A mednilla is quite demanding. Even the smallest care mistakes can severely affect the plant and cause various diseases and pests.
Admittedly, the Medinilla (Medinilla magnifica) is not a plant without requirements. However, those who deal with the requirements for the location and with the general care instructions will be able to enjoy the flowering exotic species and will rarely notice any pathological changes or pest infestation.
Often the gardener himself is the cause of diseases and pests because:
❶ The plant is too wet or too dry.
❷ The plant is surrounded by insufficient humidity.
❸ The substrate has not been chosen wisely.
❹ Water and Nutrients are missing.
The following pests were increasingly observed:
- Red Spider
- Mealybugs
- scale insects
Red spider - uninvited guest when the air is too dry
The red spider prefers to attack medinilla where the plant sprayer is rarely used. If sprayed daily, the pests will not be able to cling to the leaves and this everyday care measure already provides preventive protection against pests such as the red spider or aphids, which, however, rarely attack the plants.
» Tip: Spider mites are increasingly found on the underside of the leaves.
Pests are often invisible to the naked eye. However, the clearly visible sucking points on the undersides of the leaves provide information. The leaves lose their rich green color and turn yellow.
What to do in case of an infestation?
The hobby gardener should always strive to combat pests on indoor plants without using chemical agents. Red spiders are comparatively difficult to control. Preparations from the natural pharmacy that contain extracts from the neem tree have proven themselves.
» Tip: The preparation also reliably keeps aphids and whiteflies away from indoor plants.
The plants can be treated preventively with extracts of chamomile, tansy or garlic.
Mealybugs - more commonPest
Mealybugs seem to be particularly fond of the medinilla. An infestation is easy to identify, as structures reminiscent of cotton balls can be found on the leaves of the plant. Mealybugs are only a few millimeters long. The pest lives on the sap of the plant. The females are particularly busy. They lay up to 600 eggs on the affected plant every eight weeks.
What to do?
Mealybugs should be removed manually as soon as possible. This can be done with cotton swabs or wooden sticks. If the stick is soaked with alcohol, it can be used effectively against mealybugs. The alcohol will dissolve the wax coating surrounding mealybugs. Mealybugs have natural predators in the lacewing or the parasitic wasp.
Scale insects - well armed and persistent
Scale insects deserve their name. The hard carapace with its slight curvature can be seen with the naked eye. However, the color of the pests is very well adapted to the plants and therefore not always visible at first glance. It is often not the pest itself that is noticed, but rather its excrement, the sticky honeydew that collects next to the plant pot. A scale insect infestation can also be recognized by brown leaves, webs reminiscent of wool and stunted leaves or flowers.
What to do?
If you don't want to use chemicals, removing the lice manually is an option. This can be done with a thin wooden stick or a toothpick. If the infestation is lighter, it can also be helpful to treat the Medinilla with soapy water or spray it with a decoction of garlic or nettles.
The 1×1 of the pest infestation at the Medinille
| Pest | Damage | Combat |
|---|---|---|
| Red Spider | Spider mites settle on the underside of the leaves and are therefore difficult to spot at first. Sucking out the sap causes spots on the leaves. The leaves eventually yellow and fall off. | Need tree-based preparations are environmentally friendly and also effective. Garlic broth or a lye made from field horsetail are used to strengthen the plant. |
| Mealybugs | Mealybugs leave webs resembling cotton balls on the leaves of the Medinilla. The webs can be found on the upper or lower sides of the leaves and also occur on the stems. | Mealybugsare often the result of insufficient humidity. Frequent spraying is good prevention. With a cotton swab soaked in alcohol, the pests can be removed from the plant manually and without the use of chemicals. |
| scale insects | Scale insects are colour-matched to the leaves and are therefore quite difficult to spot. Honeydew is a clear sign of pest infestation. These are the sticky excrements of the pests. With advanced infestation, leaves and flowers appear stunted. The leaves turn brown and fall off. | Scab bugs can be removed manually with a wooden stick. Fast action is required. The affected plant must be isolated, as the infestation can quickly spread to the other indoor plants. |
Avoid care mistakes - this is how the Medinille stays he althy
Caring for the medinilla is quite demanding. The plant lover should deal with the requirements of the exotic in advance. This starts with the location, which should be bright and warm. In winter, the possibility of a somewhat cooler choice of location should be guaranteed. A lack of water can affect the Medinille just as much as waterlogging. Low humidity causes the leaves to turn brown and dry up quickly. If the plant's requirements are met, this is no guarantee, but it is a good basis for successfully cultivating this distinctive beauty.