Medinilla is a perennial tropical plant, belongs to the Melastomaceae family. Homeland of the Philippine Islands, distributed in the forests of Africa, Asia, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
Botanical Description of Medinilla
Low artisanal plants, rarely creepers. They grow on soil or on trees (epiphytes). They have a superficial root system. In height reach from 30 cm to 3 m.
The trunk is dark, brown, covered with bristles, the surface is rough. The leaves are large, dark green, covered with contrasting veins. On the sheet is from 3 to 9 pieces. The edges are even, sometimes wavy, the ends are pointed or rounded. The shape is oval. Sedentary, petiolate.
Blossom in small flowers, pink, lilac, scarlet. The variety Zhador Trezor is blue. They are collected in brushes; bracts are absent in some species.
During pollination, berries of pink, blue color ripen, which contain seeds for breeding.
Plants are capricious and require a lot of effort for proper care at home. Medinilla magnifica is suitable and Javanese is increasingly found.
Popular types and varieties of medinilla
In nature, there are more than 400 species. Only one species has adapted to growing a house - the majestic Medinilla (magnifica).
| View | Leaves | Flowers |
| Veiny. Half epiphytic shrub, homeland of Malaysia. | Dark, keep on a short petiole, resemble an ellipse, width up to 9 cm, length up to 20 cm, the ends are sharp. | Small, less than 1 cm, collected in inflorescence inflorescence, flesh color. |
| Cuming. Epiphytic shrub, homeland of the Philippines. | In the shape of a heart. Scientists call the form obovate. Width up to 20 cm, length up to 30 cm. 7-8 bright veins are clearly marked on the sheet. Petioles are absent. | Large erect pink. |
| Javanese. Epiphytic large shrub from the Philippine Islands. It adapts well in room conditions. | Dark in shape resemble an egg, covered with light veins, up to 5 pieces per sheet. | Small, collected in falling brushes. The color is bright, ranging from pink to lilac. There are no bracts. The plant is decorated with pink-blue clusters of berries. |
| Theisman. Homeland Sulawesi Island, New Guinea. Outwardly similar to magnifica. | Egg-shaped, concave, large, length up to 30 cm, up to 20 cm wide, with 5 distinct veins. Petioles are absent. | Large, erect. Brushes stretch up. The color is white, pink. Bracts are absent. |
| Beautiful (magnifica). Tall shrubs hail from the Philippines. Well take root in room conditions. | Oval, leathery, dark. Width 15 cm, length 35 cm. Wavy edge. The plates are pierced by clear, contrasting veins. | Bracts are bright, pink, scarlet. Size less than 1 cm. They are collected in flowing multi-flowered brushes 30-50 cm long. Issues several peduncles at the same time. |
Scientists have developed hybrids that are comfortable in a room environment, taking as their basis the beautiful medinilla:
- Dolce Vita - undersized shrubs with massive bright pink tassels with narrow bracts, evenly distributed over the inflorescence.
- White - miniature plants, dense brush of flowers, salmon bracts.
- Zhador Tresor is a compact variety, loose falling brushes, bracts are absent, a distinctive feature is the color white, lilac, blue.
Indoor Medinilla Care
When taking care of the medinilla, a warm room with high humidity is a priority. It grows well in the florarium. The tropical flower is moody. With improper care, it loses its beauty.
| Factor | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Location / Lighting | Do not recommend:
It is necessary:
| |
| Temperature | + 20 ... +25 ºC | + 15 ... +17 ºC; avoid drafts. |
| Humidity | Not less than 70-75%. This is due to the tropical climate in the homeland. To maintain an optimal level, it is recommended:
| |
| Watering | 2 times in 7 days. | Once every 7 days, with a dry top layer of soil 3 cm thick. |
| Top dressing | 3 times a month, with organic or fertilizer for decorative flowering plants. | Cleaned for the period of rest. |
Transplant Features
The plant is transplanted after flowering in the spring. The pot is chosen shallow with a large diameter. This is due to the structural features of the flower. Massive top, weak superficial root system.
Young shoots are sometimes transplanted additionally in the summer to stimulate growth. Adult plants less than once a year. For large bushes, it is enough to replace the topsoil.
The substrate is purchased for epiphytic plants or for orchids already prepared or prepared themselves: turf, leafy soil mixed with peat, sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1. If desired, you can add 1 part of humus.
In vivo, medinilla grows on sparse soil. At home, it is necessary to maintain friability, porosity, and nutrition. To do this, add coconut substrate, coconut chips, pine bark to the finished mixture.
When watering, the soil should absorb moisture in 1-2 days, at an air temperature of + 25 ... +28 ºC. Otherwise, there is a risk of rotting the root system. To prevent this from happening, fragments of brick, expanded clay, perlite are poured at the bottom of the pot. Previously, the soil and drainage are calcined or steamed.
Medinilla reproduction methods
Medinilla propagates in two ways: seeds, cuttings. 
Beautiful
Seeds
Seeds are obtained from a home plant or purchased. Pay attention to packaging. If a year has passed, then the expiration date has expired.
Soil is prepared in advance, in a ratio of 1: 2, river sand and turf ground are mixed. Seeds are buried by 0.5 cm. Pots are taken flat, 7 cm high. The planting period is chosen from January to March. Greenhouse conditions are created for germination: temperature + 25 ... +30 ºC, high humidity. For this, the container with the landings is covered with glassware or cling film. Bottom arrange heating for better germination. Daily cover is removed for 20 minutes to air and moisten the soil.
After the first leaves appear, the greenhouse is completely eliminated, the seedlings are planted in separate shallow pots.
Cuttings
The period is selected from January to March. At the flower, the top of the shoot is cut with 3-4 buds. The slice is closed with ash. This prevents rotting of the plant.
The process of planting cuttings is in agreement with the seed. After 5-6 weeks, when the first roots appear, the flower is transplanted into a larger pot. When transplanting, seedlings pinch, stimulate growth.
Possible problems with medinilla care, pests and diseases
Homeland of the tropics. To keep a flower at home in suitable conditions, you need to monitor the temperature and humidity of the room. Failure to follow shrub care rules can lead to a number of problems or pests.
| External manifestations on the leaves | Cause | Remedial measures |
| They grow smaller, flowering is absent. | Lack of humidity, low temperature. | Humidify the air, spray the sheets, remove from heating systems. |
| Fall off, wither. | Lack of light, drafts, a new place. | Organize additional lighting (phytolamps), remove from drafts, do not move the pot or spray in a new place (you can add an Epin stimulator). |
| Light spots appear. | Exposure to direct sunlight causes burns. | Make a small shadow so that the direct rays of the sun do not fall on the plant. |
| Black spots appear. | Watering with cold, salt water. Waterlogging. | Normalize the watering schedule (after drying the top layer of soil by 3 cm) with warm water, maintain the optimum temperature. |
| Dry at rest. | Stagnation of moisture, waterlogging, low air temperature. | Water if necessary, raise the air temperature to optimal levels. |
| Dry in the summer. | Dry, hot air. | Humidify the air, set the optimum temperature, spray the sheets. |
Medinilla is susceptible to pests:
| Pest | Manifestation on leaves and plants | Treatment measures |
| Spider mite | Dry, fall off, yellow spots appear. | It is treated with a soap or alcohol solution, washed off with a warm pest shower. Apply insectoacaricides (Actellik, Fitoverm). |
| Aphid | Leaves, buds are deformed, dry up. | Wash with infusion of celandine, soap, garlic. Apply preparations with the active substance permethrin. |
| Mealybug | They are covered with white lumps that look like fluff. Turn yellow, dry, fall off. | The pest is collected manually with an alcoholized napkin. Wipe with a soap or garlic solution. Apply Tanrek, Aktara, Confidor. |
| Shield | The flower turns yellow, becomes covered with hard brown spots. | Wipe with a damp cloth to collect the insect. Wash with soapy infusion or garlic. The plant and its neighbors are treated with an insect acaricide (Actellik, Fitoverm, etc.). |
| Botritris fungus (gray mold) | Covered with wet black spots. | Remove the affected areas. Sections are treated with brilliant green, iodine. Replace the substrate with a new one. Use fungicide. |
