Warmth-tolerant Masdevallias or Draculas? - Orchid Board

smweaver · #1 10-24-2008, 02:33 PM

I grow mostly cattleya species; however, I would like to try my hand at masdevallias and/or draculas. Does anyone know if there are warmth-tolerant species in either genus? I can easily give them intermediate temperatures during the winter (the sunroom with the cattleyas gets down in the neighborhood of 54 to 58 F at night, and climbs to between 65 and 75 F during the day), but the plants would have to be able to tolerate very warm to sometimes hot Midwest summers where the humidity remains continuously high and the night temperatures generally don't fall below 65 F. I know growing a masdevallia or dracula in these conditions is something of a long shot. But there are so many species among them that I thought there might actually be one or two that could handle what I can provide. Thank you!

Steve

Ross · #2 10-24-2008, 03:01 PM

Steve, I purchased hybrid Masdies from I. N. KOMODA ORCHIDS They sell (and perhaps breed?) warm growing Masdies. Mine have been doing really great and bloom great, but I doubt our temps get up to what yours are. They have experienced in the low 80s during a sunny day. I keep a fan running and it cools down to 62 or so at night. I also purchased 3 from Masdevallias as they have several intermidiate to warm growing Masdies.

As for Dracs, the biggest concern I would have is sufficient humidity. I have 5 plants (3 species) down low in my tank where humidity is extremely high and they get dripped on with RO water. They won't bloom when it gets very warm (like high 70s) but are starting to spike now that temps get down to low 60s at night and low 70s day. Masdies take around 2000 FCs and Dracs much lower (say 500-800 FCs). Hope this helps. Oh I got my Dracs from Andy's.

bonsai1504 · #3 10-24-2008, 06:02 PM

Sue (cb977) was lookng for some of there a while back.
Warm-growing masdevallia?

boytjie · #4 10-24-2008, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smweaver

I grow mostly cattleya species; however, I would like to try my hand at masdevallias and/or draculas. Does anyone know if there are warmth-tolerant species in either genus? teve

I purchased a Masdevallia Angel Tang (veitchiana x tonduzii) at a show a number of months ago; the grower told me it was very warmth-tolerant due to the tonduzii parent. So far, so good: it's still covered with flowers, and constantly sprouting more, and my climate here in Upstate NY isn't all that different from yours, I'd think. I have it in a small clay pot in straight sphag moss.

smweaver · #5 10-24-2008, 11:41 PM

Thanks, everyone, for your helpful feedback! It's much appreciated.

Ross, I think I'll check out Andy's website and see what he's got as far as the draculas go. Someone also told me in a private message that J&L Orchids (Connecticut?) has a number of masdevallias and draculas that should be warmth tolerant. Thanks again.

Steve

Tindomul · #6 10-25-2008, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boytjie

I purchased a Masdevallia Angel Tang (veitchiana x tonduzii) at a show a number of months ago; the grower told me it was very warmth-tolerant due to the tonduzii parent. So far, so good: it's still covered with flowers, and constantly sprouting more, and my climate here in Upstate NY isn't all that different from yours, I'd think. I have it in a small clay pot in straight sphag moss.

Sounds good, can we see a pic?

I have M. floribunda seems to do well in warm temps, and M. princeps seems to do ok with me in temps around 75 with humidity around 50%.

boytjie · #7 10-25-2008, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Sounds good, can we see a pic?

Sure! Here's a couple of not-particularly-sharp shots of Masd. Angel Tang. Have to say I'm not really pleased with the image quality on this digital camera I bought, especially considering what I paid for it...

EdinAZ · #8 10-25-2008, 12:45 AM

My temps are 85 day, 65 night in the summer. 5 degrees cooler at both ends in the winter. Humidity almost always 65-90%

I have a few that are warmth tolerant. Working from just memory, Angel Tang (already mentioned), floribunda, tonduzii. If this thread stays alive, or if you want to PM me, I can give you a more complete list of what I have and where i got them. Andy's is good, and if you call and talk with them, they will give you more detailed information and recommendations. Those at I.N. Komoda look very interesting too, and I may try a couple of them sometime.

My big surprise is a Dracula lotax. I got one 8-9 months ago, it had 3 blooms fairly soon after I got it, and they lasted well. Since then it has grown nicely, and now has 20+ spikes coming, at varying stages, maybe still more coming. It is in spag in a net pot, placed inside a clay pot (slows up the evaporation from the spag, and perhaps helps keep the roots cooler). I recently got a couple more from Orquideas Del Valle, at a show. We'll see how they do.

The temp range I mentioned is forced every day. I have a combo heat/cool heat pump, so it always goes down at night to the 60-65.

Good luck.

Ed

quiltergal · #9 10-25-2008, 01:04 AM

I would heartily second a recommendation of Komoda. Ivan has some great plants. I got 4 temp tolerant ones from him. Copper Angel, Angel Tang, Angel Tears (very pretty dark red), and Ken Dole (white with yellow tails). Mine aren't blooming right now, but I don't think I was giving them enough light. I recently moved them to a brighter spot and I'm already seeing new growth on two of them.