Medinilla teysmannii

This spectacular houseplant originates from the Philippine islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros, and Panay. In its natural habitat, it grows as a shrub up to 2 meters tall. Indoors, it remains significantly smaller or can be pruned. The leaves are dark green, oval, and grow up to 30 cm long and 20 cm wide. The leaf veins are a contrasting light green, and the plant produces numerous protein bodies. In nature, these serve as food for defensive ants, which, in return for this protein-rich food, protect the plant.

The beautiful, purple to red flowers are formed on panicles up to 50 cm long. Each panicle can bear up to 100 individual flowers, which open successively. It blooms from spring until late autumn. Unlike the well-known and frequently offered Medinilla magnifica , this species has upright rather than drooping flower spikes and a more reddish flower color than pink. However, it is just as easy and trouble-free to care for as M. magnifica.

You will receive a young plant approximately 20 to 30 cm tall in a 9 cm pot.