http://www.medinilla.ca/plant-care.html

Thnx. Rina

I too purchased Medinilla last Jan..The only difference is mine is M Scortecchinii, but I believe magnifica and scortecchinii need similiar care.

Mine has been in bloom since it arrived, Jan 18th...

Not only is the flower alive, but has grown.

When a plant is blooming, I rarely repot, so so far, it's in the same soil.

After the flower dies, I plan on potting in well-draining/succulent soil, with a little African Violet mix.
Medinilla needs acidic soil, that's where the AV soil comes in.
Although most people don't use the 'P' word here, lol, I'm going to add a dash of Peat, too.

Medinilla's grow best when a little pot-bound, so its future container will be 1-size larger than its root ball.

I love the flowers on your magnifica. Before getting my Medinilla, I was looking for magnifica, but found this species on sale, so decided to give it a try.

Good luck, Toni

Thank you. I just got mine & read that flowers last as long as 4 mo. I like that!
They had these at Home Depot here in Toronto just after new year; they were larger but also over $65...So I am happy with this one. Hope it will grow like yours.
Interesting plant...

Rina

Please post pics when/if they open.

65.00!!! Sheesh. Why so expensive? lol.

I've tried Medinilla's a few times in the past, but they died. Don't know what I did wrong.

Four months is a long time for flowers to last. The only other plant w/long-lasting blooms is Bromiliad.

I hope both our Med's make it, and rebloom in the future.

The photos I posted were just taken and that's how much they open so far.
If you go to this link: http://www.medinilla.ca/history.html
there is a photo of buds fully open, just beautiful.

The one I received is smaller than HD ones for $65 were, but I was able to find out it was $15. I think they charge this kind of $ since we are in 'cold' Canada I guess...and I think they are just recently available here.

There is annual flower show Canada Blooms in Toronto in March, and this year Medinilla was "star of the show" - after that they all dissapeared from HD.

Hope we both have luck growing it.
Rina

Did you happen to read the article on Medinilla care?

What type of fertilizer did you or will you use?

It's a little confusing since they're Epiphytes.

15.00 isn't bad at all. Actually, you got a great deal.
65.00 is way too expensive. Perhaps if one looked like the Medinilla's on that site, lol, even then, who can afford to pay that much, especially for one plant? !!

After seeing yours and the link, and if mine survives, I will probably hunt for M. magnifica. lol. The flowers are amazing.

Also, I'd love to live in a house like the one in the link! That sunroom is amazing. :) Toni

I hope someone else growing this plant will comment yet.

And I do like that sunroom a lot! Wish I had at least a skylight...

Rina

Mime is grown in nearly pure peat moss, has been there for nearly two years. they only time it has been out of bloom is when I cut the old flowers off before the new ones had started to show color.

when purchased it was in a 6" pot, plastic. I moved it to a terra cotta clay pot of the same size and put the whole thing inside a larger decorative pot with a couple inches of packing peanuts on the bottom and padded the sides with sphagnum moss. fertilized one a week with a water soluble Peters 20-20-20, misted heavily daily. currently has eight flower bids in the process of expanding and seems to be putting out new growth buds daily.

as far as price goes, I just look at what I can afford. I will not pay $65 for plant they do not have any idea (when asked) as of how to take care etc. I prefer to "try" with less expensive, just in case...And knowing that many large-box stores really do not take properly for variety of plants they carry, I hesitate to spend so much $$$ there too.
If there is a "new" plant, price is always high. As it becomes more available, prices usually drop a lot.

I wonder what zone do you live in? Do you keep yours indoor thruout the year?
What kind of light?

In researching on this plant, one of the sucessfull growers said that they need some room - when root-bound, very susceptible to wilting (drying out fast).
One said to water with rain water, another not to use rain water. So I am just looking for as much info as possible.

Thnx. Rina

When Medinilla stops blooming, it will go in a large container, but for now I'll wait..only problem is it's so root bound..needs water every 2nd day.

LOL, I hear ya on the sky light.

Hi Strobe. I don't understand your statement regarding prices.
Are you upset when people complain prices are too expensive or that some plants are over-priced?

I mix my own soils. Since Medinilla prefers acidic soil some Peat will be added in addition to other mediums.

When plants do well, flower in a certain size pot, it makes sense keeping in the same size container..On the other hand, if extremely root bound to the point foliage hasn't room to grow, repotting a size up is necessary.

It depends on the plant AND the amount of time one can afford to spend watering.
I have over 300 plants..Watering is done by hand, which is very time consuming..I'm NOT complaining, 'not at all,' but there are other chores that need doing. Cleaning, cooking, pets, (dog, 4 birds, Iguana and Bearded Dragon,) and some sleep..lol.

It takes 3-5 days to fertlize, @ 4-hours per day. lol.

of course you don't understand my comments about prices. and yes i realize i am being deliberately offensive and patronizing. and yes i realize you are not made of money nor do you care to part with what you work hard for foolishly. neither is the point, nor is it the point that i just ain't giving you much sympathy.

The question is one of priorities...you can have a good inventory of unique plants staffed by knowledgable personnel or you can have an inventory of the same plants staffed by someone who might know that plants benefit from timely watering. In the end we all want cadillac products at wal-mart prices.

I took a close-up of the soil day I received the plant. Does not look good to me, it's definitely peat with a bit of green on top - not really moss but definitely not good. I just don't want to disturb flowering; as I read, should be re-potted after flowering. Hope that will be OK. So I am just going to watch it, mist it as much as possible & eventually repot into (probably) orchid type soil.
I have no idea of root ball yet, did not take it out of pot (hopefully will have chance to check it today).

Toni

what is your soil mix?
I am also thinking to repot into larger pot.
You have lots of plants! I have maybe 55-65 (indoors), and that is lot - but, I never met a plant I did not like yet...
they don't lookt greatest, after being inside for so long. (But you are in low temp zone too, do you have a greenhouse?) Temps are still not high enough to take them outside, after few weeks of very warm weather we have now much lower temps (there was lots of snow just outside of Toronto just 2 days ago, even some schools were closed).

Rina

LOL, yes, I do have a lot of plants..Yesterday, I spent part of the morning and half the afternoon watering succulents. South and west sides of the front plant room. Still have west and north sides to water..lol.

Some plants, mainly tropicals, are brought to the sink and showered..that's one reason it takes so long to water.

65 plants is a lot, too, Rina..lol.
What varieties do you have?

One plant I really don't care for is ZZ. lol. I feel bad confessing, since many people love this plant, but ZZ does nothing for me.

Rina, I have a small 8x12 green house. Plants in gh, Citrus, Agaves, large Aloes, Gingers, and a few odds and ends.
Most plants are wintered indoors. I WISH I had a larger gh, or better yet, a huge sunroom attached to the house. My dream! :)

I hauled some plants outside when temps were in the 80's. One citrus, Gardenia, variegated Ginger, Euphorbia, and a succulent dish garden I made up years ago from extra cuttings.

A few nights were close to freezing, 34F, but so far, no harm or frost has discolored leaves.
I also place a hot pepper plant outdoors, sown from seeds last summer, when days are warm.

Yep, winter is not the best time of year for plants. Heat, stuffy, dry air, lack of light! Thankfully, artificial lighting, humidifers, indoor fountains, fans, misting and showering helps plants survive through winter.

Aw! Please don't mention the 'S' word, lol.

You asked about my soil mix. Are you talking about soil Medinilla is potted in? Toni

You mention you mix your own soil, so I wonder what do you use - what are you adding the peat to for Medinilla: Since Medinilla prefers acidic soil some Peat will be added in addition to other mediums.

My plants are whatever I like and can buy at the moment when in store, and I take anything someone else doesn't like/can take care of anymore. And any cuttings.
I have huge jade (Crassula ovata) that was given to me by friends about 18yrs ago, and many smaller ones (at least 10 right now) that all came from 'mother' plant. Have given many away.
Few orchids (all phals, now 5) - also gifts over the years (don't ask how many went to plant heaven...) and terrestial orchid Ludisia.
Small fig (gift from same friends as jade)-had 5 figs first time. One Meyer lemon, 3 olives, rosemary,jasmine,2 Benjaminas,passion flowers,hoya,angel's trumpet (overwintered inside),Thurnbergia,bouganvelia(2),bay,spider plant,and few others.
About 35 succulents & few cacti - most of them are new to me (since last fall). So a mish-mash of plants.

Hope to get a green house one day too. Or move south? Not sure what would be easier?! Now have only 4 south-facing windows.

Medinilla flowers are starting to open, here how they look now:

I am trying to learn much more about how to properly take care of all this plants (namely SOIL-SOIL-SOIL and proper watering), and trying to learn names too. That is quite a challenge; need to ID almost everything since the name tags are usually just : 'succulent'; tropical houseplant'; 'cactus' ...and to remember is another thing.
I have lots of perennials outside in the pots (at least 75) that I have to get rid off; I tend to pot any seedling/division/seed/cutting; and have no space to plant them out. Hostas, ferns, few shrubs that I grew from cuttings & seeds, liatris, grasess, Solomon's seal, salvias, rudbeckias, and many more.

Rina

Been mixing my own soils for years.

Peat or Sphagnum Peat is added to plants that need acidic soil. Like Medinilla.
When it's time to repot Medinilla I'll mix portions of rich soil, Peat, sand, bark, MG Cactus & Succulent Soil, Perlite, and tiny stones. Think that's it. lol.

However, mediums are altered depending on type of plant. I don't add Peat with succulents or plants that do not require acidic soil.

Rina, you have some interesting plants. When you say fig, do you mean Ficus Benj or a figs that are usually grown outdoors and produce edible fruit?

How does Thunbergia do indoors? I recently bought one..at first I considered planting outside, in the ground, but read they can be grown as house plants, so decided to keep it potted..It's fairly small, and wasn't in the best condition, so I don't know if it'll make it in or out.

I thought I had a lot of Jades, lol.

Does your Ludisia bloom in winter? Mine did for the longest time, but I moved it a few years back..no more blooms. Think it needs more light.

When I first got into plants, I bought a plant book. Hyponex. I read and reread, looked at plant pics over and over, fantasized which I wanted. lol. At the time, most were impossible locating..no such thing as the Internet.

Even w/the net, I still enjoy reading plant books, getting different authors' views.

Learning Botanical names, especially succulents, 'for me' would take years, lol.. There's way too many species, not to mention cultivars and changes.

Better 4 south facing windows than 4 north.

Your buds look great. Medinilla's have pretty flowers. Wish they were fragrant.
So, under petals are little beads like other Meds.
Is your Med getting a lot of light or medium?
BTW, I checked Ebay for Med mag, no such luck..Other species were available, but not magnifica.

Why don't you sell your extra perennials? Do you sow seeds during winter months? Is that the reason you have so many outdoor plants?
It's great you can sow/take cuttings of perennials. I used to sow annual seeds, but never perennials..Annuals were enough, lol. But, it was a nice hobby, and got to plant annuals in the garden not sold here.

Maybe you should try sowing tropicals/succulent seeds. Most take a lot longer than an annual, but worth the wait.
The few plants I started from seeds/cuttings have sentimental value. My Clivia was sowed from seed in 1982/3. The same year a friend gave me a Crown of Thorn cutting. Both are still alive and well.

Seeds are available on Ebay and many online nurseries. Very reasonable prices.

I need to finishing watering plants, but we haven't had sun since last week. They're predicting cloudy days and rain all week. Blah.
I'd rather water on sunny days, but plants need a drink, so sun or clouds, they'll get watered.

Oh Lord, I watered my Medinilla and two ferns this morning, left them in the sink. While typing, I wasn't paying attention to my two male Cockatiels.
I just happened to turn around, and there they were, nibbling away..Damn! I hope Medinilla isn't poisonous.
I swear, they're like two-yr-olds, always getting in trouble.

Toni

the fig is 'edible' but do not know anything more about it. I did not have a place to overwinter it (without killing it), so it produced 5 little figs right after New Year. I hope to be able to grow it properly in the future; maybe build a shed for overwintering of some plants.

Thunbergia grows very easily, but I think it still does not have enough light/sun indoors in my place, and is leggy. But it bloomed few times, it's pretty. I can't wait to put it outside. And it needs somekind of trellis, grows just like passion flower. I wasn't sure it will survive, since it got chopped down to about 2-3" in fall. Took about 1 mo & it started few new shoots. (not so great photo of ludisia:)

Ludisia bloomed last time around Christmas. I had it in hanging pot in approx. 2hrs of sun & it liked it there. Has many new shoots.
Medinilla is in north-facing window, lots of light, not really any sun. But it is doing good so far - I am misting it daily.

I don't sow any seeds in winter, but had luck rooting cuttings of almost anything I tried. Ninebark (have about 16 now), kiwi, 7 yews (from neighbours trimming their hedge), weigela, euonymus, deutzia, bluebeard, roses, berberis, boxwood, viburnum (from seeds), cornelian cherry (from seeds), and some more. Most are easy to root.

Last year I rooted a palm: bought it many yrs. ago when my son was born. No idea what it is, just a palm. Grew almost 8' tall with skinny trunk, so I finally nicked it in the middle of trunk, wrapped in moist spaghnum moss & covered in plastic. In couple of months it had roots...so I got rid of original trunk (did not sprout) and the palm is only 3.5' tall now...

All other plants are mainly divisions from garden perenials.

I am hoping to get some seeds and try to grow succulents this year.

Watch those babies of yours...they probably like tropical plants, feels like home...Rina

Several years ago,(15+) I ordered and planted Kiwi in the garden. At the time, I had NO idea a male and female were needed to produce fruit.
Is there a way to determine the sex of my kiwi?
Since I have no recollection of its type, would adding any male kiwi work?

Every article I've read on kiwi suggest 2 to 3 males to 1 female.
Unfortunately, it doesn't say if the same variety is necessary.

Should I tear out the kiwi growing, start over or add males? Or do you have another suggestion? I'd really love to see this plant fruit. I think it's old enough. Right?

Very nice fig. Did it fruit in or outdoors? Some figs are hardy as low as z5...since you're z6A, you can choose several varieties that will survive your zone.
Except for Fig Newtons, don't think I ever tasted a fig, lol. How do you eat them? Or is it for show?

I had no idea Thunbergia was a vine. Thought it grew upright. Oh well, if it lives, I'll use a trellis.
Yours is doing wonderful..Flowers are so pretty, beautiful colors.

I tried expanding your Ludisia but for some reason it won't open. I hate when that happens. Do you have pdf files or another type?

Some time ago, I pruned and rooted Ludisia. Do you know it'll live in water? lol. Instead of placing every cutting in soil, I placed one in a hanging glass tube. It's still alive. I kept a Ludisia in this same tube for years, but forgot to water..lol. I swear, they live on air, lol.

Rina, I mist plants daily..not succulents or cactus, but tropicals and bulbs get a daily spray, sometimes twice a day.
Remember not to spray buds/flowers. Although, when plants are outside, budding or blooming, rain hits them, yet they survive. Indoors, flowers fade. Recently, I accidently sprayed Hoya buds. More than once. The buds never opened. I feel misting is very important.

You have a Super-Green Thumb, lol.

Wonder which palm you had. Never heard of air-layering a palm, but guess it can be done.
How long did you wait before tossing the bottom? Some palms are slow-growing..Very slow.

Don't worry..I set the plants back in their spot, and keeping an eye on my two males. I hope they're okay. There aren't many avian vets here, so if something were to happen.........oh God, don't want to think about it.
My one male, Mystic is either 16 yrs or will be. Didn't get a birth certificate when I got him.

Do you have pets? They're great, but need constant watching.

We had to have our 12-yr-old, English Mastiff put to sleep about a month ago. It's devestating. Don't want another disaster.

Speaking of perennials...I can't believe how many plants have sprouted, budded, bloomed this year. A first. We didn't have much of a winter, so plants, (trees/bushes/bulbs/perennials) are a month ahead of time.

Most of my house plants would have survived outdoors all winter..lol.

I only grow 1 kiwi for 'ornamental' purpose. Know that you need 1 male for 6-9 female plants to get the fruit. Apparently fruit nurseries/catalogs usually list suitable 'partner'.
You can try to ID if yours is male or female by looking at the flowers-I never tried so far. Here is the sketch I had in my notes: (you can't distinguish male from female plants until they bloom. The male flowers have stamens, and the female ones have carpels.)


It takes 3-5yrs. to get the fruit. Yours is mature, so I would probably try to buy another one & see if it works (after trying to determine sex of the existing plant). Just make sure you keep the sex/name of the new one, so if it doesn't work, you know to look for another male/female.
Did you have flowers on yours yet? I grew mine from the cutting I got abt. 7yrs. ago, where it was also grown as ornamentsl only.
They need pruning similar to grapes.
BUT, I am not the expert, maybe there is more info here on GW.

The fig is kept outdoors thru the summer, it's in the pot. My friends are Italian, they gave me the young offspring 2 yrs. ago. So far I did not give it 'proper' conditions (should be dormant in winter-unless having a greenhouse?) It's not cold-hardy, know from their experience. I personally like taste of fruit a lot, just eat them from the tree, delish...

I rooted numerous Ludisia cutting in the water like you. I am about to repot it, will take better pic after.

I think I had lots of begginers luck so far. Was really excited about air-layering that palm! Kept the original trunk for about a yr.
I had date palms sprouting in my compost heap couple of yrs. ago: after leaving pits in compost, I think they had just enough heat to survive the winter & to crack the seed shell. In spring there was about dozen palms all over the compost - I was amazed. I remember my mom trying to grow them from seed by cracking the shell with hammer, it worked for her couple of times.

I don't have any animal babies, my daughter recently moved with her 2 dogs; kids always had dogs, cats and another pets around (incl. ferret & a corn snake), no birds so far.
First was Doberman, lived 15 yrs; second was rescue Staffordshire Terrier lived for 16 yrs; now she has 2 that are 4...I think now I need little holiday.
Rina

I do not know what variety I have though. It was there when we bought the house. Probably is 20+ years old. Very easy to make cuttings. I recently got a cutting of another fig - kubota or something like that name. I am trying to root it now.

Thanks for the sketch..wow! lol

Is Carpel the same as Ovary? Not that it matters. Kiwi never flowered. lol.

I thought it was the opposite..more males than females.

Guess, I'll need to buy more Kiwis.. Male and females. Or pluck it out. I'd rather now wait another 3-5 years.
You'd think the nursery would have mentioned Kiwi needed a male and female.
Wonder if there's a variety that doesn't need both sexes to fruit?

Most hardy figs go dormant, drop leaves in winter. If grown indoors, the fig doesn't realize it's winter, so leaves remain.

In case this is the first time you've rooted Ludisia, before planting in soil, wait until roots are large and strong. Too small, and there might be problems.

It's funny about baby palms growing from your compost. Some ppl try sowing palm seeds successfully, do everything possible, without luck. No palm.
You don't even try and babies grow..lol..Too funny.
Sometimes it's better to ignore than make a big fuss trying to plants to root/grow.

Yes, I agree, you need a holiday. Pets are great, I really love them, but they require work. Lots of work.
They also want attention. Which is fine. I'd feel terrible if my birds/dog suddenly ignored me. (:

Tropico. I believe it's normal for figs to go dormant from autumn/early winter until spring.

What I didn't know is figs could be rooted by cuttings. That's interesting.
But how long after a cutting roots will it take to go in the ground? And how long to produce fruit?

I can't believe the number of outdoor, garden plants that are budding/blooming so soon this year.

Planting in IL is May 15th..IL farmers planted corn, ect, weeks ago..a big risk.

Some of last years annuals have reseeded, and sprouted. This only happened a couple times the last three or so years. Uncanny.

Oh, last year I planted a Musa, banana basjoo. A new pup is already growing. I'm soooo happy..lol.

I got some seeds from a palm tree (cabbage or sabal) while camping a couple weeks ago. I'll try the 'compost pile method' on some!

Googled the namesake of this discussion & wow - what cool & beautiful flowers! If I see one, I will get it.

Toni, aparently there is a self-pollinating kiwi; I don't know the name and hardiness but nursery should know if they carry any.
Is the Musa cold-hardy?

I finally put few pots outside, today was warm & rainy; they should enjoy the shower.
Rina

If my kiwi is self-pollinating, maybe there's another reason it hasn't fruited.
The leaves grow beautifully, very healthy. Maybe it's not getting enough sun to produce?

Yes, Musa basjoo is a hardy, inedible banana plant.
Leaves are identical to tropical bananas, even flowers, but no fruit.

I planted a couple in front, twice before. They didn't return the following year..front gets more sun than back yard, so you'd think the Musa would have come back. No such luck.

I think it's the soil. It has way too much clay. Other plants grow in front, (perennials/bulbs/annuals), I don't know if clay is the reason Musa didn't return.

The back yard, depending on location, gets 'mostly' north, east and some south light. If planted nearest the gate, very little west.
The front gets south, west and north.

Here's a pic of the basjoo planted last year..BTW, when I purchased it, it was in a 4" pot, about 7" tall. I planted in-ground, in mid-summer..Fairly late in the year.

Now that a pup sprouted, it should grow much taller.

BTW, some nurseries claim Basjoo is hardy to z5, others say z6. Who to believe?

Some house plants have been outside about 3 weeks, even though nights got really cold, but so far so good.
I debated hauling more out, (yesterday's temp, 87F,) rain storms all night.
It's 65F today and cloudy.

Two other reasons I haven't taken more plants out. Ants are nuisances. They make homes in soil..when plants are brought in, so are ants.

Another reason, weeding needs to be done. I planned on plucking weeds today, but the ground is 100% mud from last nights storms.

Rina, which plants did you place outside?
Oh yes, rain is great for plants..better than tap, and soil is watered thoroughly.

Purple, good luck on compost propagting, lol. Toni

Purple, let us know if palms sprout from seeds...Rina

The Banana is growing in the ground, 'in case the banana was the plant you were referring to.' I have no control when it sprouts.

Plants you listed sound safe.

The only plant that wouldn't go out is Plumaria. They're too cold-sensitive, even above freezing temps.

Purple..Last year I won Bottle Palm Tree seeds on Ebay. The seller sent about 50 seeds, way too many. I was expecting 10. lol.
The order was nearing the end of the season which is the reaon seller 'probably' sent so many.

I sowed a few. It can take a year for some Palms to germinate, so I'm not holding my breath.
Anyway, a couple wks back, I found the seeds and decided to place a few seeds in different plant. Some Palms. If they germinate, great, if not, oh well.

Toni

Anyway, got my Medinilla on Ebay via Hirt's. Hirt's also sells on Amazon. Toni