Another one of the same plant before I repotted it.
This message was edited Nov 3, 2008 11:49 AM
Let's talk about Showy Medinillas.
Oh how terrific is that? After the lovely blooms, came the berries. ATB, this is my first experience with S.M. so I don't have any experience to add. I assume if the berries are allowed to mature and ripe, then seeds maybe viable? Other has experience please chime in.
Kim, I came over here to tropicals to start a discussion thread about these, and low and behold!!!! I found you!
My sis went to Hawaii in September and she asked what I wanted so I told here Medinilla "Lalique". That was unreasonable so I said I would go with Magnifica. She spent time on 3 islands over there but no one would sell retail to her.
Ultimately, Big Island Growers referred her to a nursery in Jacksonville, Fl. Imagine that. It took them a month, trying to figure out how to ship a 3 gallon pot without destroying the plant. They grew these from cuttings and I was pleasantly surprised when I finally potted it up to a different container, there are two plants in there.
I've only had it for a month, so certainly had no blooms. We just finished converting the orchid house to greenhouse for the winter and I think this will be very happy in there. I have parked it by my orchid tree and it will get misted frequently.
Now for the discussion part.
Fleurone, when you had 29, it was 20 at my house. brrrrrr. Luckily, although the greenhouse walls weren't up yet, the screen and roof helped to keep the frost out. But I had taken this plant into the house for the frost. My Siberian Husky ate the top off the secondary plant. GGrrrrrrrr!!!!
I am confused by this plant. Plant files say it is an epiphyte and garden terms say that means an air plant, growing on trees, like an orchid.
This plant came to me in heavy potting soil and all the photos in plant files, show this is grown in pots. When I transplanted it today, I put stones in the bottom of the urn like pot, following by some pines needles and some spanish moss. Then with a mix of spagnum moss, potting soil and composted manure. All these things will make the medium airier than what it was in before today.
Any thoughts on my confusion?
Molly
Congrats MM, on your Showy Medinillas. Let's keep in touch, mine continues to thrive in the makeshift gh, and yes, I do mist it frequently. Such lovely plant I wish more people would discover them. I'm delighted with just the foliage, imagine when this comes to blooms, I'd be beside myself. ^_^
Kim
p.s. we've crossed posted. Let's hear from Fleurone and others, we've touched the topic of 'epiphyte' on pf could possibly be an error? Mine came in a small pot, the growing medium look/feel very lite like that of 'seed starter' medium. I've yet to repot myself, simply because I don't know what is best for the plant yet.
This message was edited Nov 9, 2008 4:36 PM
I wish I could find more information regarding this plant. I found mine at Wal-Mart of all places and potted it into a larger container with my regular mix that I use for everything, a combination of Miracle Grow Potting Soil, Lots of Perlite and Lots of Orchid Bark. So far, so good ... my plant looks great.
I was wondering if that was an error in PF listing it as an Epiphyte, then I did some googling and found this site that also states it's an Epiphyte: http://mgonline.com/medinilla.html Still very confusing though, as this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medinilla and this one http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Medinilla says they are evergreen shrubs.
Has anyone else had the problem of branches easily broken on their Medinilla? For some reason mine tends to break very easily if I happen to bump into it. I stuck two cuttings into the Terrarium and one turned yellow and wasn't looking good so I pulled it out ... the other little cutting is doing okay so far. I think this week I might take a couple more cuttings and pot them up and see what happens.
The plant seems to be very prone to wind damage. Appears very brittle yes, the leaves if cracks/breaks easily with every little movement.
I can't believe my post transmitted ... my computer started going all "wonky" and backspacing and erasing everything I typed!
Either there are "Gremlins" on DG or in my computer tonight! LOL.
I am trying to be very careful around my plant so as not to bump it too much ... don't want too many branches breaking off.
It has been quite awhile since I've posted. Well wishes to all my friends here. So please share whatever has our Medinilla become? Life happens. I gave mine away to a friend thinking I might find another -- well, it took me all these years. Then few days ago I found a replacement! The plant is named "Medolyn " here she's! Let's have a reunion shall we? Oops the pix failed to upload. Hang on. ....
Beautiful plants ladies! I'll have to stay on the look out for those at our Wal-Mart. Lovely!
Howdy gardener friend from Baytown, Tx. The flowers last a long time on these plants. I'm pleased that I was introduced to them years past....
Before I found this one in full bloom from a local nursery. I ordered two (Medinillas), from Top Tropicals. Although, they were shipped from Florida, their packing methods were superbly done. I'm so tickled pink with their service. One of the two plants is making fresh buds, I'm not sure if those buds are flowerbuds, or leafbuds. I'll take some pix. and share later.
Great! Thanks! Hope it's flowers!
As of now, the buds that I have on a new plant look more like leaf buds. And the one that is in full bloom, well almost full bloom, for today I noticed the flowers actually open. Temp. outdoor is pleasantly cool, so I took the plant outdoor for a fresh-air vacation. Enjoy.
Wow, quite nice and large. How long have you had it? That is a large pot! Any special care? I tried them a couple times, killed them. I saw some at zone9tropicals when I was watering there on Thursday, tempted to give another try.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=10052507
Someone asking for id, didn't realize there were so many when I searched.
rj, thanks. I bought the plant in full bloom less than a month ago. It's supper fragile, the young man that helped me at the nursery, knocked out one of the bracts. I was none so pleased. But I eyed and picked out the best plant that they had on display that day so I suffered the loss. lol
The pot is big, true, but that's just for display. The actual pot is small and it's planted in peatmoss, so it's very light. Its culture is quite 'feanicky' I don't know if I will be able to meet its cultural requirement by keeping it in the temp. range of 59-72F.
Check this out. www.medinilla.ca
Aaaah, I feel better lol.
So far so good, my 3 plants are thriving.
That's beautiful!
Hi, I've had medinillas inside the past 20 years, but am trying to grow them outside in FL now. Anyone advice on how to be successful with planting them in the yard?
And I'm very curious what the results of the propagation attempts were. Specially with the leaves as that is new to me. I know that with cuttings it takes a couple of months before it roots.
Heleen
Hi, Heleen, by far it seems you're the most experienced on raising these beauties. I've no advice to give for I failed miserably when I attempted to root the leave cutting. Currently I've one that I keep inside the house, on a window with bright light, but out of direct sun. Two hanging baskets under a weeping ornamental tree in the backyard which has canopy shade from large trees. All 3 baskets are doing well.
Have yours re-bloomed for you over the years? Could you offer some tips on how to coach them to bloom again when kept indoor?
Here are the 2 I hung outdoor since early spring. We've frost here during winter, so these will be brought indoor with supplemental light, irrigation, humidity control etc. during the winter months.
Hi Lily Love, you do pamper yours! They must be very spoiled, humidity control etc should result in beautiful plants!
I am not sure if I can give you valuable advise. I do not have much educated information on medinillas, and can only tell you that I treat them similar to orchids.
I mist the plants often, water them only now and then (with luke warm water till it runs out of the pot, should not have any water inside an over pot) when the leaves start to curl it's really time to water.
My plants get orchid food when the blooms are done and the leaves are growing. As soon as the leaves are grown, I stop feeding them.
I never payed attention to it, because I lived in an area where it would be cold in the winter (and therefor colder inside the house as I wasn't much home during daytime), but apparently it is important to have a colder period to rebloom medinillas (60F) I suppose that next to a colder period, it is also very important to be sparse with watering.
(Pics)
This was how they looked before I left end May. With the changing sun, they got sunburned at a moment and I'd to move them. One has a sleepover under an neighbour's oak, the others under a shade cloth, as I am trying to figure out how to keep them alive while I'm gone. I only moved in in February, and do not own shade trees (yet). As heavy rain damaged one of the plants, I'll try to propagate it when I'm back. Growing medinillas outside is actually more worrying to me than inside. Perhaps I'm going to bring some back north again.
Thank you Helen for sharing your experience. You've invaluable experience raising orchids! And those Medinilla, is indeed a type of orchids. Yours look so healthy, the experience shines very nicely.
Yes, I agree with you raising these beauties outdoor and try to match with their natural environment in their own habitats is tough. So far our summer is fairly mild here, the big trees in the yard provide shade, we've automatic water irrigation system around the house, so these benefit from that. To keep them properly fertilize is my challenge. I keep forget them for they're so easy going -- so to speak.
I grow a lot of tropical that love sunshine, but I'm learning more about shade loving plants at present. Thank you again, for sharing those info. and beautiful pics.
Thank you, but that is a lot of undeserved praise as I am well aware that there are many with much more experience here. I even feel odd offering my knowledge, specially as I am seeking for it concerning medinillas.
I forgot to tell that I use super thrive. Also on the medinillas, when I mist spray them. I wonder if kelp would be good, as it is commonly used for terrestrial orchids. Next time, I'll see if I can find some in the sea. I read that it is possible to use it directly under the plants. Since it will take time to break down it might be a good solution for me, as spraying has to be done a couple times a week for brugmansias, and a bit less, but still on a regular base for orchids.
An automatic irrigation system usually doesn't hit plants hanging in a tree. It highers the humidity for a short period, but I don't think that is enough for the medinillas. I placed the one under the oak tree so that it will benefit from the sprinklers. The others have to do with the rain and a hand watering every two/three dry days in my absence. Curious to see which ones are doing the best, and in just a few weeks I can inspect them!😃
Heleen
Btw, I love the Gloriosa. Did you grow them from seeds?
Thanks, the Gloriosa lilies I raise them from tubers. Local nursery occasionally carry them. One of my gardening friends mentioned that she used to have some, I promised her next time I see them at this local nursery, I'll pick some for her. They stay dormant during the winter, but I do keep them in frost free area, until early spring, that is when I bring the pot back outdoor and begun water/fertilizer for the growing season. They're in full glory, at present. :))
I also love other lilium, as my screen name suggests. :)
Absolutely stunning! I love them too, but I've to be careful with the heat.
I got carried away after an initial success with seeding hibiscus and bought a bundle of seed packages. Unfortunately, I didn't check how difficult or how much time it would take to germinate them. Nor when is a good time... Gloriosa rotschildiana and G carsonii are amongst them. No clue how I am going to do this in the one month I'll be down in FL.
I can appreciate the feeling of uncertainty regarding raising our fav. flowers from seeds. Rather, I waited when nature waves her magic wand; the seedling took off, that's when I made the move. I brought this seedling Desert willow back from the SW, it promptly flowered for me the following summer after I brought it home. The tree is roughly 3 feet tall. :)
This message was edited Jul 5, 2015 2:35 PM
Lily I love the photos of the Medinilla. I had a Medinilla cumingi (Showy grape clusters) I have no idea why, but it died, real fast after looking quite healthy. I haven't seen one at a garden center since.
I did get a Gloriosa lily at the last round up I attended here in FL by Sugarweed, I think MollyC brought them, FearlessQ (Heleen) was there too. I planted mine in the ground finally and it now has two buds, I'm so excited and will post the flowers once they come out.
Heleen, I am glad you gave advice on the care of the Medinilla, If I see one again, I'd like to try another one, I really did enjoy the blooms.
-Sherri
Waving at Sherri. Glad you came by. It's so nice to be able to raise Gloriosa lilies in the garden. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures. Oh I just found medinilla that I keep indoor is putting out new bud. I'm not sure if it is flower bud or leave bud.
Hi Kim, hope you're enjoying this summer on your deck. I'll be sure to post pic's when those buds open, should be any day now.
MollyMc, if you read this what did you mix into the soil in your little pots, sort of gel like. It really holds the moisture. All the plants I got from you are doing very well.
My medinilla croaked too, and it was looking really good. And all of a sudden, poof...........it was gone. I didn't think I overwatered; would water when the medium felt dry to the touch. And I know it wasn't too wet. *sigh*............would love to try one again, but it was so blasted expensive. I think I paid $35.00 for it. I had it for over a year.
Sunkissed, those were absorb crystals. They absorb the water and hold it, then give it to the plants when they need it.
Sidney, I still have a good supply of them you had with the applicators you made, several years ago.
Molly
Sherri, as to the gloriosa's after a time, they will multiply and give you many more. I am glad they are doing well for you.
Molly, well I have to say those absorb crystals really do help hold the moisture, we hardly had rain around here after the RU and I went on a few mini trips. Was worried about them but the crystals kept them from drying out, so I thank you for taking the time to add them to the pots. Where do you buy the crystals?. I'm about to get a flower on the Obedient Plant also.
Anna, I paid about $20 for my medinilla, and that is a lot for me. I saw some medinilla yesterday at Lowe's in Lake Mary, nice size plants with plenty of flowers blooming, cost was $29.99. I got a lifesaver cactus instead for $4. ☺
Sherri,
Sidney can tell you where to get the absorb crystals. Several years ago, she did a co-op and that's where I got them from. Still have a good supply left.
I have seen, they are now selling miracle grow potting soil with the crystals in them.
My obedients are not yet blooming, but they will in the next month. All plants are slower out here in my woods.