Madhumalti Plant: Easy to care plants with pleasantly scented flowers
Image by yarachan from Pixabay
Madhumalti Plant is one of the beautiful creepers for your garden or balcony. The colorful flowers add beauty to the garden and also leaves a pleasant smell. They are easy to care for and require very little maintenance. The medicinal properties of the plant along with the contrasting colorful flowers and dark green leaves make it a great choice for the outdoor garden.
Quick Details of Madhumalti Plant
| Other Common Names | Chinese honeysuckle, Burma creeper, Rangoon creeper, Rangoon flowers, Irangan Malli |
| Type | Evergreen flowering creeper |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Flowering | Summers |
| Light | Bright direct sunlight |
| Water | Regular watering |
| Temperature | Warm humid conditions |
| Soil | Any well-draining soil |
| Fertilizer | Balanced organic fertilizer |
| Habitat | Tropical forest |
| Toxicity | Nil |
| Common Diseases | Pest attack |
| Scientific name | Combretum indicum |
Overview of Madhumalti
They are woody creepers belonging to the family Combretaceae and are native to the tropical forests of India, Malaysia, Burma, Myanmar, and the Philippians. These plants can grow to a height of up to 10 meters tall. They are climbers and need support for growth. In wild, they attach themselves to tall trees or any other support. The leaves are dark green, elliptical in shape with a round base.
The flowers are tubular and have a pleasant scent. They are initially white in color when they bloom but turn pink the next day and finally red when they are fully mature. This technique helps in attracting a wide range of pollinators to the plant. The plants bear fruits that are small, elliptically shaped with five wings, and taste similar to almonds.
Along with the regular Madhumalti plant, we can find Dwarf Madhumalti variety also in nurseries with is easy to grow in pots and terraces. Care wise it is almost the same but the appearance of these two varieties is different. Flowering will be the same in both varieties.
Usage and Advantage of Madhumalti Plant
- Madhumalti plants are grown as ornamental plants and are preferred for their pleasant smell.
- The root, leaves, and fruits have medicinal properties and are used in treating many ailments.
- The stems are used in making baskets and traps.
General Care for Madhumalti Plants
Soil for Madhumalti Plants
Madhumalti plant does not require very different soil. Normal soil works best for this plant growth. These plants can be grown in any kind of soil. However, they prefer a well-draining with a normal pH soil.
Water needs for Madumalti Plant
They require regular watering. Water the plants regularly during summers. In colder climatic conditions water them once in 2 days. The plants can tolerate little drought as well as overwatering but maintaining a proper water schedule can help them flourish as healthy plants with regular blooms.
Sunlight requirement for Madhumalti Plant
Madhumalti prefers bright direct sunlight for at least 6-8 hours per day. Place them in spots with bright direct sunlight. The flowers have brighter colors when the plants are grown in good light conditions.
Temperature for Madhumalti Plant
The plants prefer being in warm, humid conditions. They grow best in temperate, tropical, and sub-tropical conditions where the climate is warm. The plants can survive in cold but will start to shed their leaves. During winters, try to keep them away from harsh cold drifts.
Special Care of Madhumalti Plant
The plants do not require any special care. They are quite hardy and can survive in any climatic condition. The plants can be pruned before the plants start to flower from June to September. Trim back the tips of the branches to have a bushier appearance.
Fertilizers for Madhumalti Plant
The Madhumlati plants do not require much feeding. Feed the plants during their growing period with a balanced organic fertilizer or compost. Do not use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer as it can encourage excess foliage growth.
Pests and other problems for Madhumalti
These plants are not prone to pests or diseases. The plants may be sometimes attacked by caterpillars or scales. They can be got rid of either manually or by using a mild pesticide.
Overwatering of the plants can lead to root rot. Avoid overwatering of the plants and waterlogging to prevent root rot.
Propagation of Madhumalti Plant
The Madhumalti Plants can be propagated through cuttings, seeds, and root division.
The seeds can be sown in the soil during early summer. The seeds may take time to germinate. Soaked seeds can be used for sowing to improve the germination rate. The germination rate in seeds is low.
The propagation is mostly done by cuttings. The cuttings are made during the rainy season. Take a healthy, green tip of the plant. Cut a 10-12 inch long cutting. Remove the leaves from the base and plant them in a potting mix. Water the cutting regularly till the roots develop. It might take a month or so to develop roots. As the success rate is a little low take some extra cutting to ensure you are getting better results in numbers.
The propagation can also take place through division. The division takes place through the roots. The plant is uprooted carefully and the plant is cut into divisions at the appropriate spots. Once the plant is divided, loosen the roots and let them spread. Transfer the divisions to a new pot and deep water them or provide them with a soaking tub. Place them in partial to full shade till the divisions stabilize.
FAQ’s
Proper fertilization and conditions are required for any plant to grow fast. Madhumati required full sunlight to grow fast. Apart from this as Madhumalti is a creeper and it requires sturdy support to maintain its growth. Providing support to the plant is very critical for its growth. Cow dung compost can be provided to the plant two times a year depending on the season. Do not put lots of fertilizer on the plant otherwise, it will become too much bushy and flowering will be less.
Yes, there is a very pleasant smell in the Madhumalti flower. People also call this smell a divine smell. If you have a Mathumalti plant in your garden or terrace, you will be able to feel the smell. You can go near the plant to identify the exact Madhumalti plant smell.
No, Madhumalti is typically not an indoor plant, but if you do not have any choice keep the dwarf variety of the Madhumalti plant indoors in a place where it can get maximum sunlight
Madhumalti or the scientific name Combretum Indicum seeds are poisonous in nature because of the presence of quisqualic acid in the seeds.
Yes, the Madhumalti plant needs full sunlight. It thrives in sunlight and without proper availability of sunlight your plant will be facing challenges in growth and also will be prone to multiple diseases.
Madhumalti plant needs proper sunlight and support to grow. If your Madhumalti plant is not growing, please check the sunlight availability, and if sufficient sunlight is there, ensure your plant is having good support for growth. As it is a creeper plant, will require some strong support for growth.
Leaves of the Madhumalti plant can turn yellow and drop as a natural process also, but if you are noticing that it is happening suddenly to your plant, please check for the below points:
1. Check the moisture level in the soil. There should be a proper drainage system in the pot if you are growing plants in the pot. If you are growing plants directly on the earth, ensure there is no water logging. Water logging will damage the plant root system.
2. If you have provided any fertilizer to the plant. Normally, the Madhumalti plant does not require much fertilization can damage the plant and plant leaves can turn yellow.
3. If your plant is getting proper sunlight. If there is no proper sunlight leaves of the planet will not be able to do photosynthesis and will turn yellow.
4. Check if something unusual thing is contaminating the soil. Sometimes we may not notice and some chemicals, medicine, or acidic things got mixed accidentally in the soil and damage the plant.
Yes, the Madhumalti plant can be grown from cuttings. The best time is the rainy season. Growing Madhumalti from cutting is a little tough and may not have 100% success. Take 5-10 cuttings so that you are getting at least a couple of them rooted. Take cutting with 2-3 nods in that and remove most of the leaves from it. Insert the cutting in the soil. Keep the soil moist. It may take 10-15 days time to show some growth in the cuttings.
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