Maxillaria variabilis getting taller but not wider

[let_it_grow]

I have a Maxillaria variabilis black eyed Susan and there are 2 main shoots, each is growing fast and flowering, sending out new, long, healthy air roots. I've had it since the end of November and so far it has sent out 2 new bulbs on each shoot, one was fully matured and bloomed and the second one is maturing (same thing on both shoots). So between the blooming, the growth, size of the bulbs and te fact that both shoots flowered if say I'm doing well. This is my 1st Maxillaria so I don't really know anything about them. Right now it's in charcoal, bark and perlite (came like that from the grower) in a small pot inside one of my terrariums. I don't have a light meter so I'm not sure how much light it's getting exactly (tried downloading one for my phone that uses the camera and got a reading of 750fc then 4350fc in the exact same spot so it's clearly not reliable. Worth a shot tho). It is at the same distance from the bulb as my schoenorchis fragrans and that is getting enough light to show blushing/purple on the leaves (which I believe to be in the area of about 1500fc). The humidity is high in the terrarium (not something I have measured but enough that my brassia cross has sent out a hysterically long air root of 13" and counting, plump, white with a long fleshy green tip)

So that is the best description I can give for the growing conditions currently. Now I'm wondering what makes this thing send out new shoots. I have 2 shoots right now, each with about 10+ bulbs on them (some are below the potting mixture so I don't know exactly) at what point do they stop growing up and start branching off? And is there something I need to do for that to happen? Any input would be great

[WhiteRabbit]

Good luck!

[RJSquirrel]

a picture is worth a thousand words..really

[let_it_grow]

Here are a few pictures. You can see that there is a flower bud growing off the one stem of pseudobulbs. I actually just noticed that when I took the pictures because its in a terrarium and I normally can't see it very well. Its starting to turn purple and will eventually turn black before it opens. This plant is actually where I got my user picture from. I took a closeup picture of the teeny tiny flower and just loved it so its what I use for my pic on here. Anyway, you can see the air roots and its kinda hard to tell but they have green tips and are alive, its growing upwards but I'm not sure how this thing expands. Will these stems of pseudobulbs eventually branch off into multiples as they grow?

[silken]

I just got one with 3 growths on it and some flowers. I don't know much about it but in your photos I see 3 old PB's without leaves and I'm sure it will develop new ones in the same way your existing ones are there. It may be bloom time now and not time for new growths since mine is in bloom as well. It looks healthy so in its own time it will expand width wise I think.

[awest]

It doesn't look like it's too crowded, but giving it a wider pot can help to 'motivate' it to grow from the base. At least it has for my Maxillaria tenuifolia and Dendrobium kingianum.

Do you remember where you got that plant? I have a variabilis that's a mystery color, but I doubt it will be black and would like to aquire one.