RIP, Masdevallia. I Hope I Can Make It Up to You Someday.

Masdevallia “golden bells.” Photo credit: Guillaume Paumier, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A couple years ago, I went to an orchid show sponsored by the Massachusetts Orchid Society. I felt as though I’d gone to another planet—one populated entirely by my favorite plant. I saw orchids I’ve never seen before and didn’t know existed. And I couldn’t leave without buying a plant or two. 

I was particularly taken by the masdevallia orchids I saw. They’re related to and look like the Dracula orchid, but they’re more colorful and can have different shapes. I find them similarly eerily beautiful, especially with the long, thin wisps extending from their fused petals (all orchids have five petals). Masdevallia orchids are native to Central and South America. Many species live in mountainous regions, and like lady’s slipper orchids, most of them appreciate cooler weather; they too can withstand a dusting of snow in the spring. Though as with most orchid genera, there’s a lot of variety among the 650+ masdevallia species, and they can be split into warm, intermediate, and cool climate types. 

Masdevallia pardina. Photo credit: Andreas Kay, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, via Flickr

I bought a masdevallia instar, which is a cool-weather orchid. It likes daytime temperatures from 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures from 50-60 degrees. Intermediate-climate masdevallias like those temps slightly higher, and warm-climate masdevallias prefer temperatures from 75-85 during the day and 65-75 at night. 

Their similar light requirements are similar to those of most other orchids, with east-facing or shaded south-facing windows being the perfect spot. What’s tricky about these orchids is that they need to get enough light, but not get too hot. A lot of people find that growing them under lights works better, as it’s easier to keep the temperature down. 

Like other orchids, masdevallias prefer high humidity over 60%. 70-80% is ideal. Many masdevallias from mountainous regions grow in cloud forests where they’re blanketed with fog much of the time.

My masdevallia orchid in my greenhouse. That second stalk never bloomed.☹

Masdevallias can be tricky when it comes to watering. Unlike phalaenopsis orchids, their roots are thin and can’t store much water. They need more frequent watering, but just how frequent depends on the humidity, temperature, size of the plant, and type of pot, among other things. They don’t enjoy sitting in water and prefer drying out a little bit before being watered again. 

Knowing all this, I put mine on the bottom shelf of my greenhouse. It’s the coolest of the three levels, and at the time I thought there was enough light. In retrospect, I think that bottom shelf was neither humid nor bright enough (I’ve since added another grow light to it). I may also have overwatered, even though I tried not to (once a week is a good estimate for a cold-weather masdevallia). I think the only need I consistently met was temperature.

I never got to the point of fertilizing or repotting this plant, though one would want to fertilize periodically and repot every year or two. 

Masdevallia wageneriana. Photo credit: Quimbaya, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0, via Flickr

I’m not sure I’m prepared to risk killing another of these beauties. Appreciating them at orchid shows and via these gorgeous photos is enough—although I wouldn’t mind taking a field trip to see them in their native habitat!