The amazing flower medinilla is very rarely found in nature. Places of growth include the tropical forests of the Philippines, as well as the island of Java in Madagascar. Medinilla is a precious flower in the truest sense of the word. Several branches with flowers of a beautiful shrub are estimated at 500-700 dollars.
Origin
In the natural environment of tropical Africa, Asia and the Pacific islands, there are about 300 species of the genus Medinilla. She is a member of the Melastomov family. Some representatives of the medinilla have the appearance of a long vine, reaching a length of three meters, but most grow in the form of a herbaceous bush. Sometimes medinilla can be found in the form of a small tree.
Flowering medinilla
Interesting fact. The flower got its name in honor of the Governor of the Mariana Islands, belonging to the Spanish colony - Jose de Medinilla y Pineda. Europe learned about medinilla in 1850. She appeared in the greenhouse of the famous Englishman Mr. Veitch.
At home, medinilla has spread like a bush. Its height is different from its natural size. The potted plant has a height of 70 cm to 1.2 meters.
Main types
Florists grow a limited number of species. The most famous are the following.
Medinilla Magnifica
It is also called magnificent Medinilla. It is considered the most common type in home floriculture. Her homeland is the Philippine Islands. Breeders, taking as a basis Medinnilla Magnifica, received such varieties as:
- Dolce Vita - has massive brushes of pink inflorescences.
- Bello - is a miniature variety of medinilla. Has a short flower brush.
Gorgeous
- Zhador Trezor is a representative of the undersized variety. Has white-purple or unusual bluish flowers.
Medinilla veins
Streaky melastoma is the second name of the medinilla. Her motherland is Malaysia. The plant has aerial roots that sink to the ground. Therefore, the veined medinilla is considered a semi-epiphyte.
Veiny
The leaves of this species of medinilla are small, with a bristly surface and a sharp end. The inflorescences are flesh-colored and look like an umbrella.
Medinilla Cumming
The homeland of this type of medinilla is the Philippines. This is half epiphit. Leaves are shiny with a slight concavity.
Cuming
Inflorescences of medinilla have the appearance of brushes with pink flowers resembling lilacs.
Medinilla Javanese
One of the most popular types of medinilla, common in indoor floriculture, is Javanese. The flower is unpretentious in care, has the appearance of a small shrub up to 1 meter high. Javanese blossoms with small lilac-purple flowers on the hands. Not very decorative due to the fact that it does not have bracts.
Medinila Javanese
When purchasing medinilla in a flower shop, you need to carefully examine it. If a dark spot is found on the stems, this indicates a sign of plant disease. Experienced flower growers involved in the cultivation of varieties of medinilla, do not recommend buying discounted plants. If the plant was discounted, then something was wrong with its health. In this case, money will be spent, there will be no pleasure from the purchase.
Medinilla Care at Home
To see the beauty of flowering medinilla, flower growers create not just good, but ideal conditions for this. What is the care at home for magnifica medinilla?
For the plant, you need to create the most approximate conditions of the tropics - a humid and warm atmosphere. Those flower growers who have a conservatory or a greenhouse in the house can create such conditions.
It should be noted! Adaptation of a flower when changing its location is difficult. Too capricious medinilla. Home care for her depends on the time of year.
Lighting
In spring and summer, medinilla loves bright but diffused light. The best places to put flower pots are window sills facing south, east or west. Pots with a flower should not be close to the window pane, so as not to get through it a leaf burn from the midday sun. It is advisable not to move the pot - it does not like the flower. During the bright sun you need to shade the windows.
Medinilla in the house
In the autumn-winter period for the flower to organize daylight hours for at least 12 hours. For this, artificial illumination is carried out. When creating such a light mode, bookmark buds for spring flowering are provided.
Temperature
The temperature regime is also maintained depending on the season. The optimum temperature during the spring-summer period is from +20 to 25 ° ะก. The flower will feel great in a glazed balcony.
Note! Medinilla reacts negatively to sudden changes in temperature and a decrease in humidity at its location. Afraid of drafts. Due to unpleasant conditions of detention, growth may stop and flowering will not occur.
In the autumn-winter period, a moderate temperature of + 17-18 ° C is suitable for the flower. He does not like a tropical plant to be near heating appliances and near cold glass.
Air humidity
It is necessary to provide high air humidity of 70-80% year-round. In winter, with the heating system turned on, the flower must be sprayed 2 times a day. Drops should not fall on the buds. You can humidify the air in various ways: put a pan with water or use a double pot, filling the space between the walls with moss, constantly moistening it.
Watering
Watering throughout the growing season is extremely important for a plant. Neither waterlogging nor drying out of the soil should be allowed. Water only when its top layer dries. Water quality plays an important role in plant nutrition. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature, settled.
Medinilla in the greenhouse
In the spring-summer period, the flower is watered abundantly. In winter, watering is carried out once every two weeks. Preservation of moisture in the pot is provided by mulching.
The soil
For the medinilla, the soil must be correctly selected, since it is the environment from which the roots receive nutrition and moisture. The flower prefers a loose substrate or prepared soil for epiphytic plants.
Top dressing
To maintain the decorativeness of the plant, he needs top dressing. To do this, liquid mineral fertilizer is applied to the soil once every two weeks, starting from the end of March, and until the beginning of August. In winter, medinilla is not fed.
Plant transplant
Florists involved in the cultivation of medinilla are advised to transplant this tropical plant annually. It is noted that after transplantation it develops faster. The upper part of the flower due to leaves and flower brushes is large, the root system is adapted to penetrate only into the upper layer of soil, so choosing a deep pot does not make sense. Wide containers are suitable for medinilla, where it is possible to spread the roots of a flower almost at the surface.
It is necessary to put a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot, pour soil on top, and if a plant is transplanted, the flower extracted with a lump of earth will be moved to a new pot. First you need to inspect the roots, if necessary, slightly shorten them. Fill with new soil, compacting it so that there are no voids. After planting, water the plant, spray and identify the pot in a permanent place.
Pruning
The best time for pruning is when transplanting the plants into a new pot. This is usually done after flowering. Pruning is needed to give the bush a neat appearance. Elongated branches, dry inflorescences are cut, and shoots are also shortened.
Breeding methods
Experienced flower growers note that the medinilla flower does not respond very well to reproduction at home. Nevertheless, it can still be grown from seeds and from numb wood cuttings.
Sowing seeds
Growing medinilla from seeds is more difficult than by grafting. The seeds of this plant are expensive, they are sometimes difficult to even find. If, nevertheless, it was decided to grow medinilla from seeds, they should be sown at the end of winter in a greenhouse with moistened soil. Seeds do not fall into the soil. The temperature at which the seeds will germinate is + 25-30 ° C. High humidity must be created.
Highlighting sprouts in a greenhouse
Shoots are planted in separate pots, and they continue to be in the greenhouse. In grown seedlings, you need to pinch the tops for branching.
Cuttings
Propagation by cuttings is combined with spring pruning of the plant. Cut off half-woody shoots with three buds are placed for several minutes in a solution with phytohormone to accelerate root formation. Next, the cuttings are determined in a greenhouse with wet sand. Only at a temperature of + 28-30 ° C does rooting occur during the month. Young plants are then placed in nutrient soil in a permanent place.
Florists note that if you take good care of the plant, it will bring annual pleasure to its flowering.
