Masdevallia ignea
Also known as: The Fire or Masdevallia ignea h.f. aurantiaca Masdevallia ignea h.f. xanthina Masdevallia ignea var. grandiflora Masdevallia ignea var. vuylstekeana Masdevallia ignea var. tomasonii Masdevallia ignea var. superba Masdevallia ignea var. stobartiana Masdevallia ignea var. splendens Masdevallia ignea var. rubescens Masdevallia ignea var. pulchra Masdevallia ignea var. massangeana Masdevallia ignea var. aurantiaca Masdevallia ignea var. hobartii Masdevallia ignea var. goorii Masdevallia ignea var. coccinea Masdevallia ignea f. citrina Masdevallia ignea var. citrina Masdevallia ignea var. boddaertii Masdevallia ignea var. armeniaca Masdevallia boddaertii Masdevallia ignea var. marschalliana in the subfamily: Epidendroideae
Native to: Departamento del Huila - Colombia
General Information
The Fire is a sympodial cool to warm growing epiphytic or terrestrial orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Colombia.
Plant Description
Sympodial. Grows to 2-28cm. Each new growth has numerous leathery erect, elliptic leaves that grow to 2-20cm long
Flowers
Numerous long lasting blossoms appear during Summer and Autumn
Blooming Season
- Autumn
- Summer
Substrate(s)
- Coarse
- Bark
- Charcoal
- Treefern
- Spaghnum Moss
- Perlite
Care Notes
These orchids like to be watered regulary, especially during warm weather, and prefer a well draining mix or also do well mounted, provided they can be watered daily or even many times a day.
These are quite a forgiving orchid, there are no special requirements to get this orchid to flower, just good care and consistent conditions. Larger plants may be more fussy and can react poorly to change; a poorly timed repotting, a pest infection or an unusually hot day can set them back for a couple of years. However, even plants that have been treated poorly can thrive, and if they are set back they often recover much stronger then they would otherwise be.
Climate
Grows at high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 20mm to 94mm per day, heaviest in November and lightest in January. Temperature ranges from 7C to 14C, highest in August (8C to 14C) and lowest in September (7C to 13C).
Watering
These orchids prefer a wet-dry cycle between waterings, they should be watered frequently but only when the moisture is approaching dryness, where the pot feels light and/or the media looks dry. Keep an eye on mounted orchids in warm weather as they may dehydrate quickly.
Fertiliser
These orchids do not need to be regularly fertilised and roots may be sensitive to salt build-up, dying back and therefore impairing the plants growth or even killing it.
If fertilising, use half to quarter of the recommended amount of fertiliser. If they receive fertiliser as part of a collection, be sure to flush out the pots regularly with fresh water and monitor the roots by checking how much resistance is given by the plant when nudged in its pot or mount. If the plant becomes wobbly or loose, repot in fresh mix or rinse the media/mount thoroughly and do not fertilise for at least 3 months.
Use balanced fertiliser year round. Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round. This plant is sensitive so apply fertiliser sparingly at one quarter recommended strength or less. Use a high Nitrogen fertiliser year round. Use a high Phosphorous fertiliser during Summer.Potting
These plants can be sensitive to repotting though should not require repotting regularly. Repotting should be done when the mix has broken down to the point that it doesn't absorb water or holds onto water for far too long, usually the plant shows a decline in growth as well.
The mix should be free draining, with a blend of 30% inorganic ingredients such as coarse sand, gravel or perlite, mixed in with about 70% organic ingredients such as peat, leaf litter or decomposed bark. Avoid commercial potting mixes as they can vary wildly and may contain "wetting agents" that can hold onto water for loo long, causing rotting and stunted growth.