If you want to have a Medinilla as a houseplant, you should have a green thumb when it comes to caring for it. The exotic plant is quite demanding.
The Medinille presents itself to the viewer in a truly magnificent way. The pink inflorescences stay on the spreading, square branches for weeks. Exotic flair in the living room is provided. However, the hobby gardener is also challenged if he gets involved with this striking beauty.
Care is not that easy, but the joy will be all the greater when you have done everything right and the first flowers appear in spring. The following care instructions will help you deal with the demanding Medinille.
❶ Pour the medinilla properly
The Medinilla, or Medinilla magnifica, has a high moisture requirement. The plant gets less from sporadic watering. Watering should be constant. It is always important to ensure that the irrigation water can drain off immediately and does not accumulate in the planter, because the tropical plants do not tolerate waterlogging. The water in the saucer should be emptied after a few minutes.
In the summer, the plant also does well with a dip. In no case should the root ball dry out. Casting requires a sure instinct. The requirement for high humidity should not be neglected either. This must not drop below 50%. In the summer, the plant sprayer must be used every day.
→ Tip: Tap water should not be used for spraying. This would result in ugly lime stains on the leaves.
In winter, the medinilla is less watered. However, care must be taken that the root ball does not dry out.
Conventional tap water contains too much lime. Therefore, it should be watered with rainwater. Furthermore, stagnant tap water, the lime content of which is significantly reduced, can be mixed with distilled water.
Pouring Medinille in keywords:
- keep evenly moist
- Avoid waterlogging
- Water less in winter
- use low lime water
❷ Fertilize the Medinilla properly
During the growth period, fertilizer should be applied regularly. Commercial liquid fertilizer can be used. This should be added to the irrigation water once a week. If the soil is enriched with compost when transplanting, an organic long-term fertilizer is provided. After the flowering period, fertilization can be given at 14-day intervals. No fertilizer is used in winter.
→ Tip: After purchase, the plants do not need any fertilizer for the first six months. The soil is usually enriched with all the necessary nutrients.
Fertilize Medinille in keywords:
- use commercially available liquid fertilizer
- Fertilize weekly during flowering
- Fertilize every 14 days after flowering
- no fertilizer in winter
❸ Stimulate flowering - this is how it's done
The indoor gardener can help to stimulate new blooms. Withered flowers are removed. When new leaves appear, the plant is moved to a cool location for one to two months. However, the temperatures should not drop below 16 degrees. Watering is regular and when new buds form the plant is returned to its location.
→ Tip: Medinillas are sensitive to relocation. Therefore, as soon as new buds appear, the plant should be brought back into the warm.
An overview of the most important care tips
| Care Measure | Explanation |
| Casting | » The Medinille needs to be watered carefully. » The root ball must not dry out, and the plant does not tolerate waterlogging either. » Tap water is too calcareous, rainwater is tolerated better . » Spray daily to ensure consistently high humidity. » Excess water must not accumulate in the planter. |
| Fertilize | » During the growth phase and flowering, fertilize weekly with liquid fertilizer. » The plants do not need any fertilizer in winter. |
| Cut | » If faded flowers are removed regularly, new leaves can form. » The Medinille tolerates pruning quite well, but does not necessarily need it. |
| Wintering | » To stimulate flowering, the plant should be allowed to hibernate. » For this purpose, the planter is placed in a cool location for two to three months. » DuringDuring this time only a little watering is done and no fertilizer is applied. » When the first buds appear, the plant is quickly moved to its old location and cultivated as usual. |
What types of Medinilla are there?
The original home of our houseplant is the mountainous region of the Philippines. There are over 200 different species of the plant genus. The locals refer to the Medinille as “Kapa-kapa”. Only the Medinilla magnifica is cultivated in Europe - and has been for more than 100 years.
❹ Does the medinilla have to be cut?
No cutting measures are absolutely necessary. The only important thing is to regularly remove the withered flowers so that new leaves can form. However, the plant tolerates pruning and it is easily possible to remove bare shoots or cut back specimens that are too lush. Pruning can be done in late summer after flowering. The plant tolerates being pruned back into the old wood.
❺ How must the medinilla be overwintered?
If you want to enjoy the pretty flowers, you have to give the Medinille a winter break. A cooler location is required for this. The temperatures in the eight to ten-week winter quarters should be around 15 degrees. During this time, the plant will receive less watering and only enough water to keep the soil from drying out completely. When the first buds appear in late winter, the plant is brought back to its usual location. Watering and fertilizing are resumed normally and the flower dance can begin.