Medinilla magnifica

[Cindy Adair]

I have two Medinilla magnificas and have treated both like epiphytic orchids by tying them to trees. I've read that they can grow this way and seen impressive photos. I like the reddish new leaves and sometimes I see bright red roots.The only live ones I've seen have been in pots. I wanted them to be up higher than I plant most orchids hoping that their pendant gorgeous flowers would hang down to my level. Mine sometimes seem parched (especially in the dry season) yet I really can't supply extra water as they are inconveniently high and not near a hose. Plus most of the time I'm many miles away in Virginia while they are in Puerto Rico. Who grows them and how do you do it? How big were they when they first flowered? Do I just need to try a third one as a shrub or wait until I move in three years?

[SFloridacollector]

I bought my M.m. as a rooted cutting and within 6 months it doubled in size, was repotted to a 3gallon and then flowered. It's potted in my stock palm mix and on a table in the shadehouse (63%) that gets watered lightly every day with overhead irrigation.

I always thought they liked being on the dry side of moist and I can say from experience they don't deal well with drought. As an epiphyte you would probably have to water often.

I'll be interested to hear about the progress because I'd love to grow one up in a tree.

Chip

[Cindy Adair]

I'm truly jealous of your blooming M. magnifica! I keep hoping and will post if mine bloom. Thanks for the cultural information and congratulations!

[epiphyte]

That's really awesome that you mounted it on a tree! How long has it been on there? I've been tempted to purchase it a couple times...but I should know better than to try a rain forest plant. Well...knowing better is one thing... A couple days ago I attached Hedychium longicornutum to my tree. Given that it's from Malaysia...I'm 90% certain that the cold and/or the drought will kill it.

[Cindy Adair]

One has been on a tree at least 3 years. The other probably half that long. Both were planted out from a well rooted 4 " pot, probably from Logees via mailorder if anyone is interested.

[Pedro 65]

Cindy as you can see in my pics its flowering is getting towards its end and its in a weedy part of our gardens.

These flower the "Best" if in "Full Sun", our is under palms in a lot of shade and only gets a few flowers.

I did like these plants 15 years ago but even when it flowers it doesnt really catch my eye any more (im sure if mine was in full sun and flowered heavily it would)..I do like the very large soft leaves though....Not much compares to Broms , Staghorns and orchids in trees for me now... Cindy, dont worry about the dry because ive seen ours turn to brittle sticks with no leaves, so i sawed them off at ground level, as soon as the "wet season" returns its growth is abbundant.

I recently planted a small Medinlla miniata which is a "Very Large" Medinilla with small bright red flowers.

Sorry my pics are very attractive, all the best with yours in trees. Pete

[Cindy Adair]

Nice looking Medinilla Pete! I'm so glad I probably don't need to worry about supplemental water for mine. They have never dropped their leaves, just looked "less happy" in the dry season. I did find some photos of a M. magnifica from Selby Gardens (Florida) in 2009. These are the flowers I want!!!

[epiphyte]

Hmmmm...that's very interesting that it can handle drying out some! Recently I was very surprised to discover that a Dischidia thriving on my tree is actually from the Philippines...which is where Medinilla magnifica is from as well.

Still though...all things being equal...I'd be more inclined to first try any of the Medinillas from Taiwan.

[Pedro 65]

Nice looking Medinilla Pete! I'm so glad I probably don't need to worry about supplemental water for mine. They have never dropped their leaves, just looked "less happy" in the dry season. I did find some photos of a M. magnifica from Selby Gardens (Florida) in 2009. These are the flowers I want!!!

Beautiful Pics Cindy, your pics show me that mine isnt M Magnifica, all the medinilla in my area are sold as magnifica but are actually Medinilla myriantha . (from Malaysia). The plants of course are pretty much identical but M myriantha doesnt have all the pink petals on top( I havnt seen them on mine)

Cindy when I saw my friends huge Medinilla miniata (4mtrs across and bright red flowers I had to get a small 1..It in the dry also turned to a stick, I thoght it was dead especially being a small plant but its bounced back to growth) Your a very keen grower of impressive Palms and Plants, keep on having fun and my last post at the bottom was meant to be "sorry the pics are not very attractive" I will get that area cleaned up soon and let more sun in and hopefully get more flowers. Pete

[Cindy Adair]

Yes, I like M. miniata too and it's on my " wish list." So glad to hear you are better Pete!

[Really full garden]

I had one that I think I pampered to death.I want to try one again.

I have a friend in Miami that has one growing on a large coral boulder it gets almost full South Florida sun.It was spectacular.He does not water it until it just starts to wilt.