Maxillaria uncata 'Lineas Rojas'
 

I purchased my first and only Maxillaria a few weeks ago, Aug. 12th. The plant is a petite, cute thing potted in Leca in a net pot. I considered changing the media though I understand these plants do not like having their roots disturbed so I've not made any changes.

I'm growing it in my inside greenhouse, it seems happy enough as this morning I see 5 blooms! The buds must have been very well hidden as I did not notice them. Some of the flowers are tucked in between the leaves and a bit difficult to see. I love the 'Lineas Rojas' of the flowers.

It looks really healthy, I hope you get a lot more blooms.

Thank you! I certainly will be watching closely, can't believe I did not notice the buds.

It's better having a bud surprise rather than a bug surprise 😁

I couldn't agree more! Buds any day, bugs not so much.

Patty seeing this uncata potted reminds me of an unruly Neofinetia. Very appealing!

Matt I thought it was a Neofinetia when I noticed it in the vendors listings, until I looked at the title. Insituorchids occasionally has Neos listed, I was surprised to find a miniature Maxillaria. Imagine potting this in a moss mound, Neo style.

Thank you, I like it very much and it seems to like my growing conditions. I've not repotted it, still in leca and net pot.

What a great little plant! i had no idea Maxillarias could be so small, the only reference I have in this genus is my monsterous Max tenuifolia. It's threatening to explode out if its pot, but every time I move it to a larger pot, the plant gets even more monsterous.

I'm not surprised that you missed the buds, if it's anything like max tenuifolia. Every year the buds seem to come out of nowhere. I check the plant; nothing. And then a week later I know I must have missed something when I walked into the room and smelled coconut...

So now I'm in love with your cute little Neo-like plant, and I want one too!! :)

Camille, thank you! It sure is a cute little plant. I think of the tenuifolia which are beautiful and huge! Now I find myself looking for other miniature Maxillaria!

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I should have know better than to even look. I found the tiniest Maxillaria I've seen yet, and I bought it! This little one is a specimen size Maxillaria minuta. The leaves are only about one inch long, it is a nice size clump and mounted on wood.

Where have these tiny Maxillaria been hiding?!

Apparently some other minis/compact growers in this genus are Maxillaria reichenheimiana (mottled leaves),
Maxillaria schunkeana (black flowers!),
Maxillaria cogniauxiana (red flowers, similar growth to yours).

Now I want them all! :biggrin:

Camille, those are wonderful Maxillaria! I've been searching for others as well and have found two additional, mini mini, pincushion type! Oh crap, I'm in trouble, it's absolutely hopeless lol.

Search these two: Maxillaria Vernicose and Maxillaria Seidelii. I must have!

While a larger plant, that reichenheimiana is gorgeous! Thanks for the information.

Oh wow, those minis are so adorable! :drool::drool::drool: I sense that I may have a Maxillaria addiction on the verge of developing.

Hahaha, I share your feelings! That other plant you listed, cogniauxiana is adorable too! It feels like beginning all over with orchids in general when you discover a new species. I had no idea there were miniature Maxillaria.

I ordered the Maxillaria Vernicose and the Seidelii today from jandlorchids, my first order from the new owners. I will post pictures in a new thread when the tiny babies arrive.

It's been a long time since I've ordered from J&L, the new name seems odd to me. I am so glad they are still in business. Their new website is nice, much has changed.

It seems to me, I am also on this mini-Maxillaria craziness. I also ordered the two Max Vernicose and the Max Seidelii--from JandL Orchids.

Ok, that's hysterical! Be pre warned, they are very tiny plants.

When the urge to collect every species in a genus strikes me, I go looking for monotypic genera.

I am so insanely jealous that two of you ordered those little pin cushion Maxs! They are non existant here it seems. But to compensate, this morning I ordered 4 more orchids (no Maxillaria). :biggrin:


That's a sound strategy, unless you pick Neofinetia! Then you are in for a very expensive "gotta buy them all" craze. :rofl: (though I think there is a second very unknown species in that genus.)

ES, I am not looking to collect every species in this genus only the tiny species! These little pincushion types are not easy to find either.

Do you collect many monotype plants? I have a Dinema polybulbon, I believe is monotypic. I recently ventured into CPs and have a couple of Cephalotus that are interesting plants.

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Camille, I was getting frustrated in trying to find any of these available myself. I searched many different ones though J&L had these two. Andy's has some, not really what I wanted.

The plants from J&L are terribly small compared to the uncata I have, I had to have them anyway. The minuta I recently purchased on eBay is a specimen size, and I'm impatiently awaiting it's arrival. Do you use eBay?

Matt is the gotta have em all Neofinetia nut here! I'm amazed at the size of his collection.

What orchids did you order? I hope they compensated for the lax of Maxies, if not buy more! Please post pictures of the babies when they arrive!

Patty, I think I have slowed down my Furan acquisition! I am not buying as many Orchids as I have in the past. My latest Maxillaria purchases was triggered by Eric Sauer when he presented his talk on Maxillaria.

Like you, I am only acquiring miniature or compact Max. Maxillaria can be huge--I only have space for these small plants.

Matt, I am going to assume you may have every available Furan and multiples of some. So jealous! The bean leaf Neofinetia are what I try to limit myself to, not always the case though.

As I mentioned, I absolutely stumbled into Maxillaria with the uncata. I found the minuta on eBay and, well it was all over. Tracking shows it should be delivered today, can't wait. After these two from J&L I believe I will end my Maxillaria craze, they are so difficult to find. Oh and I agree, they can be huge! Al had a monster tenuifolia in bloom, it was massive and gorgeous and almost enough to tempt me into trying one. Just too damn big!

I am however planning a trip to Al's this weekend with my daughter, never know what I may find. His FB page has a lot of gorgeous plants in bloom at this time.

Patty, no, I do not have every Furan. I did at one time think I would try to collect the popular Furan listed in the Meikan chart produced annually by the Japanese Furan Society, but that changes every year. Then I decided to focus on the more unique Furan--like Tomakongou-mini. The Furan I acquired prior to this year, I am maintaining and enjoying growing them into specimen plants.

Matt, I can imagine the fragrance filling your home when your Furan are blooming. That Tamakongo mini is unique, should be quite the show when it is flowering!

How do you maintain humidity during the winter? I use a humidifier though I think cooler temperatures and higher light may be more important for next year flowering. This will be my first fall/winter with Neos and I've considered a second grow tent but the heat inside the tent would be too high.

I don't actually go out of my way for those, but I they turn up in the shopping basket now and then. With all the name changes in Western botany in the past 350 years there are a lot more monotypic genera than many people realize.

I ordered a standard Neofinetia falcata, Leptotes bicolor, Paph Magic Lantern and Phrag Sedenii. I hesitated on the black flowered Maxie, but shipping costs from Germany already made my order expensive enough.

I used to have a couple Neos from NWO (shutennou, tamakongo and a third I can't remember) but lost them (a long tragic story). That reminds me that I need to email NWO for the catalogue and pre order form for a show they're coming to in France!

In the Winter, I grow my Furan in my master bath that has a western facing glass brick wall over the Jacuzzi tub--which I don't use! I have clear plastic shower curtains on all the walls including the entrance. It is not sealed in, I have gaps to allow in fresh air.

In this space, I have several LED strip lights. I also have several fans on intermittent timers. Last year I installed a evaporative humidifier, but I'm now considering a cool mist humidifier designed to create fog for reptiles--but it is much smaller device and I can direct the fog higher into the space. I can use two of these in less space than the one humidifier I installed last year. I try to maintain about a 70% relative humidity in that grow space.

I am devoting a shelf for my Maxillaria in this grow space. They like the same culture as Neofinitia--cool temperatures, circulating air, good humidity, and bright light. Except I'm going to have to water these Maxillaria more often.

This sounds like quite the setup. I'm pretty sure my husband would crap kittens if I took over the master bath with orchids. Is nothing sacred?! I can just hear him now!

I'm still debating another grow tent, maybe leave it open a little and add an extra fan to compensate for the heat. My t5's don't add a lot of heat but I'm shooting for cool/cold in our formal dining room!!! Hahaha

Thanks for your imput, I truly appreciate your ideas and expertise.

I never thought that my orchid “obsession” would cause me to make so many adjustments to my living space! I told you about my Furan living in the jacuzzi, I have a light stand in my living room and another big shelf in my breakfast room. It doesn’t—yet—look like I’m a hoarder!

Hahaha, give it up, you love it and you know it...just enjoy it. As long as there is no one in your home objecting to your hoarding obsession you're golden!

I grow in our kitchen on the counter/bar area and windowsills. I have two shelving units and a table in our dining room. One of these is enclosed and I'm debating another, lol. Soon I need to bring inside a few plants that I've grown outside, succulents, ferns, cactus and an elephant bush. These will occupy a area in our living room.

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Last year I convinced my husband that I needed a small greenhouse, originally wanted to have this on our deck..southern exposure. My plan was a seasonal greenhouse, spring through fall. I even considered having it somewhere shady in our yard, lots of space on three acres.

I came here to the board and ask the question, am I nuts? The "dream squashers" as I called them at the time set me straight on my stupid idea. No greenhouse for Patty, thus the hubby has been very generous with indoor spaces. He has his obsessions, I have mine.

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It sounds like you're comforting yourself nicely Camille. I've never grown a Paph or a Phrag though they are beautiful plants. Hopefully you will find a mini Maxie one day. Sometimes the hunt is what keeps be interested as well as caring for these amazing plants.

You will find a lot of nice Neos with NWO! Please post pictures of the new plants when they arrive.