After the harrowing near death experience with Madame La Guillotine recently, the spirited tovarensis has made a strong comeback and is displaying the most perfect set of flowers finally! The delicate shades of white and the pronounced structure of the flowers looks a bit like a corset made with the finest silk – it would of course have to be Venezuelan silk then…
M. tovarensis was registered by Rchb.f. in 1849 and it usually blooms in the fall or winter. Each inflorescence usually hold 2 to 4 flowers simultaneously and the inflorescence can bloom again so it should not be cut. I just love this species. It is really hard to believe that I found my two plants on the floor (ready to be tossed since there were no flowers left) at a flower shop in central station in Gothenburg nearly two years ago.
I grow mine on the windowsill in sphagnum moss under additional lighting, about the same intensity as I use for my Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum. Since I grow indoors it is a bit difficult for me to bring the temperatures down too much, but since all my orchids share the same room it is probably a good thing since not all of them are cool growing. The main thing you need to do in order to keep the cooler growers, like the Masdevallia happy is to provide a significant temperature drop at night along with some good air circulation – especially when it is hot. I can provide about 10 degrees C cooler nights in my orchid room the cooler half of the year (down to about 15 C), and it seems to be enough.
What peculiar looking flowers, but in a good way! You are right Karma, it does seem
to have the boning of a corset. Are these difficult to grow?
I heard you can put orchids in the refridgerator to simulate cooler temps. at night, have you ever done this?
I guess the orchid gods realized we meant no harm to our orchids when we hacked them, because all of my phals are in spike now, since we have had a cold spell for the past two weeks! I feel forgiven,lol!
Have a great weekend Karma 🙂
Oh yeah, i also wanted to say what a great find! Who the hell would throw out orchids?!?
Dear hubby found one by a trash pile growing in a pot of soil. She was really sick, but i put her in sick bay, and nursed her back to health once i cleaned her up and put her in spaghnum moss. Not sure what type of orchid it is, sice there was no tag, but she is growing well, with a nice plump bulb, and new growth. Looks like a cattleya.
I guess some people don’t understand orchidmania, ha!
Thank you Joan. Yes, I am quite pleased with these. Quite the find, especially at 50 kr a piece! That amounts to about $7!! 🙂 As far as Masdevallias go I think these are fairly easy. They have fleshier (thicker) leaves than many other Masdevallia and they seem less prone to getting brown spots/rot on them. No fuss. Just evenly moist and a bit cooler nights. I have only put Pleione bulbs in the fridge before, but I hear of some people doing this… I suppose if you have the room, why not. I would be a bit worried about the stagnant air though…
Enjoy your Phalaenopsis season and good luck with your “garbage heap find”. Sometimes they turn out to be real gems. Orchidmania, halleluja!
Hy Karma! you have a very nice blog…I’m enjoying it! Masdevalia Tovarensis come from the mountains of my country (Venezuelan Andes) and have to say…”good job” Congratulations!!! Why don’t you try with Cattleya Percivaliana, you’ll love it….I’m sure. Is not too big, is charming, and a very typical cattleya appropiate to your extraordinary collection. Greetings from Venezuela, and please excuse my not too good english.
Thanks Astrid! 🙂 It must be amazing to see M. tovarensis in-situ! I am very pleased that mine will bloom for me, it is a lovely Masdevallia. I have actually been thinking about getting a few more Cattleya now that many of the plants will move from the windowsill into the new cool vivarium so there will be more room in the window (and dear husband likes them). Cattleya Percivaliana is nice, perhaps I will get one. Thanks for stopping by the blog …and your English is very good.
Pleurothallids love, I have a Masdevallia tovarensis and I think it one of the prettiest of Masdevallias.
Your BLOG is very good, I await your visit on my site.
Thank you! It is nice to hear that you like my blog. 🙂 I agree with you, I think M. tovarensis is one of the most beautiful Masdevallia species too. Looks like you have a nice site, too bad I cannot read Portuguese.