Maxillaria variabilis hail from Central- to South America where it grows from 500 to 2500 meters. As the name implies it comes in a numer of different variations in shape and color. It is a pretty easy going orchid, thriving in a wide variety of conditions. Since it can be found at such a wide altitude span it is fairly temperature tolerant, and it grows either terrestrial, lithophytic or epiphytic so you can grow it almost any way you like, as long as it is humid. I grow mine in the cool vivarium, slightly drier than my Pleurothallids, low light and high humidity with good air circulation. I have grown it mounted for a long time, but have recently potted it because the creeping growing habit mean that it keep outgrowing the mounts. I have both this lovely yellow variety and the red one already but I would not mind getting my hands on the nearly black variety as well. It blooms on a short single flowered inflorescence throughout the year but primarily in the winter to early spring. Flowers measure about 1.5 cm wide and last for a very long time. It is a very easy to grow species and I have brought it to flower on the windowsill as well.
Maxillariella variabilis (Bateman ex Lindl.) M.A.Blanco & Carnevali, Lankesteriana 7: 530 (2007).
Maxillaria schunkeana is almost entirely black and is also a relatively easy grower (for me anyway), albeit a little bit larger than variabilis. I would recommend it instead of the dark variety of variabilis.
Thanks for the tip Justin, I will keep an eye out for that one. 🙂
Forgot to mention that schunkeana also tends to have a tighter growth habit as well, which makes it a good candidate for pots as well as mounts.
Good to know! Some Maxillaria can grow way to large fo my setup, so compact is good.
I have a white one 🙂 thought it was another one but it’s determinated as a variabilis!
best regards, RJ
Cool, a white one that must be nice. PS! One of the Pleuros you sent me just bloomed, it was beautiful, but I was too busy to get a photo. Next time… 😉
Cool, you can name them now….:-)
Just been to orchilim in belgium, this is a good year for my collection!
take care
Yes… I look forward to naming them, but I need to wait for them to bloom again, I forgot to mark them …I have been too busy lately. 😉 How fun with orchid shopping!! I would love to do the same soon. Take care!!
Yo tengo esa Maxilaria en Rojo, soy de México y es un clima frío por el momento el clima está loco y a veces hace fío y calo, la humedad es variable pero es fresco tengo otras especies en general laelias de varias especies. Gracias por un consejo.
¡Gracias!