Read here interesting facts about tropical Medinilla plants with information on toxicity and flowering time. You can find out how to properly care for a Medinille and solve problems here.
What is the Medinilla plant and how to care for it?
The Medinilla plant is an exotic, evergreen small shrub from the Philippines that is known for its magnificent pink to coral-red flower spikes. It blooms from February to August, is non-toxic and prefers warm, moist locations without direct sunlight. Care requires regular watering, fertilizing and cutting.
Profile
- Scientific name: Medinilla
- Family: Blackmouth family (Melastomataceae)
- Growth type: small shrub
- Origin: Philippines
- Growth height: 100 cm to 150 cm
- Growth habit: sprawling-bushy
- Leaf: evergreen
- Flowers: overhanging flower spikes
- Flowering period: February to August
- Fruit: Berry
- Roots: terrestrial or epiphytic
- Toxicity: non-toxic
Toxicity
Like all blackmouth plants, a medinilla bush is not poisonous. The German family name primarily refers to the edible berries of the genus Miconia, which turn the mouth black when eaten. However, this does not apply to the berries of Medinilla species. Although these berries are non-toxic and beautiful to look at, they are not edible.
Flowering time
The glamorous flowering period is the highlight of the Medinilla year. The following information about the properties of a flower explains why this is so:
- Flowering time: February to August
- Flower: Panicle with several hundred individual flowers
- Special feature: large, opposite bracts
- Flower color: pink to coral red
- Size: 30 cm to 50 cm long flower spikes
- Appearance: overhanging inflorescences
- Position: in the upper part of the bush next to the leaf axils
Because sober facts can hardly describe the opulent flower spectacle in words, the following video illustrates the exotic flower dream of a Medinilla magnifica:
Roots
In the Philippines, Medinilla thrives as an impressive epiphyte or terrestrial shrub. The floral beauty sits proudly in the crowns of mighty rainforest trees. There the shrub clings to the branches with its roots, as we know it from orchids. Since its airy habitat has been shrinking as a result of merciless rainforest deforestation, the evergreen flowering shrub can usually be found firmly rooted to the ground. In Central Europe, uncomplicated cultivation with root balls has become established. Considering its growth as a tropical epiphyte, the roots are quite fragile in potting soil.
Planting Medinilla
Best chances to buy a Medinilla is during the flowering season. Under no circumstances should you disturb a flowering specimen by planting it in a new pot. The furious flower spikes are very fragile. As part of the care, you can repot your Medinille after the flowering period. You can read detailed instructions in the 'Care for Medinilla' section below. As a welcome greeting, first select a suitable location with these basic conditions for the sensitive tropical beauty:
- Humidity: more than 60 percent
- Temperature: at least 20° Celsius
- Light: Bright to sunny, without direct sunlight.
- Important: no temperature fluctuations, protected from drafts, floor temperature corresponds to the air temperature.
The high demands limit the selection of suitable locations to a temperature-controlled winter garden and a closed, heated flower window.
Excursus
Royal Medinilla Worshiper
Every spring, the Royal Greenhouses of Belgium are a mecca for medinilla lovers. The monumental glass houses open their doors for three weeks. In the entrance area to the winter garden, pompous medinillas in antique Chinese vases welcome visitors. The former King Baudouin I was an enthusiastic admirer of Medinilla and also had the tropical beauty printed on the back of the 10,000 franc banknotes.
Care for Medinilla
Caring for a Medinilla is demanding. With a little practice and these instructions, you can master the gardening challenge with flying colors:
Pouring
The right moisture in the substrate and in the air is an important element in the care program. Important criteria are the quality and temperature of the water. With a balanced all-round water supply, you encourage the exotic flowering diva to bloom for a long time. How to do it right:
- Water quality: ideally rainwater, alternatively decalcified, stale tap water
- Temperature: mild temperature, preferably according to the ambient temperature
- Watering supplies: with dried soil (finger test)
- Rule of thumb: Keep the substrate constantly slightly moist without stagnating moisture
- Spraying: Spray leaves (not the flower spikes) regularly with lime-free, room temperature water
For the perfect watering technique, let the water slowly run onto the root ball until the saucer fills up. First fill the coaster with lava granules or expanded clay. In this way, excess irrigation water can evaporate and increase local humidity.
Fertilize
A medinilla needs plenty of nutrients to form its exuberant inflorescences. Therefore, apply liquid fertilizer regularly from spring to autumn. Add the fertilizer to the irrigation water weekly. The correct dosage can be found on the packaging.
Cutting
Annual pruning care prevents stunted growth and promotes flowering. A Medinilla bush always blooms on the previous year's branches. The best time to prune is after the flowering period. Cut off wilted inflorescences. Cut overly long shoots by a third or half. A cut into old wood is possible without any problems. The starting point for the scissor blades is a few millimeters above a pair of leaves or an eye on the angular branches.
Propagate
Propagation is best done in spring with cuttings that you cut as head cuttings. Plant each cutting in a sufficiently large pot with potting soil. Watering is done with lukewarm, soft water. A humidity of 70 to 80 percent and temperatures of around 30° Celsius are mandatory for rooting. Additionally, you can stimulate root growth by dipping a cutting in rooting powder or using another root activator.
Diseases, pests, care problems
Far from its tropical home, the Medinilla is susceptible to diseases, pests and neglect in care. If the flower diva weakens, the damage pattern provides important information about the cause. This results in effective countermeasures. This table gives a compact overview:
| malicious image | Cause | Countermeasure | How exactly? |
|---|---|---|---|
| loses leaves | cold watering water, lack of light | Heating water, changing location | pour lukewarm water, place in bright to sunny location |
| Leaves curl up | too dry air | spray | spray daily with decalcified water |
| loses buds | Change of location during bud formation | Keep location | Do not move or rotate during bud formation |
| loses flowers | Temperature fluctuations, drafts | Change location | place at a constant 22° C or warmer |
| brown spots | Scale insects | fight with home remedies | remove with toothbrush and soapy water |
| white dots | Mealybugs | fight naturally | wipe with alcohol-soaked cloth, spray with soap solution |
| turns black | Waterlogging | repotting | transplant into dry substrate |
Repotting
You can repot a medinilla in spring. As a substrate, please use a mixture of 4 parts special soil for exotic plants, 2 parts coconut soil, 1 part lava granules and some sand. The optimal soil is loose, humus-rich, peat-free and has a pH value of 5.5. Please cover the bottom of the pot with clay shards or expanded clay balls as drainage to prevent waterlogging. You should handle the root ball with kid gloves when removing the used substrate. Maintain the previous planting depth and water thoroughly.
Overwintering – rest period
Pruning prepares your Medinilla for the upcoming winter season. Without a winter break of eight to twelve weeks, you will look in vain for the picturesque flower spikes next spring. The rest period is accompanied by modified care. This is how it works:
- Medinille overwinter at 15° to 20° Celsius
- Maintain bright lighting conditions and high humidity (60% plus)
- Watering more sparingly until the buds are planted in spring
- Spray leaves weekly
- Do not fertilize from autumn until the next shoots
- Extra tip: Place the bucket and coaster on wood to protect against rising cold from the ground
A perfect break simulating the dry season in the Philippine rainforest. Correct watering is particularly tricky at this time. With the help of a moisture meter you can also overcome this hurdle in your care program.
Popular varieties
With these varieties, knowledgeable breeders have taught the Medinilla bush, which is up to three meters high, to remain at a height suitable for winter gardens:
- Flamenco: decorative hanging, intense pink inflorescences, compact growth up to 100 cm tall.
- Pinatubo: petite Medinilla with a height of 40 cm to 60 cm.
- Lambada: elegant variety with light pink flower spikes 35 cm to 45 cm high.
- Dolce vita: Premium variety from Holland, bears at least 4 inflorescences in 2 tiers when purchased.
FAQ
Is a medinilla poisonous to cats?
No, a Medinille bush is not poisonous. The blackmouth plant does not contain any toxic substances that could be dangerous to your cat. We asked the poison control center in Bonn. So far there have been no reports of he alth problems in people or pets after consuming Medinilla plant parts.
How can I make a Medinilla bloom?
If a Medinilla is not granted the winter break, the plant keeps its inflorescences under wraps. You can get the tropical plant to bloom with modified care. For a period of eight to twelve weeks, place the plant in a bright location with temperatures of 15° to 20° Celsius. Watering is done so sparingly that the root ball is only slightly moist at the core. The supply of nutrients begins parallel to the first shoots in late winter or early spring.
My Medinille in the living room is losing buds. What to do?
Basically, the Medinilla is not designed for cultivation as a houseplant in living rooms. Dry indoor air is very difficult for the rainforest beauty. This deficiency is the most common cause of buds and flowers dropping. Place a humidifier near the plant and mist the leaves with room temperature rainwater every two to three days.
Can you cut off wilted Medinilla flowers in summer?
You can cut off or pick off individual, withered flowers. It is not necessary to wait until pruning at the end of the flowering period. Cut the flowers off at the base. This does not result in re-blooming. Rather, new leaves will sprout at this point.
Can I put purchased, flowering Medinilla in a planter?
Rarely does a Medinilla from the garden center appear in a decorative pot. You can bridge the waiting time until repotting next spring with a beautiful planter. Because waterlogging is difficult to control in a planter, we recommend a pot with a platform inside, as is known from the cultivation of orchids. If excess irrigation water collects on the bottom of the pot, it cannot rise into the root ball.
