Maxillaria aurorae (or weberbaueri) culture?

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

Hi all,

I was at an orchid show/sale this morning and became momentarily rendered of my senses and I bought a maxillaria species from a vendor from Peru. It was labeled as Maxillaria aurorae, had a pretty picture, so of course I had to indulge myself. I figured I could get some culture notes doing some research online. Well, ain't much out there on this one, other than a couple of notes saying this is more properly known as maxillaria weberbaueri. I've attached some photos of the vendor's label and of the plant. It looks like a less vigorous max. tenufolia

Their packaging says intermediate to cool growing, but what I found says " hot to warm growing epiphyte or occasional terrrestrial " so I'm at a loss.

Maybe sphagnum with some small orchid bark? mixed with small pieces of styrofoam? A more robust mix?

Any advice is welcomed.

[Dusty Ol' Man]

IOSPE PHOTOS This well take you to the species description.

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

Found in Colombia and Peru on rocky slopes in montane forests at elevations around 320 to 1000 meters as a medium sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte or occasional terrrestrial with clustered, smooth, ovoid-pyriform, compressed pseudobulbs partially enveloped by several distichous, imbricating, scarious bracts and carrying a single [or rarely 2], oblong-lanceolate, stiff, acute, dark green leaf that narrows below into a long conduplicate petiole and blooms winter and spring in the northern hemisphere on an erect, basal, 4 to 5" [10 to 12.5 cm] long, single flowered inflorescence arising on a mature pseudobulb and enveloped basally by 3 tubular, acuminate bracts.

A nice description with the only clue to culture being "a medium sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte or occasional terrrestrial" "Aaarrggghh!!" lol

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Personally, I would go with IOSPE and grow it hot to warm. Of course, the plant will likely tolerate a wider range of temps.

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

It's strange, different sources giving different temperature advice. Confuses the heck out of me. but for now, going to plant the new pet in something tomorrow, just not sure what. big aggregate, small bark, add spaghnum to keep moist? No idea

[Roberta]

Maybe small bark in a basket? As for temperature, anybody's guess but I'd lean toward the intermediate/warm side. 1000 m implies that it could go cooler but marginal especially since that is the upper end of the range. Maybe try it outside in the spring (nights above 55 deg F), but with winter coming I'd be on the cautious side and pamper it indoors at least this year. Actually, I do that generally with plants that I get in the fall/winter that I think will grow outside but have grown warmer in the nursery. Putting them out in the spring gives them the chance to acclimate to all the seasons. gradually. I have managed to stretch the temperature range that I can get away with using that approach.

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

I soaked the plant in mild fertilizer water for a few hours and when I looked at it, I could see that there were at least 3 major growing areas joined by old dead pseudobulbs. So I broke it out into three plants. The biggest went into a 4 inch round plastic pot and the other two into 3 inch square plastic pots with the open lattice bottoms, all three with styrofoam at the bottom to allow air to get in. Largest pot all small size orchiata bark, then another with mostly sphagnum and styrofoam and the third in a mix of orchiata and a small amount of sphagnum. So we'll see how it does in all three mixes. Fairly fine roots, not the big cattleya style so I'm guessing at least one of those mixes will work. I'll let you know

And yes, now that it is getting cooler, I'll have them outside during the days but nights in the house, and in house all day when we get into the 40's and 50s.