Duane McDowell - Newbie from MN

[Duane McDowell]

Well, now I've gone and done it. I've built a terrarium out of a 30-gallon fish tank. Looks like it will have plenty of light (360 watt equivalent in compact fluorescents, separated from the tank by plexiglass). I've got a computer fan in the tank itself moving the air around, and a repti-fogger to add humidity every morning. It'll be interesting to see what the humidity is - it "smells" right, so I'm assuming it's between 80 and 90 percent. Temperatures appear to be holding in the 60s.
The first thing I did was to fill the terrarium with plants. Oh, I have room for a few dozen Lepanthes, Lepanthopsis and other micro-minis, but no more big plants!
I picked up Masd. Sunset Jaguar 'Nightbreed', Masd. Sunset Jaguar 'Psychadelic Sunset' and a beautiful Pleur. alveroi from Mountain Orchids in Vermont. The plants are gorgeous, much larger than I had anticipated. I'm thinking about sibbing the Sunset Jaguars and, perhaps, treating some of the protocorms with colchicine... Of course, if I do get some great seedlings, I'll have nowhere to grow them...
Wish me luck with the new setup!

[Tropicgirl]

Welcome, Duane! You sure have lots of knowledge to offer! Good to have you here!

[jim blanford]

Hi..Duane. Welcome back to this great hobby or addiction not sure which. I came across your name a few months ago, I had a plant I wanted to have judged it was a Paph you registered in 1996, it's Paph. Babyface (P. Via Muchos Ninos X barbigerum). I sent it to the Chicago judging center and it was awarded a CCM 82 points, it is now Paph. Babyface 'Lu Lu' after our grandouthter. And I have you to thank for it, it's the one I use as my avatar, thanks...... Jim.

[Duane McDowell]

Fantastic! Congratulations on the award, Jim! It's a lovely plant. The Batavia society was always a lot of fun. Mary and Wilda were great friends when I moved to Illinois from MN in '88.

Originally Posted by jim blanford

Hi..Duane. Welcome back to this great hobby or addiction not sure which. I came across your name a few months ago, I had a plant I wanted to have judged it was a Paph you registered in 1996, it's Paph. Babyface (P. Via Muchos Ninos X barbigerum). I sent it to the Chicago judging center and it was awarded a CCM 82 points, it is now Paph. Babyface 'Lu Lu' after our grandouthter. And I have you to thank for it, it's the one I use as my avatar, thanks...... Jim.

[Tindomul]

I love the sunset Jaguars. I got one from Mountain Orchids a few months ago and what a beauty. Here I have some photos:

Masdevallia Sunset Jaguar 'Psychedelic Sunset'-07 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Masdevallia Sunset Jaguar 'Psychedelic Sunset'-04 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Masdevallia Sunset Jaguar 'Psychedelic Sunset'-03 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[RosieC]

Wow, great to have you here Duane and good to hear you are getting back in to this addiction with some new genuses of orchids. Sounds like you are jumping in with both feet with the terrarium and I'm sure you'll do well with your past growing skill

[RosieC]

Oh wow

Why oh why did I have to look at Tindo's pics... now I just HAVE to have a Sunset Jaguar. It's gone straight to the top of my wish list, wonder if you can get it in Europe.

Is it a really cool grower or is it more towards the intermediate? Still not certain I can grow Masdies but I LOVE them. The veitchiana I have is growing well at least although it's not flowered in the 6months or so I've had it.

[Tindomul]

I think it is sold as intermediate, but I keep rather cool and moist.

[RosieC]

Thanks, most Masdies are not real intermediates anyway from what I've read.

Really must see if I can find that one.

[Duane McDowell]

I can't speak for Masd. Sunset Jaguar, but I know that the Copper Angel parent grows quite well in intermediate conditions (the chaparensis parent is notoriously a bit tricky and needs cool conditions). Here is a list of some that I have been successful with in intermediate conditions (both growing and blooming):
Masd. Copper Angel - very showy, blooms off and on all year, very easy.
Masd. Angel Frost - also very showy and easy to grow.
Masd. Machu Picchu - very showy and large.
Masd. Red Wing - Showy and easy
Masd. floribunda - not terribly showy, but very easy to grow and bloom well.
Masd. herradurae - always lots of flowers at once.
Masd. bicolor
Masd. infracta - almost always in bloom
Masd. bicolor - this is one of a number of closely related species that grow and bloom easily in intermediate to warm conditions.
Masd. minuta
Masd. rolfeana
Masd. peristeria - always had good success with this, even though it supposedly comes from higher elevations. Never had trouble with it.

I started out this time around with Sunset Jaguar because I am growing on the cool side. I spoke with Darren at Mountain Orchids a few days ago, and he claims that Sunset Jaguar is a very strong grower. The plants he sent certainly suggest that it is! If I had warmer nights, I would have started with Copper Angel since I know that it performs well.
If your veitchiana hasn't died, that's a good sign! It likes cooler temps than most of the hybrids. If you haven't bloomed it, it may want more water. Masdevallias can be really thirsty, and they will frequently grow without blooming if they stay too dry.

I wish you all the best. I'm excited to see how my plants do in the new terrarium. If they are still alive and growing in six months, I'll be very happy. If they have grown really well, I'll be ecstatic!
-d

Originally Posted by RosieC

Thanks, most Masdies are not real intermediates anyway from what I've read.

Really must see if I can find that one.