Maxillaria tenuifolia not blooming

[aliceinwl]

I bought a Maxillaria tenuifolia in spring 2018 which produced three flowers the following summer but has not produced any flowers this year. I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong.

I’m growing it outside where it gets 2-3 hours of morning sun and bright shade the rest of the day. It gets watered almost daily. I haven’t repotted it and it’s in bark but the media still looks good and it has room to grow. The pseudobulbs are nice and plump and it’s pushing new growth fine. In the winter, I overnighted it in the garage when temperatures were supposed to get below freezing but otherwise it was outside. I try to fertilize every other week but sometimes I forget. The foliage is a bit on the yellow side which I assume is from the sun exposure.

Is it just taking a year off? It has 20+ pseudobulbs so it’s not a small plant. I bought it from a California grower and I know the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate grows and blooms these outside just south of me.

[DeaC]

I'm thinking it just needs more light and yellowing leaves is another issue. I keep my small one under growlights in s/m in the same 3'' clay pot that vendor had it in and I bought sev. months ago.

[Roberta]

Outside should be fine. It could just be taking a year off to adjust to its new home. Don't worry about potting... A friend, who lives in San Juan Capistrano, has one in a 4 inch basket, the plant is now about 4 feet across (has never been repotted).Totally outside, it gets what it gets. New p-bulbs just grow on top of the existing ones, it has become a ball, the basket mostly serves to help hang the plant.

[aliceinwl]

Thanks! It sounds like I just need to exercise some patience. I think I’m at the upper limit with what it can tolerate in terms of light exposure. I just really wanted some more flowers from this one.