It is a treat to see this dramatic masdevallias flowering again.

Masdevallia lappifera of one of our most robust and reliable Masdevallias. The large flowers are produced on short stems and are remarkable for the purple ‘hairs’ on the lip which give the species its name meaning the burred Masdevallia. The flowers are very long lasting and the species spends several months a year in flower.

The species is endemic to Ecuador and found at around 1200m. We grow Masdevallia lappifera mounted in Cool Americas and find that the species enjoys being kept well watered and shaded. In common with several related species with thick leaves M. lappifera can suffer spotting from heat stress if kept dry and bright.