Medinilla magnifica
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Medinilla magnifica - leaves and flowers |
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Medinilla magnifica is a tropical plant belonging to the genus Medinilla in the black- mouthed family(Melastomataceae). It is one of the most beautiful of the 521 Medinilla species discovered to date and is one of the few species that can be cultivated as a houseplant. It was named after the Spaniard Josè de Medinilla y Pineda , who was governor of the Pacific archipelago of the Mariana Islands in the 19th century . Magnifica is Latin and means "magnificent".
Alternative names
- In the Philippines: Kapa-kapa
- In the English-speaking area: chandelier tree, showy melastome, showy medinilla, Malaysian orchid, Malaysian orchid medinilla
features
Medinilla magnifica is one of the few Medinilla species with magnificent pink inflorescences and has up to a hundred individual flowers. Under good conditions, this shrub grows up to 240 cm in height and then takes up a lot of space. Its branches are square and barked, divided by knots. On thick four-winged branches hang down to 30 centimeters long, three-ribbed leaves that look leathery and have a white central rib. Low-lying secondary veins extend from the main leaf vein and run in an arc towards the tip of the leaf. Two opposing leaves cover a panicle inflorescence that hangs up to 30 centimeters from the leaf axils towards the ground. The attractive coral-red to pink flower panicles last up to ten weeks.
distribution
Their natural occurrence extends over the Philippine islands of Luzon , Mindanao , Mindoro , Negros and Panay .
In its original form it is one of the greatest blooming epiphytes and is called Kapa-kapa in the local language. It grows on the branches of trees in the forests of wing fruit plants between 300 and 500 meters, in the forests of the foothills at 400 to 1,000 meters or in the mossy forests of the cloud belt up to a height of 1,400 meters. It grows in bright places that are not exposed to direct sunlight and where the humidity never drops below 50 percent.
S. L. Welsh reported in 1998 that Medinilla magnifica occurs both as an epiphytic and as a terrestrial shrub.
In the assessment of Filipino scientists, it is now one of the endangered species because of the destruction of the forest that tears open the canopy of the trees. Deforestation by the local population robs them of optimal environmental conditions. There are in all likelihood more individuals of the species grown in horticulture than in the wild.
However, it does not appear in the Red List of Endangered Species by the World Conservation Union (as of April 2007).
use
Medinilla magnifica was introduced a few years before 1850 by the great tree nurseries Veitch and Son from Manila and cultivated in the greenhouses in Exeter . It was exhibited at the London Horticultural Society's exhibition in the spring of 1850 and was awarded the Great Silver Medal. Then, as now, she was considered one of the greatest and most remarkable plants to grow, her growing fame encouraging gardening enthusiasts to seek and collect more plants in the wild. Veitch tried to thwart their efforts and to keep his secret by reporting that he had found the plant on the island of Java in Indonesia. We now know that his report was wrong; the kapa-kapa is endemic to the Philippines .
Medinilla magnifica is becoming increasingly popular as an ornamental plant .
It is not edible.
Importance in Belgium
The former Belgian King Baudouin I , a great admirer of beautiful plants, had the Medinilla grown in the royal greenhouses .
The Medinilla also graced the back of the Belgian 10,000 Franc banknotes.
Medinilla magnifica as a houseplant
Location
The Medinilla prefers a bright location. From November to the beginning of spring, it also endures direct sunlight, as well as in the morning and in the evening. During the rest of the year it must be protected from direct sunlight.
temperature
A temperature between 16 and 25 ° C is ideal for this plant. The temperature must not be fallen below, especially in the root area, as otherwise - especially in combination with a lack of light and excessively moist soil - there is a risk of leaf loss and pest infestation ( scale and mealybugs ). After the flowering phase and the complete formation of new leaves, the plant must be moved to a cooler place (16 to 18 ° C) so that new flower buds can form on the leaf axils. As soon as these show up, they can be returned to the warmer place to encourage the flowers to develop. After that, the plant should not be turned or moved any more.
water
The Medinilla should be poured moderately, if possible with softened water at room temperature. It needs uniform soil moisture, but is very sensitive to waterlogging. In summer, when it is very hot, it needs more watering (possibly take a dip and let it drain off). Excess water in the saucer must not be left standing. For planters waterlogging can be difficult controlled. However, the Medinilla loves to be wetted with a spray bottle more often, as it simulates the humidity in the cloud forest . During the two to three months, indicated rest period in winter, watering can be done a little more sparingly.
Fertilize
Usually it is sufficient to add plant fertilizer to the water once a month . After flowering you can also fertilize every two weeks, as the plant develops new shoots in this phase. The soil should be loose, rich in humus ( pH value around 5.5) and enriched with coarse particles such as fiber peat .
Cut back and repot
After the flowering phase, it is advisable to cut off the withered flowers at the base of the base. Where there were flowers before, new leaves are now being formed.
You can basically repot them all year round . It is usually sufficient to do this about every two years. However, during the flowering phase, the fragile flowers could be damaged. When repotting in spring, individual bald shoots can be cut back to the first leaf knot , and older plants that have grown too large can be cut back into the older wood. In the latter case, the root balls can also be reduced in size.
Vegetative propagation
Propagating a Medinille vegetatively can be done in the following ways:
- The first option is to obtain head cuttings that are cut in January or February. The cuttings only have a chance of forming roots in the propagation bed, with additional administration of rooting preparations ( rooting hormones ), with a lot of heat (30–35 ° C) and extremely high humidity.
- The second option is the moss removal method from March to April.
swell
- ^ A b Jacinto C. Regalado Jr., Lawrence R. Heany: Vanishing Treasures. fieldmuseum.org, 2007, accessed July 6, 2012 .
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↑ James C. Space, Tim Flynn: Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on Invasive Plant Species of Environmental Concern. (PDF 558 kB) Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR), October 18, 2001, p. 24 , accessed on July 6, 2012 .
- ^ Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)
- ↑ Participatory Rural Appraisal in the Lowland Ecosystem of Mt. Malindang, Misamis Occidental, Philippines (PDF 4.5 MB)
- ^ Ernest Edwards: George Eastman House, Still Photograph Archive. (No longer available online.) Www.geh.org, 2003, archived from the original on March 4, 2016 ; Retrieved July 6, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ ECB Belgium - illustration of the Belgian franc banknotes
literature
- Regalado, JC, Jr. 1995. Revision of the Philippines Medinilla (Melastomataceae). Blumea 40 (1).
- Welsh, SL 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. EPS Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.
- Judd, WS, Campbell, CS, Kellog, EA & Donoghue, MJ (2002): Plant Systematics: a phylogenetic approach, Sinauer, Sunderland, Mass.
Web links
- Medinilla magnifica (PIER species info)
- Botany online: Rosidae - Myrtales
- DiversityOfLive - Biology Website
- The monarchy in Belgium - Laeken greenhouses
Plant care