We always try to be fashion forward my household, so I expect that we will be the first in town to lay hands on the large and showy Medinilla magnifica.
I saw one at a local nursery during the December holidays. It was big for a house plant–about three feet tall– and its broad, ribbed green leaves arched up and out from stout stems. The orchid pink flowers, also on arching stems, drooped down over the sides of the large pot. Each flower truss was about six inches long and vaguely conical, topped by four large, pale pink bracts and made up of scores of tiny bell-like flowers. The specimen I saw had six or eight large flower trusses, which made it look a bit like a floral chandelier. The effect was eye-catching. I had to know more.
The 150 members of the Medinilla genus are sometimes called “Malaysian orchids.” Unfortunately for those who prefer common to Latin plant names, the magnifica species, native to the Philippines, has only its Latin moniker. Though the plants are quite striking, no one has thought to give them an easy to remember handle like ‘Imelda-wort,’ or ‘typhoon lily’. If the plants catch on, I expect some PR person will come up with one.
Medinilla may not have an easy name, but it is the subject of a big marketing campaign. Like many desirable things—maple syrup, hydro-electric power and the idea of “peace order and good government”—the plants come from Canada. The Canadian wholesaler that produces them has created an entire Medinilla magnifica website, complete with alluring pictures and cultural information. The plants gained great attention at the annual 2012 “Canada Blooms” home and garden show. One of the website pages even features a photo of a medinilla plant being held by an Elvis impersonator wearing a pink jacket that matches the flowers. You don’t see that kind of thing every day.
The magnifica species is epiphytic, like many orchids, and in its native rain forests, it grows in trees or sometimes in forest clearings. Like other epiphytes, the plants take their nutrients from the air, water and surrounding debris. I am not sure whether the one I saw in the nursery was growing in orchid mix, which is made of large bark chips, or potting soil. Watering the medinilla is the same as watering an orchid—plunge the pot into a bowl or sink full of water, let it sit for about ten minutes and then return it to its growing position.
One magnifica source noted that the plants probably thrive best in greenhouses. However the marketers are doing their best to convince the public otherwise. Suffice it to say that while the plants should only be watered when dry, they like humidity. If your house is like mine and the winter humidity level hovers at a measly twelve percent, your magnifica should be placed atop a tray of pebbles and water or misted regularly to generate the requisite moisture-laden air.
Medinilla was apparently a favorite flower of King Baudoin of Belgium, who ruled from 1951 until 1993, and was featured on the Belgian 10,000 franc note in Baudoin’s time. It is possible that the plants are better known and loved in Europe than North America.
Inside, magnificas like a well lighted space. Like most of us, they benefit from summering outside on a porch or patio. Direct outdoor sunlight is too much for them and causes leaf burn, so the plants should be placed in a lightly shaded spot. Watering can proceed as normal. Make sure to bring them in before there is any danger of frost in the fall.
So, how do fashionable gardeners everywhere get their hands on Medinilla magnifica? The website, http.www.medinilla.ca/, lists retailers, but most are in Canada. The retailer that stocked the one I saw was not on the website’s list of vendors, which indicates that the list has probably broadened out. Your best bet is to go to your local nursery and ask about the plant. Perhaps it can be ordered specially from a wholesaler.
Or you can do what gardeners do best—exercise patience. Medinilla magnifica has a lot of marketing might behind it right now. That might be enough to move it into the mainstream before very long.