Guest Andreas Eils Posted May 29, 2013 Report Share Posted May 29, 2013 Good evening ladies and gentlemen, two years ago I bought a couple of Masdevallia ignea. I was asked to paint a watercolour for my mother´s school friend who became 60 in 2011. Orange flowers and green leaves would be fine she told me. I wouldn´t be Andreas Eils if I wouldn´t find something SPECIAL to paint! I was remembering a Masdevallia flower in an old catalogue of an orchid nursery I kept. The picture was labelled as Masdevallia militaris. I did a Google search and found out that Masdevallia militaris obviously wasn´t a valid name anymore and the item in search is in fact called Masdevallia ignea. I was totally fascinated by this glowing orange-red flower and decided to buy such a plant. I never grew Masdevallias before but knew the montane species from South America need cool conditions. So, why not growing the Masdevallia together with my highland Neps? Said and done. A couple of months later I got a visit of an orchid expert. He predicted to me it would be nearly impossible to keep a montane Masdevallia in a terrarium and the plants would be most likely dead after about six months! Well, he is proven wrong...hehehehe... In fact the plants grew vigorously but sadly no flower bud appeared last year. I was told M. ignea would be hard to get to flower. So, I slowly faced up to my plants would most likely never flower. THEN CAME spring 2013.... This flower show compensates for all misery I suffered with my plants in the last time! with some back light :) The whole plant is looking like this: I´ve counted 13 flower scapes (in this picture you can only see 12, I believe). 13!!!!!!! As you can see I grow this plant on a piece of cork and a thin moss layer (not sphagnum!). Growing it in a pot doesn´t work for me as the roots stay moist for too long. This eventually results in root rotting. The tank is ventilated by a mini fan every 30 min for 30 min. :o) Finally the second plant has also produced a flower - only a single one unfortunately. The sepals (not petals, those are tiny and hidden in between the sepals in the center of the flower) are narrower and a little redder than those of the first plant. The third plant doesn´t flower and I think that one isn´t a Masdevallia ignea as its leaves are narrower and longer than the ones of the two flowering plants. Well, I am not sure if my flowering plants are truely M. ignea at all. I have heard stories about only a few selected nurseries sell the "real thing" and everything else would be hybrids... And my specimens don´t origin from such special orchid nurseries. I don´t mind I love the flowers of my plants! ;-) I hope, you also do! Cheers Andreas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Long Posted May 29, 2013 Report Share Posted May 29, 2013 Yes, you may ;) I know very close to nothing about orchids but those are some beautiful flowers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile Posted May 29, 2013 Report Share Posted May 29, 2013 A very beautiful flower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Silverman93 Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 you certainly may be proud, what a fantastic looking flower! I know sweet fanny adams about orchids but I know a fantastically strange and beautiful flower when I see one. thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted May 30, 2013 Report Share Posted May 30, 2013 Great pictures Andreas, yes be very proud, and how did the watercolour painting turn out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Cornish Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Are there any plants you can't grow Andreas? You certainly seem to be able to grow/flower any plants you put your mind to. Congratulations, have you have the Orchid expect back to your house recently? Regards Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andreas Eils Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) Thank you very much for the words of cheer, Neil! In fact I am more prone to kill each plant I wanna grow...hahahahahaha... Aaaahhhhh...I don´t know sometimes I seem to just have incredible luck! The orchid expert (he is a carnivorous plants grower, too) never visited me again. (He actually only paid me a visit to bring me the freshly printed calendars of the German Carnivorous Plant Society which I sold in 2011.) But of course I couldn´t resist to send him an email with a link to my Flickr gallery.... That´s what he replied: Deine Masdevallien sehen wirklich supergut aus. Auch wenn ich skeptisch war, hast Du es sehr gut hinbekommen. In English: "Your Masdevallias really look superb! Even if I was sceptical you´ve done your job quite well." I´d say about myself: Even the biggest loser must have a good day in his life! Hehehehehehe.... and how did the watercolour painting turn out? It´s looking like this: http://www.cpukforum...leryℑ=3379 The repro photography of the watercolour is a bit dark unfortunately. I was guided by web photos of flowering Masdevallia igneas when I was painting. Thanks to the other guys who replied to my topic, too. Seeya Andreas Edited May 31, 2013 by Andreas Eils Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Nice painting too....a man of many talents :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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