Masdevallia princeps

[Tindomul]

This Masdie is gorgeous. I have a cutting of one and find it to be very slow growing.
What is yours potted in? As for conditions, I have mine in an area getting about 60% humidity all the time, and some dappled direct morning sunshine as well. This division has given me 1 1/2 leaves of growth in 1 year. Is this normal?

[quiltergal]

Ivan Komoda uses princeps as a parent in many of his hybrids to make them more temperature tolerant. His greenhouse is in Maui so much warmer than SFO. It appears to me that this plant is very happy with it's conditions. As with most Masdies temperature tolerant means just that....tolerant. They still prefer cooler conditions that other orchids.

Yours is lovely. I just purchased this species from Ivan and can't wait to see it bloom.

[beanluc]

Originally Posted by Tindomul

I have a cutting of one and find it to be very slow growing.
What is yours potted in? [...] This division has given me 1 1/2 leaves of growth in 1 year. Is this normal?

Mine has 32 leaves, and it seems to have been growing new ones at a rate of about 1 per month. So if yours is 1/8th the size of mine (4 leaves), it would make sense to have 1/8th the rate of new leaf (1.5 per year).

Each new leaf on mine takes about 2 months to get fullsize. Leaf-growing might accelerate if the blooming period ever stops and it takes a rest period.

I'm not completely sure about the medium. I have had it 4 months and haven't taken it out of the pot. It seems to be 100% sphagnum moss.

I read before that Masd in general are light feeders, so that's how I started off. But, I'm skeptical of generalities like that, because Masd is a pretty diverse group, as Ramón's posts show. I lately feed this one no less heavily than my Miltassia, which is a very fast grower. I think my Masd is doing better with more feeding.

So, I don't know how small your division is, but more humidity would bring conditions closer to my own, and, I do think that the cooler temps you can provide, the better. Mine is rarely above 60-65F.

Good luck! When it blossoms it will be really fun.

[10010100102]

Now there's a flower to be proud of! Great growing.

[Paul]

I had one of these once. Bloomed beautifully for me then when summer hit it crashed. So, sorry Sue, "warm growing"? Not IME (and I know on the orchid encyc, it is listed as cold to cool/intermediate

[Tindomul]

Its listed as warm tolerant in some places. I think it didnt get any stress this summer. Ofcourse it was pretty mild this summer and I blasted the AC on its face all the time.
Mine is very small, 4 leaves.
Thanks for the wishes.

[Ross]

Mine has many leaves (who counts leaves?) but has not gone through a warm bout. I don't consider any Masdie to be a "warm-grower". I think many are "tolerant" of warmer temps but once temps get above 80F "all bets are off". I have the luxery of moving mine to a coolish basement in summer. My princeps has three blossoms right now, but temps right now get up to a high of mid 60s F in the growing area. I suspect in summer it will fail, unless I move it to the basement.

[Tindomul]

Hey Ross, Lets see those blooms!

[beanluc]

[CoolPhrog]

Originally Posted by Ross

Mine has many leaves (who counts leaves?)