After 12 months it is possible to forget just how spectacular an orchid species is and yesterday I was freshly astounded by this well named Masdevallia. Some orchid species are very strongly seasonal and this species, that has just come into flower, we last posted on Dec 28th 2018!

Most masdevallias produce one flower per stem but some like M. superbiens produce many flowers on each spike. The remarkable flowers of this species with purple spots on a white ground and orange/yellow tails on each sepal make it rather special.

The species is native to Ecuador and Bolivia at around 2800m in cool wet forest. We find that plants are happiest in baskets where they are well watered but free draining. Plants are medium sized for a masdevallia with broad 12cm leaves and taller spikes that hold the long lasting flowers well clear of the plant.

I am really please top see that plants divided last summer are doing well so check our sales table at the London Orchid Show in April.