Lockhartia oerstedii

[Keysguy]

Just picked up a couple of borderline experimentation plants to see if I can get them to grow in the Keys in my shadehouse.

Lockhartia oerstedii and a primary hybrid (weberbaueri x impostor) masdevallia.

Both are in sphagnum for now but they can't survive in that once I take them south. I'm thinking both mounted on a cedar shingle with just a touch of sphagnum around the roots. Will keep them mostly well shaded and under a mister that will soak them good once every morning. Then whatever Mother Nature wants to provide for water as well which will be a lot in summer and not so much over the winter (such as that is).

Not much info available out there on oerstedii culture so does this make sense or am I asking for trouble? Any better suggestions?

[Roberta]

I think that will work. I have my Lockhartia oerstedii in a plastic basket, in sphag (but my climate is drier than in the Keys). There isn't much of the sphag left in the basket... the plant seems to be making its own environment with the tangle of roots.

The Masdie may be more of a challenge with the heat. M. weberbaueri is lower elevation, but M. impostor is from higher... you'll see which parent wins on heat tolerance.

[DeaC]

Can only speak for my Lockhartia Gold Speck(oerstedii x acuta). Have had it for 10 yrs, mostly in clear pot with s/m and small bark which works for me. Interestingly, when "braids" appear to be brown and dead it will throw off new ones, roots and all, from apex of that old braid. Like a keiki I suppose. I'll remove these new growths and pot them up with original plant for a fuller appearance.

[Keysguy]

Appreciate the feed back ladies.

Roberta- my oerstedii is in one of those small plastic mesh baskets as well. Maybe I should just ziptie the basket to the shingle and leave it like that and let the plant decide what it wants to do. Would be less stress on the plant while it adjusts to new environment for sure.

I got both of these from Kristen Uthus. She said that Masdie cross stays in her greenhouse all summer which frequently gets to 100 degrees. That's why she suggested it when I asked if she had any that could grow intermediate-warm.

Like I said, both of these were just kind of a walk on the wild side of "I wonder if.........?"

[Roberta]

I like your idea on leaving the Lockhartia in its basket. If it wants to root outside the basket to the shingle it will. I haven't seen a lot of root action outside the basket - roots are small and fine.

Sounds like that Masdie is already acclimated to a warm environment. So odds are good.