Medinilla magnifica and thrift store luck

[Cindy Adair]

So the story starts with our local greenhouse getting in a few lovely Medinilla magnificas in bud. I have two that I mail ordered tied to trees in Puerto Rico, but since they haven't bloomed, I wanted to try growing one as a shrub. I didn't like the price tag though. Then my inbox showed a 40% off coupon for any houseplant and I grabbed the Medinilla shown in the photos the next day.

I'm sure you're wondering what that has to do with a thrift store. Bear with me.

The next day I wandered into the nearby Goodwill looking for nothing in particular and immediately was drawn to three panels of nice quality palm design draperies.They actually match a pillow I already own. That would work perfectly for 1 and one half windows and the price was right, but as I don't have any 1/2 windows I hesitated. I justified buying them because I could easily use the lovely fabric for lots of things.

The next day I decided to check back in at the same store just to be sure I hadn't overlooked a fourth panel. Since I had been in the store the previous day I headed straight to the bedspread/drapery area not noticing anything else. First I saw the fourth panel, but right next to it I saw a lovely perfect Queen size comforter that was certainly not there the day before. Not a palm pattern,but on this comforter are several tropical flowers including an accurate depiction of none other than a Medinilla magnifica!

If I had gone shopping for such an item I'd never have found one. So $12 happily went to the charity and the comforter is on our guest bed. I later found the exact comforter on the internet selling for $150-$400 which I wouldn't have paid.

[Cindy Adair]

This is not my guest bedroom but a stock photo of the set. I only have the comforter.

[gsytch]

NIce in both accounts, and that is a beautiful Medinilla. Cannot grow it here as it has a distaste for temps under 50F and I cannot keep my GH that warm if nights chill to near freezing, and do not want to. I have the other Medinilla, myriantha in nice bloom. That one is a large shrub, potted, grows outside all winter without an issue. Takes to near freezing easily. Well done steals on both!