Mastersianum opening!

[Rick]

I've had a mastersianum for several years now, and it just gets smaller and smaller...despite regular repotting

Well that was kind of the story for the mother plant of these seedlings. Up down up up down down down dead.

So far I haven't lost any of these seedlings. The ones that have gone into baskets are way ahead of the ones still in pots. But the potted ones are growing better than expected (especially after flushing the crap out of the pots).

I paid a lot of attention to the humidity factor when I had the mother plant in my collection, and I still believe that these South Pacific species really need to be maintained at >70% humidity. But the present nutrition regime is producing a whole different plant with regards to root growth and leaf substance.

 

[The Mutant]

Well that was kind of the story for the mother plant of these seedlings. Up down up up down down down dead.

So far I haven't lost any of these seedlings. The ones that have gone into baskets are way ahead of the ones still in pots. But the potted ones are growing better than expected (especially after flushing the crap out of the pots).

I paid a lot of attention to the humidity factor when I had the mother plant in my collection, and I still believe that these South Pacific species really need to be maintained at >70% humidity. But the present nutrition regime is producing a whole different plant with regards to root growth and leaf substance.

Good to know. I have a mastersianum, and after I got my second humidifier it stopped losing leaves and has started growing one instead. I can't keep the humidity quite as high now, since the temperatures outside are too low, but it's better than before.

Would you say that mastersianum is harder to grow than violascens? It seems to be the slower grower of the two (at least mine is).

 

[myxodex]

Excellent , ... and an exciting result. What a gorgeous flower.
I'm curious to know whether flasking media also have high K ?
congratulations,
Tim

 

[JeanLux]

Bravo !!!! Jean

 

[Rick]

Excellent , ... and an exciting result. What a gorgeous flower.
I'm curious to know whether flasking media also have high K ?
congratulations,
Tim

I have the feeling that a lot of medias do have a relatively high amount of K.

It makes me wonder about the low germination rates that certain species are notorious for (like venustum).

 

[phraggy]

Well done and a shining example of what patience can do--beautiful.

Ed

 

[GuRu]

I love mastersianum, yours is a beautyful one and a rapid grower - congrats !

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

I'm sure humidity is an issue.....in winter, under lights, my humidity is rarely above 40%, usually 30-35. (Summer is differennt...NYC is very humid in the summer). But, I have a violascens growing right next to it, and its doing well. Having grown violescens in years past, from collected plants (and they were very inexpensive then...), I'd think they are a bit easier to grow, and very easy to initiate spikes....but the buds blast most of the time.

 

[Rick]

Would you say that mastersianum is harder to grow than violascens? It seems to be the slower grower of the two (at least mine is).

I haven't tried violascens, so can't vouch for any difference personally. There seems to be more of them around if that can be taken as any indication of relative ease in culture. Sangii, and papuanum/wentworthianum I would include in this list of South Pacific toughies. I have one sangii (from Glen Decker) that's doing pretty good (better than the first one I had). And a handful of papuanum(??) seedlings I picked up from our big group Taiwan order are also showing solid new growth.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Are you sure they are real papuanum? Most turn out to be violascens, or at least they did in the past. Certainly my "papuanum" bloomed out to be violascens....but that was years ago.

 

[dodidoki]

Well that was kind of the story for the mother plant of these seedlings. Up down up up down down down dead.

So far I haven't lost any of these seedlings. The ones that have gone into baskets are way ahead of the ones still in pots. But the potted ones are growing better than expected (especially after flushing the crap out of the pots).

I paid a lot of attention to the humidity factor when I had the mother plant in my collection, and I still believe that these South Pacific species really need to be maintained at >70% humidity. But the present nutrition regime is producing a whole different plant with regards to root growth and leaf substance.

I agree. Humidity is around 70-80 % in my GH, but these ones are covered by a bigger semitransparent pot, so humidity is around the plant is almost 100%.

 

[SlipperKing]

That is phenomenal Rick! You will be heading back to judging....I can tell

 

[Rick]

That is phenomenal Rick! You will be heading back to judging....I can tell

I hope so. There is not much award history for this species, and this one is competative. So far the bloom is pushing 12cm.

 

[Marc]

Well grown I love this species but haven't tried it yet. Mastersianum plants are not easy to get in Europe.

 

[SlipperKing]

Well Rick, you'll have several chances to get it into judging ......The flowers last FOREVER!:rollhappy:

 

[Rick]

Well Rick, you'll have several chances to get it into judging ......The flowers last FOREVER!:rollhappy:

Yes I think the bloom on the mother plant lasted over two months (even after pollination)!

 

[likespaphs]

wow-o-wow-o-wow!!!

 

[Rick]

Fully open!

wow-o-wow-o-wow!!!

I think so too. Here it is fully open.

 

[likespaphs]

i wish i could see it in the flesh (so to speak)!
super dooper!!!

 

[chrismende]

Jealous! It's really beautiful, Rick!