Masd. tovarensis and Snowbird
 

Masd. tovarensis (the first picture) is one of the parents of Masd. Snowbird. The other parent is Masd. meijiana.

Ron, So pristine & beautiful!

Oooooo...so pretty! :love:

What temp range does this one like?

Tovarensis is one of the easier Masdevallias (my first many years ago) and is a warmth tolerant. Snowbird is similar. Generally the hybrids are more adaptable than the species, and that is the case here.

I love that Snowbird! Really beautiful plants, Ron!

I love this one.... is sooo CUTE .... CONGRATS!!!

Hi - my very first orchid was a Masd. Red Wing. I was ignorant. It died. After buying (and keeping alive!) other orchids, I now have acquired a M. Tovarensis 'Puffin' and I'm looking after it like a newborn baby. I live in a relatively warm place (southern coast, South Africa) and I would so love to expand my Masdie collection - once I'm sure that they can survive here and obviously more importantly get them to flower. You say that the hybrids are more warmth tolerant than the species, but to go further, could anyone tell me which ones they have found to be specially easy in this regard? Maybe also with Draculas? At this stage it seems like I would have to import any new plants. It's expensive and tedious and if I'm to go that way I'd like them to have the best shot at survival. Thanks.

This is my favorite masdevalia because I started to collect them in the wild when I was a teenager. They are original from the coastal mountain range (Northern Venezuela) and restricted to a very narow fringe in the central portion of the cordillera at altitudes above 1800 mts (6000 feet). Because farming and human activities in this place the humid and cool rain forest is dissapearing very rapid and so this spectacular masdevalia. A few months ago I saw on a branch tree a big colony of these plants, they are not so common as before but the population is reducing each year. These plants like humid and cool places. Very nice plant and picture, congratulations.