Masdevallia floribunda ssp. tuerckheimii

[smartie2000]

This my first self-earned Masdevallia blooming! I definitely recommend Masd. floribunda as a first Masd. since it did not drop its leaves as easily as my other masd. And it also reblooms its old spikes.

Right now I grow it in my bathroom, sitting in water, within a glass vase with plastic wrap over it. Simple set up and decorative, I haven't had problems with limited air circulation. It seems that it doesn't require strong lighting based on this blooming because it is under a smaller window, plus the glass vase is another layer which light would need to penetrate.

It is growing in a clay pot with the original tree fern which it came in. My masd. so far are doing well in clay pots and sitting in water.

 

[Shiva]

Very nice Fren. The plant seems happy. Well done!

 

[Pete]

awesome.

 

[John Boy]

just wonderful. I think these flowers would look even better with a white backdrop...

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

Beautiful blooming Fren. Congrats! Interesting culture....

 

[toddybear]

Well done Fren! Looks great!

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

I love Masdies! These are charming!

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Wow, for a first time blooming, that ain't half bad! :rollhappy: :clap:

 

[Jorch]

It seems a lot darker than the typical Masd. tuerckheimii! Great growing Definitely a keeper :clap:

 

[NYEric]

Good color.

 

[Leo Schordje]

That is a lovely blooming of your plant, the flowers all the way around is nice. Good growing.

If your plant keeps blooming this nicely, you shouldn't change a thing with how your grow it.

For what it is worth, I found my masdevallia stopped loosing leaves and grew better when I gave them more light than the Paphs. I think for many species, people think of cooler growers as being shade lovers, in truth many species prefer brighter light. If you have a Masdevallia that isn't thriving, try upping the light. Of course, when grown brighter keep them moist is more difficult. I am not a good Masdevallia grower, but I have a couple than have been in the collection more than 10 years.

Again, this is a just a general suggestion, obviously what you are doing now is working fine for your floribunda, and you don't need to change anything. Try the higher light with the ones that aren't growing well for you.

 

[Kevin]

Nice! A lot darker than the regular floribunda.

 

[smartie2000]

That is a lovely blooming of your plant, the flowers all the way around is nice. Good growing.

If your plant keeps blooming this nicely, you shouldn't change a thing with how your grow it.

For what it is worth, I found my masdevallia stopped loosing leaves and grew better when I gave them more light than the Paphs. I think for many species, people think of cooler growers as being shade lovers, in truth many species prefer brighter light. If you have a Masdevallia that isn't thriving, try upping the light. Of course, when grown brighter keep them moist is more difficult. I am not a good Masdevallia grower, but I have a couple than have been in the collection more than 10 years.

Again, this is a just a general suggestion, obviously what you are doing now is working fine for your floribunda, and you don't need to change anything. Try the higher light with the ones that aren't growing well for you.

Thanks Leo this is some very good advice. I've killed my share of Masd. but I think I am getting better. I noticed that one of the plants that I moved back to a higher light area with Phrags is doing better now too. I just moved another plant there since you mentioned it. Hard to tell what is high light and what is not since I use either a Metal Halide or windowsills. My phrags sit in water too! I am now sitting my masd. in water, in clay pots (except for one big plant that is in sphag and a basket. I'm not repotting it since it has some natural moss growing on it now too, even though the sphag might be old)

I also noticed that the thicker leaved ones can tolerate low humidity on a windowsill for growth. The nice thing is that the thicker leaved ones are the colourful ones. I'm not sure about blooming yet, but that has yet to happen. I blasted my Masd. Redshine this spring. Either it was too cold on the window, or the humidity wasn't high enough, I don't know.

Masd. grow very quickly too, if they aren't dropping their leaves!

 

[SlipperFan]

Lovely color.

 

[paphioboy]

Very nice and dark.. I like..

 

[Bolero]

Looks healthy, love the colour on the flowers.