attacked by harmful insects. Most often, to increase the humidity level, flower growers resort to spraying the bushes with water from a spray bottle, the temperature of which should be slightly higher than room temperature. The procedure is carried out regularly, approximately three times a day. When spraying, make sure that drops of water do not fall on the flowers, as this will cause unsightly stains on them.
It is necessary to frequently wipe the leaf blades with a soft cloth, which is pre-moistened. It is also recommended to use a household humidifier to increase humidity. It is also recommended to place the pot with the plant in a deep tray filled with wet pebbles. You can also use a double pot to grow such a flower. To do this, place the pot with the plant in a larger pot, while the void between the walls should be filled with sphagnum moss, which should be regularly moistened.
Illumination
In order for medinilla to bloom abundantly and brightly, and also to develop correctly, it needs to be provided with the right lighting. It needs a large amount of bright diffused light. The plant is perfectly suited to a window sill facing east or west.
If the bush is on the southern windowsill, it must be shaded from direct sunlight. If there is only room for medinilla on the northern windowsill, then in the autumn-winter period it must be provided with mandatory additional lighting. However, the northern window is not suitable for this capricious tropical beauty, the lack of sunlight negatively affects the appearance and flowering of the bush.
Watering
This plant also needs to be given the correct watering regime. The soil mixture in the pot is moistened immediately after its top layer dries out. At the same time, the plant reacts equally negatively to both overdrying of the substrate and to stagnant moisture in it.
In the spring and summer, watering should be abundant. In the winter months, the substrate in the pot is moistened once every 1–1,5 weeks. To prevent excessively rapid evaporation of moisture, the surface of the soil mixture should be covered with a layer of mulch (sphagnum moss or coconut substrate). Well-settled, slightly warm water is suitable for watering.
Substrate
To grow indoor medinilla, it is important to choose a substrate that best suits its needs. If the soil mixture is of poor quality, this may lead to the death of the plant. A loose fertile soil mixture is suitable for growing the flower. For its planting, you can buy a ready-made soil mixture for epiphytes in a specialized store.
You can also make the substrate yourself. To do this, combine leaf soil, perlite, humus and peat (2:1:1:2).
To increase the looseness of the substrate, it should be mixed with a small amount of vermiculite or brick chips. Also, to improve the quality of the soil mixture, it is recommended to add a little chopped sphagnum and charcoal. In order to avoid stagnation of water in the substrate, a thick drainage layer of expanded clay is made at the bottom of the pot.
Fertilizer
To maintain the high decorative value of the plant, it should be provided with systematic timely fertilizing. This is done once every two weeks from the last days of March to the first of August. For this, use liquid mineral fertilizer.
The dosage of fertilizer for medinilla is reduced by half, and the fertilizing itself is carried out immediately after watering. In the summer, if desired, the bush can be fertilized with organic matter once or twice, while the nutrient mixture must be diluted. In winter, fertilizing is not carried out.
Medinilla transplant
These perennials need to be replanted regularly, using a larger pot for this purpose. Replanting stimulates the development of the bush. Young plants need to be replanted annually, which is done in the spring. Adult bushes are subjected to this procedure less often, or more precisely, once every 1 years.
Medinilla is transplanted very carefully. Try not to damage the root system, and also pay attention to the growth point, it should not be deepened, as this can cause the bush to stop growing. After pulling the bush out of the pot, inspect its roots and cut out all those that have rotted. It is recommended to transplant by transshipment, this helps reduce stress.
The root system of medinilla is poorly developed, so the bush is planted in a low but wide container. If you want the flowers to cascade spectacularly, place the container with the flower on a stand or place it in a hanging basket.
Trimming
It is recommended to transplant and trim after the bush has finished flowering. Thanks to proper trimming, the crown of the plant becomes more neat and beautiful. All branches that have stretched out, as well as dried inflorescences, are cut off. Then the stems are shortened.
The cut shoots remaining after pruning can be used as cuttings for rooting. The cut plant begins a new life. After a few days from this procedure, you can feed it with a mineral complex.
Flowering
This guest from the tropics has an unusual appearance. It blooms very effectively, and the flowers have a unique shape. If the plant has been properly cared for throughout the growing season, the formation of the first inflorescences is observed already in March. The opening of numerous small flowers begins in April, and flowering continues until the second half of July.
Drooping inflorescences consisting of star-shaped flowers are formed on the branches. Outwardly, they are similar to lilac inflorescences. Large triangular bracts are located in two rows around the inflorescence. The inflorescence is located on a long flexible peduncle and can be white, pink or red. They look very delicate against the background of dense leathery leaf blades. While the bush is blooming, it is forbidden to move it to another place or turn it along with the pot around its axis.
The rest period
Flowering takes a lot of energy from medinilla, so it needs time to restore it. The dormant period begins in the last days of October and ends in February. During this time, the bush is moved to a place where it is always cool.
It is in the cool that new flower buds are laid. In winter, the plant needs as much bright light as in summer. Watering should be rare, but the substrate should not dry out completely. The plant is not fed in winter.
Methods of reproduction
Cutting
It is recommended to prepare cuttings of indoor medinilla from mid-winter to the second half of May. Each cutting should have 3 buds. For rooting, they are deepened in moistened sand by 15 mm. The cuttings are covered with film on top. For rooting, the cuttings need high air humidity and warmth (about 25 degrees). Do not forget to regularly ventilate the cuttings, and also water them as needed.
The roots on the cuttings should grow after about 4 weeks. After that, the cuttings are planted in individual pots. During the growth period, it is necessary to pinch the top once, this promotes better branching of the bush.
Cultivation from seeds
Medinilla seeds are sown from the second half of February to the first days of March. For sowing, use fresh seed material and a mixture of sand and peat, which must be pre-moistened. Cover the crops with glass or film on top, then move them to a place where it is always warm. The crops must be systematically ventilated and watered in a timely manner. In the last days of May, 2 or 3 true leaf blades should form on the bushes, after which they are transplanted into separate pots. A bush grown from a seed begins to bloom for the first time at the age of 5 years.
Growing medinilla from seeds indoors is quite problematic. In this regard, gardeners most often propagate it by cuttings.
Possible problems
The domestic medinilla is relatively often affected by various diseases and pests. It is also characterized by a capricious nature. It may have problems such as:
- Drying of leaves. In summer — low air humidity and poor watering. Spray and water, place the pot on a tray with wet expanded clay. In winter months — stagnation of moisture in the substrate under low temperatures. Adjust the watering regime and move the bush to a warmer place.
- Light-colored spots appear on the leaves. Too much bright sunlight, shade the bush.
- Shedding of flowers and budsThe plant was moved from one place to another, or the influence of a draft.
- No floweringDuring the winter, the plant was not provided with a dormant period.
- Brown spots on leaves. Scale insects have settled in. Remove the pests with a damp sponge and treat with an insecticide.
- The buds and leaves are falling offThe air was too dry, the flower was moved from one place to another.
- Black or brown spots have appeared on the stems. Damage caused by Botrytis fungus. The diseased stem is cut off, the bush is moved to a bright place with good ventilation. Make sure that moisture does not get to the cut site.
- Shrinking and curling of leaf blades. The air humidity level is not high enough.
- Wet black spots appear on shoots and foliage. The plant is affected by gray mold. Cut out the affected parts of the bush, treat with a fungicide and completely replace the substrate.
- vermin. Spider mites, scale insects, aphids or mealybugs may settle on the plant. They are destroyed with an appropriate insecticide or acaricide.
Types of Medinilla with photos
There are 100 species of medinilla in nature. However, only a few species are grown indoors, and only two of them are particularly popular.
Medinilla magnifica
A powerful majestic plant is decorated with spectacular large inflorescences. The tetrahedral stems have pubescence in the internodes. The leathery leaf blades without petioles reach about 35 centimeters in length. They have an oval shape, while light-colored veins are clearly visible on their surface. Dense drooping inflorescences consist of small flowers (up to 1 cm in diameter). The color of the bracts and inflorescences is coral or pearl pink, and their length is about half a meter. The bush blooms for two and a half months.
Medinilla venosa (M. Venosus, M. farinose hort)
The surface of the cylindrical shoots is densely pubescent. The short-petiolate oval large leaf blades are about 20 cm long. The surface of the foliage is decorated with clearly distinguishable veins. The drooping, few inflorescences include a small number of miniature flowers of a nude color.
Useful Properties
Astrobiologists believe that during flowering, medinilla helps relieve stress and tension, a person calms down. It will also help heal emotional wounds. This impressively sized plant has powerful energy, which it shares with household members. It helps to replenish spiritual strength.
Taking care of this unusual spectacular bush helps you forget about your own suffering. It fills your home with harmony and tranquility, and also normalizes the energy flows of all people who live in the apartment.