How to Care for a Masdevallia Orchid

Orchid Masdevallia is the collective name of a large group of plants. They are distinguished by their miniature size and beautiful flowers of an unusual shape. Due to their small size, they are the best suited for growing at home.

Orchid Masdevallia

General information

These plants were brought to us from South America In nature, they are distributed from Mexico and further south to Peru, most fully represented in the forests of K Olumbia and Ecuador. The genus Masdevallia combines about 500 species of small orchids, among which there are epiphytes (parasitizing on trees), lithophytes (attached to rocky surfaces) and even terrestrial species.

Popular species

In our country, such flowers appeared relatively recently and are little known to flower growers. The following species of Masdevallia are most widespread in Russia:

• Commodity;
• Fiery red;
• Ferruginous;
• Triangular;
• Nedefika;
• Davis;
• Hedgehog.

Rules of care

To grow a healthy plant, you must follow the rules for caring for it.

Lighting

Orchids provide bright lighting.Light must be diffused. Direct sunlight is not allowed. It is better to place the pot on the windows oriented east or west. On the south side, the flower is covered from the sun. If the window faces north, additional lighting will be needed.

Daylight hours should be 10-12 hours.

Temperature mode

Masdevallia does not like heat . It is better to keep it in moderately cool rooms.

These orchids need a daily temperature difference. Optimal conditions for summer time: during the day – from 15 ° C to 25 ° C, at night – from 10 ° C to 15 ° C.

After the end of spring night frosts, put the flower pot on the balcony. The main thing is to ensure that direct sunlight does not fall on the leaves.

Humidity

The humidity of the air is important for the plant

Caring for the orchid requires observing the level of air humidity in the room. If the room is kept cool, the humidity should be about 50%. On hot summer days, humidity is increased to 80-90%. This is done using household humidifiers. Spraying with warm water several times a day also helps.

Watering

Orchids are demanding on moisture. Water them often and plentifully.They constantly monitor that the roots on one side are not waterlogged, and on the other hand, do not dry out. Waterlogging leads to the formation of rot and death of the flower. Drying is also contraindicated, because the roots are not able to hold water for a long time due to their structural features.

For irrigation use soft warm water with a temperature of about 40 ° C. A pot with a plant is placed in a bowl of water and left for 15-25 minutes. This allows you to properly soak the roots and substrate with water. Then the pot is returned to the place.

The shower, which is carried out with hot water at temperatures up to 45 ° C, also benefits. Watering is done without waiting for the substrate to dry completely.

Substrate

Pine bark is suitable as a substrate for Masdevallia. If the flower grows in a pot, use small pieces. At the bottom of the pot make a small pillow of sphagnum moss. Then add crushed bark, which fills the space between the roots. A layer of moss is also laid on top. Sphagnum is needed so that moisture does not evaporate too quickly. For additional ventilation of the root system, holes are made in the walls of the pot.

Another option is to use blocks. These are large pieces of pine bark to which roots are attached. Sphagnum pillows are also made at the top and bottom of the block.

Fertilizer

Any fertilizer for orchids, such as Agricola, is suitable for feeding.

Flowers are fertilized every 3-4 weeks during the active phase of growth. For this type of plant, 1/3 or 1/2 of the dose of fertilizer recommended on the package is limited. Both root dressing and spraying are used.

All of the above is also true for plants belonging to the genus Dracula (80 species). These are miniature flowers of original colors and shapes. Caring for them is done in exactly the same way.

To summarize

Cultivating Masdevallia and closely related species of the house is a very feasible task. But its solution should be taken with experience: the necessary conditions are not easy to create.