Masdevallia Question

[dlkc]

Hi,

I have one masdevallia plant. It's called "Prince Charmin'" It has been growing roots and leaves since May, but no flowers. I have 2 questions:

1. How do I encourage this plant to flower?
2. I was watering it last Friday, and I noticed a pea-like growth on one of the leaves. What is this growth? Good, bad ugly?

I have attached a picture for reference...

Thanks!

Danielle

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Your Masdevallia is a hybrid where the cross is (Masd. angulata x Masd. vietchiana).

The unusual leaf growth is the leaf buckling. Usually from a lack of sufficient water. Whether it's due to under watering or root damage remains to be checked.

So...

Check for root rot.

Then it bears the question, " How often does it get watered?"

Masdevallia vietchiana is a middle elevation to very high elevation (when I say very high elevation, think Machu Pichu) Masdevallia from the Andes Mountains. It commonly resides in cool cloud forests on trees covered with moss.

Masdevallia angulata is a low to middle elevation Masdevallia. It resides in warmer rain forests.

In our "Orchids in the Wild" forum here on the OB, you can see what a cloud forest looks like. Here's the link:

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...or-photos.html

I'd hazard a guess that the temperature range for your Masdevallia would be about 55 F to 90 F.

The concentration of fertilizer necessary is usually 1/4 to 1/2 the recommended concentration on the bottle every 2 weeks.

They grow in bright shade to moderately bright indirect light, usually for most types, not any brighter.

Humidity of about 60% - 70% is good enough to encourage proper blooming.

Since your orchid is a hybrid, I don't know when it's supposed to bloom. It could bloom randomly at any given time of the year, multiple times. Or it may bloom only twice a year, idk.

The inflorescence grows from the small stem below each leaf. Don't confuse the leaf's petiole for the stem.

A pic of a petiole:

Great Plant Escape

They like good air circulation, btw.

A photo of the entire plant would help too.

[Bolero]

Yeah I agree with the King. It often happens through a lack of water and/or humidity. So that's the likely cause unfortunately. The leaf may open up a bit deformed but it still should be ok aside from that.

[RosieC]

My first thought on the new leaf was also lack of humidity causing buckling. My veitchianna had this problem when I first started with Masdies.

Generally mine evenually opened with only slight kinks in them.

I'm not sure how to encourage them to flower. I had my first one about 9months before it just started spiking. Not sure what if anything I changed. My second one still hasn't flowered, but it's roots were poor when I got it, so I'm happy to just let it grow them for now.

[silken]

I just got Orchid Wiz so am having fun putting it to use any chance I get. It says your Prince Charming's two parents both take medium light and should be grown in dappled light conditions. Both parents are cool growers but one can take cold and the other warm conditions, so they recommend cool to intermediate (50 to 75 at night). Humidity 60% to 80% and water just as the medium starts to dry, more often in perfectly draining medium. So I guess these can never dry out completely. I just got two in the fall from Ecuagenera and potted them up in sphagnum moss (that or fine bark or tree fern fiber recommended for yours). They started getting new roots and growing very quickly. I put them in a little covered greenhouse with a large pan of water under the shelf and a fan blowing from the bottom and a month later, one shot up a flower spike almost overnight. Alas, I didn't water for a couple days and the flower spike dried up. I have a couple bent leaves like yours. So these little guys really seem to need the moisture. I mist occasionally too and I have heard if their leaves aren't moving, there isn't enough air movement.I have a small desk fan and they just gently move. They seem to be happy so far apart from my slip with the watering the one time. Summer will be the real test for me in a greenhouse! Hope that helps. Oh, as The King said, 1/2 to 1/4 fertilizing every 2 weeks, and Orchid Wiz says less in cloudy conditions.

[dlkc]

Thanks everyone!

The leaf is now showing the buckling you were all talking about. It just seems so weird to me because this is the first one. I did have to go away this Christmas, and it is the first time my medium dried out completely. Is this likely the cause?

Everyone keeps saying 1/4 - 1/2 strength fertilizer...does this mean 1/4 - 1/2 strength of orchid fertilizer?

Thanks again for the feed back, I am feeling better because now I know what is going on!

I'm very interested in this Orchid Whiz thing...what is it?

Thanks again!
Danielle

[silken]

I couldn't get on here for a while earlier today. My masdies only took one or two lapses in watering to show a buckled leaf or two and to lose the one and only flower spike. I guess they do not want to dry out!

When they say 1/4 to 1/2 strength, it means regular fertilizer. Orchid fertilizers are supposed to be formulated for orchids.

OrchidWiz is an orchid encyclopedia. Here is the link to their site: OrchidWiz Orchid Database Software Home Page So far I am quite pleased with what it offers. It has all of the orchid species (as far as I know) and many crosses and hybrids. Many have multiple photos. When you pull up a cross or hybrid name, it shows the parentage and entire family tree and what percentage of each species makes up that hybrid. Also the percentage of which of the lineage can take cold or hot temps, high or low light etc. So you can sort of tell what the plant needs based on its lineage. The Bakers' culture sheets are all included as well, which is quite a deal in itself. As well, you can keep your own journal with photos as well as a wish list. Gotta love it! However, in my books, it is rather expensive. $295.00 for a license that allows 2 computers to use it. However, our orchid society got together with another one and was able to make a bulk purchase that gave it to us at 1/2 price. With that kind of deal, I decided to go for it. It is updated quarterly (you pay for a year's worth of updates, but don't have to every year).

Good luck with the Masdevallia.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

1/4 to 1/2 strength the recommended concentration of urea free orchid fertilizer diluted in water. They don't need full strength, that can burn the roots.