Masdevallia rosea

Masdevallia rosea is a very beautiful species from the cloud forests of Colombia, and occurs between 2400 and 3400 m elevation.

I have two clones of this species, a “pallida” which is quite a bit easier but nowhere near as nice, and this one, which is pretty unforgiving. In the summer I move it to my wine cooler and it spends the winter in my grow tent, where day temps are in the upper 50s/low 60s and nights are around 50 and occasionally down to the mid 40s.

This plant was relentlessly losing new growth since I got it, but recently stabilized and seems quite happy with the winter conditions. This is its first time blooming for me.

 

Here’s the pallida form I mentioned in my first post. The flowers aren’t quite so nicely shaped and the pink not so retina-scorching. But, it seems that be more tolerant of warm summer nights.