Masdevallia guttulata

This is a small epiphyte from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador where it grows along streams at altitudes between 400 and 1100 meters. Since it grows on pretty low altitudes it is also more tolerant to warmer temperatures and do well in intermediate culture. The small flowers are perhaps not as showy as some other Masdevallia, but I think they are really striking against the dark EpiWeb backdrop with the tall erect inflorescence holding the delicate flowers high above the leaves. Each inflorescence produce several flowers that open sequentially so it also blooms for a long time.

I bought mine from Orchids & More in Germany back in 2008 and actually bloomed it once on the windowsill, but that time I only got one inflorescence, this time I got four and the plant looks a lot happier all together. You can grow many Masdevallia on the windowsill, I used to do it and they bloomed for me there. But I can see a huge difference in all my Masdevallia now that I grow them in a vivarium. I grow this cool, mounted on EpWeb under medium light and high relative humidity. The high RH is a requirement for this genus to really thrive, even though many will survive under less ideal conditions.