Masdie princeps

[bellina9]

hello friends,

I have about 7 Masdies including 3 species: M floribunda, M. tonduzii, and the M princeps. I received all of these about 3 months ago.

The tonduzii has almost doubled in growth since I got it, the floribunda isn't growing as fast but still doing well. Unforutely the princeps just looks pittiful its lost alot of leaves since I got it and all the new leaves have a white peppery appearence and dont look healthy at all. I know the leaves will show if the culture isn't right, but then why is everything else doing so well?

I dont want to trade it becuase it was the reason I first got into masdies

Does anyone have any suggustions?

[gmdiaz]

I've got this one too. . .I am growing it well in intermediate temps, a tiny bit higher light than you might expect, along with high humidity and high air circulation.

I've got mine potted in one of those clear plastic air cone pots with foam peanuts at the bottom and medium sized bark chips, small rocks, perilite and such.

Not sure what the white peppery business is all about. Hopefully someone can help you with that specifically!

All my best

[bellina9]

thanks for your reply.

Mine has been grown with temps in the 60s- mid 70s. Its in sphang in a clay pot. Low lighting.... maybe I should try to give it more light?? I water when the sphang gets damp and spray it at least once a day.

When I first got it, it was shipped to my old address (very odd) through UPS (you gotta watch them) and left out in the cold for a night where the temp was about 30. however, that was 3 months ago so you would think that it would have recovered by now.

[gmdiaz]

And I really don't water it all that much. . .mine likes it drier than you might expect. But I do mist the top a bit every few days. And a good dunking every week to week and a half.

I use a light fertilizing of MSU and also add some KLN to the RO water. Water quality is really important too, I think.

My highs are probably 78 degrees and lows around 68 degrees at the moment.

They do not like to be cold and damp. . .in my experience. As soon as I heated things up for them, and cut back on the watering, they started getting stronger.

Are the stems of your leaves real thin, kind of spindly down at the "soil" line and are you losing green leaves? If so, maybe give my growing conditions a go to see if it works for you too.

[Tindomul]

Hi Bellina, Gwen.

The M. princeps Gwen has used to be mine, gave it away in a nice trade!
I used to keep that one in a clay pot topped with sphagnum. I would water thoroughly once a week and mist every other day till the top of the sphag dried out. I also kept it in the 50-70's and it would recieve some mottled direct morning sun for an hour or so.

[bellina9]

Could it be water quality??? I read the email from the person that I bought the princeps from and they said they only use RO water. I have been using tap. Also, I haven't been fertilizing it.

What do you think?

[Tindomul]

I did use distilled water and fertilized on a occasion, maybe 1 every week or two.

[gmdiaz]

I only use RO water too but I fertilize quite a lot, but in very tiny quantities, 1/4 of what is suggested.

Hey! Tindo! Your princeps is doing welll! Seeing new growth at the moment!

[Tindomul]

That sounds wonderful! The Pluero is also doing fantastic. Im soo happy with that!
How about the other?

[gmdiaz]

The original growth it had is looking ratty but it has tons of new growth coming up. They're all about an inch tall.

So I guess it's changing over to the new conditions. . .adapting.