Masdevallia picturataI just can’t get enough of this fantastic little mini Masdevallia! Despite its meager size Masdevallia picturata is one of my absolute favorites, and has been so ever since I first saw one. I tried to grow it once before I built the cool vivarium, and I am sad to say I failed… but now I can provide the right conditions for it and finally grow it properly. These two have been blooming since early fall and are still going strong. Leaves measure about 5-6 cm and the flowers are no more than 1.5 cm across not counting the long sepals, but it is quite prolific and make up for the size in complexity and abundance. It is from in the cool and wet cloud forests of Central- to South America where it grows at elevations of 1500 to 2750 meters. I grow mine cool, humid and quite bright, only about 30 cm from the lights.

Masdevallia picturata