Medinilla is found on the planet in a limited number of territories: on the islands of the Malay Archipelago, in the tropical latitudes of Africa, in Madagascar. In its form, it has about 400 types of shrubs.
Medinilla is an evergreen shrub that grows to about 2 m in height. The branches are usually bare, but there are also slightly bristly, rounded, ribbed branches. Leaves are entire, with 3-9 veins, thickened, whorled or opposite.
Medinilla attracts special attention with beautiful flowers. They are collected in panicles, hanging from the plant, pink, white or pink-red shades. Medinilla is valued among flower growers both for the special decorativeness of leaves and flowers.
It is very difficult to take care of medinilla at home, therefore, it can often be found growing in conditions of botanical gardens, greenhouses or greenhouses. The plant likes to be in a strictly defined temperature regime and in high humidity.
The history of the origin of the name of the plant is very interesting. Medinilla got its name from the governor of one of the many Spanish colonies J. de Medinilla and Pineda. In Europe, the flowering plant was first seen in England in the garden of Mr. Veitch in 1850.
Caring for medinilla at home
Location and lighting
Growing medinilla requires bright lighting, but the leaves should be hidden from direct, scalding sunlight. If there is not enough light for the plant, then it will either not bloom, or discard the existing flowers and buds. If the room does not have the necessary lighting, then you will need to use special phytolamps or fluorescent lamps.
The ideal location for the plant is west or east windows. A southern room will work as well, but it is important to shade the sun's rays.
Temperature
The temperature in the plant room must be maintained regularly at a high level. This is due to its place of origin (rainforest). The air temperature should not drop below 20-25 degrees.
In the winter months from December to January, medinilla will be dormant, so the temperature can be reduced to 16 degrees. The plant does not tolerate temperature changes and drafts. It should also not be placed next to heating devices.
Watering
Medinilla needs regular, moderate watering during growth and flowering. The soil should not dry out completely. As soon as the top layer of the substrate dries up, you can water the plant. In autumn and winter, when the plant is at rest, watering is reduced. The soil should have time to dry out at a level of 2-3 cm from the surface. In January and February, watering is reduced even more. Watering should be done with clean, settled water at room temperature or slightly higher.
Air humidity
Medinilla comes from humid and hot tropical forests, so the humidity of the surrounding air should not fall below 75%.To do this, several times a day, the leaves of the plant are sprayed with warm, settled water, avoiding contact with the flowers.
It will be useful to place a pot with a plant in a pallet with wet sand or expanded clay. For additional humidification, you can use a container of water placed next to the plant or a special air humidifier. From dry air, the leaves of medinilla become smaller, lose their decorative effect, and the plant itself becomes unstable to the effects of pests and diseases.
The soil
Under natural conditions, medinilla is an epiphytic plant and is found on the stems and trunks of other shrubs and trees. You don't need too much mixture for planting a plant in a pot. However, it should be loose, fertile, slightly acidic.
The optimal soil composition for medinilla consists of leafy soil, sod land, sand, peat and humus in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1: 1. In specialized flower shops, ready-made mixtures for epiphytes are sold, you can use them. Placement of a good drainage layer at the bottom of the pot is essential. This will prevent moisture from stagnating, and the root system will not suffer from rot.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Medinilla needs regular feeding with fertilizer for decorative flowering plants. You need to apply top dressing once every 10 days. In summer, the plant can be fed with organic fertilizer, but no more than 3 times. With the onset of autumn and until spring, during the dormant period, medinilla does not need to be fed.
Transfer
A young actively growing medinilla is transplanted annually, but an adult plant needs to be transplanted only once every 2-3 years. When transplanting, the medinilla is shaped and the crown is formed.
Pruning and hygiene
A large area of leaves accumulates indoor dust, so an important procedure is to regularly wipe them with a damp soft cloth. The plant loves a warm leaf shower, but it is important to avoid getting moisture on the flowers and the ground. After the medinilla fades, it is cut off.
Reproduction of medinilla
The most effective methods of reproduction of medinilla are growing it by seeds or cuttings.
Seeds for planting can be purchased or obtained from a home plant. The seeds are planted in flat pots in February-March. The planting substrate should consist of a mixture of sand and turf. The pots should be in a warm environment, you can even organize mini-greenhouses. The sprouts that appear are dived and later transplanted into pots as adult plants.
For propagation of medinilla by cuttings, the period from January to May is suitable. For this you need cuttings with 3 buds. They are planted in a substrate, covered with a jar or film on top, and kept at a high temperature - about 25-30 degrees. The roots of cuttings appear within 5 weeks. Further, the shoots are transplanted already as an adult plant into a previously prepared substrate.
Growing difficulties
External imperfections that appear on the leaves or flowers of the plant may indicate improper care.
- Curling or shrinking leaves indicates low air humidity.
- Leaf shedding is a problem in the frequent change of location of the plant.
- If medinilla has not been pleasing with its flowering for a long time, then this may mean insufficient lighting, low humidity or low temperature.
- If brown spots appear on the leaves and stems, then here we can confidently talk about the defeat of the plant by the fungal disease Botrytis. You can fight it with the help of fungicides by removing the previously affected parts of the plant.
Popular types of medinilla
There are about 400 types of medinilla in nature, but the following are the most popular.
Medinilla veiny - originally from Malaysia. This shrub leads a semi-epiphytic lifestyle, the shoots are round, densely covered with hairs resembling wool. The leaves are oblong, elliptical in shape. The width of the leaves is 5-9 cm, and the length is from 9 to 20 cm.There are 7 veins on the leaves, the edges are pointed. Blossoms medinilla veined with small flowers, collected in a small-flowered beige inflorescence.
Medinilla gorgeous (beautiful) - found only in the rainforests of the Philippine Islands or the island of Java. Does not occur above 0.5 km above sea level. Medinilla splendid is a shrub about 1.5 m tall with thick, woolly branches. Large leaves, oblong ovoid. The width can reach about 15 cm, the length is about 35 cm. The color of the leaves is dark green, leathery in appearance. The flowering of medinilla splendid is represented by hanging multi-flowered brushes reaching 30 cm in length. The brushes are pink-red. Medinilla splendid is appreciated for its high decorative qualities. Both leaves and inflorescences are considered beautiful. It is one of the few species that can be grown in a pot at home or in greenhouse conditions.
Medinilla Cuming - grows in the humid tropical latitudes of the Philippine Islands. The shrub leads an epiphytic lifestyle, has oblong elliptical leaves, large, up to 20 cm wide and about 30 cm long. Vein on leaves 7. Flowers are large, about 5 cm in diameter, clustered in clusters, erect, pink in color. The flowering period of medinilla Cuming is from March to May.
