Medinilla magnifica

For the past two weeks, I have been travelling around The Netherlands and Belgium on a family vacation. My sister Amy and her husband, Chris, live in The Hague, and my brothers Ted and Kelly, sister-in-law Luisa, niece Allison, and I all went over to spend time with them sightseeing and enjoying European culture. Of course, I looked out for some great gardens while I was there. The University of Leiden Botanical Garden is a must see if you visit The Netherlands. They have a great tropical collection and a beautiful, well labelled fern garden. In the tropical house I was excited to find a large Medinilla magnifica plant in full bloom. I have seen small potted plants blooming in the past, but this specimen was at least 3 meters tall and wide.

Medinilla magnifica or Showy Medinilla is an epiphyte native to The Philippines. It commonly grows in the crotches of trees where seeds spout and take root amongst collected detritus. Occasionally it is found growing on open ground on the forest floor. It needs bright, indirect light to thrive, and must have warm temperatures and humidity levels from 60-80%. The plant is evergreen and has dark green leathery leaves covering gnarly, woody vines. The most striking feature of the plant are the pendulous rose-pink flowers clusters dangling beneath pink bracts on stems as long as 18-20 inches.

Medinilla magnifica was first documented by John Lindley, an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Besides classifying and naming many species of orchids in his lifetime, he named Medinilla magnifica in 1850 after Jose de Medinilla y Pineda, who was governor of Mauritius, an island nation off the coast of Africa, in 1820. King Boudewijn of Belgium (1951-1993) was very enamored with the Showy Medinilla as well, and had it grown in the royal conservatories and even depicted on the bank note of 10,000 Belgian francs. That’s roughly equivalent to 250 Euros, and nearly what I spent on Belgian chocolate and beer in Bruges, but who’s counting?

Mark Leichty is the Director of Business Development at Little Prince of Oregon Nursery near Portland. He is a certified plant geek who enjoys visiting beautiful gardens and garden centers searching for rare and unique plants to satisfy his plant lust. mark@littleprinceoforegon.com