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Medinilla speciosa, also known as Showy Asian Grapes. It is an evergreen perennial. It is from the Melastomataceae family of plants. This plant is named after Don Jose de Medinilla y Pifieda. He was the Spanish Governor of the Marianas from 1812-1822.
Medinilla speciosa is native to Borneo and Java and the Philippines. It usually grows in the mountain forests it prefers moist soil and shelter. They sometimes grow like orchids on holes in trees and vegetation. The large leaves help hold moisture.
How to grow Medinilla speciosa:
Grow it in containers in a well-drained potting mix. Place it in a bright shade location. It requires high humidity. It is better to grow it in a greenhouse rather than in the house. It is generally disease-free and pest-free. But watch out for spider mites and scale when growing it in a greenhouse.
Medinilla speciosa grows to about 1m or 4ft. It has small brightly pink-colored flowers that appear on red pinnacles followed by berries. It flowers from early summer through autumn. The berries first are pinkish in color and then change into bluish-purple. Medinilla speciosa makes a wonderful house plant unless you live somewhere warm or tropical.
This plant is used in traditional medicine by consuming fresh or boiling the fruit.
