The Mussaenda Hybrids

The mussaendas are ornamental shrubs with one or more of their sepals developing into a large, colorful, petaloid structure.  They bloom almost throughout the year, except from January to March when they are less floriferous.
No other ornamental has gained wide acceptance in the Philippines as that of the mussaendas. Collectively known as Doñas, they are cultivated throughout the country. The mussaenda hybrids are considered a centennial breakthrough in Philippine Horticulture. They are also very much sought after in the tropical countries.

The development of the mussaenda hybrids gained momentum when a mutant of the species M. philippica was discovered in Mt. Makiling, UP Los Baños in 1915. This species was named ‘Doña Aurora’ in 1938 in honor of the wife of the late President Manuel L. Quezon. The late Dr. Dioscoro L. Umali, plant breeder and former Dean of the UP College of Agriculture, initiated the development of the hybrids in 1948 using M. erythrophylla, a species with single red petaloid and ‘Doña Aurora’ as parents. Continuous crossing and backcrossing resulted into the present colorful hybrids of mussaendas that differ in the number of petaloids depending on the parents used.