Chandelier Tree

Overview

Native to Philippines. Chandelier tree is a desirable plant for its ornamental foliage, flower and fruit. This plant has not only edible fruits, but also edible, nicely sour leaves. In addition, this plant is also believed to have benefits as a medicinal plant.

Vernacular Names

Gulingbanban (Philippines).

Agroecology

Found in moist and wet forests at low elevations. Thrives in shaded conditions with moist soil. Outdoors, no frost is allowed, but cold weather to near freezing is tolerated. Medinilla performs extremely well in shaded areas, in pots, can even be used in hanging basket arrangements because the bloom clusters droop when in flower for that cascading look.

Morphology

• Root - fibrous system.
• Stem - rounded to subquadrangular, diameter 4-5 cm at the base, hairy, yellowish-brown.
• Leaves - simple, smooth, leathery, thick, green, whorled arrangement, pinnate margin, elliptical shaped.
• Flower - pink, purple, white, panicle inflorescence, polycarpichite.
• Fruit - simple, berry, fleshy, pink when mature. Very young fruits are quite tasteless, but as they mature they becoming sour before they get ripe.
• Seed - tiny, about 1 mm.

Cultivation

Propagated by seed (generatively), and by stem cutting (vegetatively).

Chemical Constituents

Alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, and steroids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• The leaves are also rich in vitamin C, which supress fatigue, boost immunity, has strong antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial actions.
• Improving circulation, increasing blood flow in both brain and muscles.