Masdevallia maxilimax

We have more than 70 species of Masdevallia in our collection but Masdevallia maxilimax is one of the most curious. The flowers may look just like a bright orange slug about to pounce on an unsuspecting orchid but are the perfect tube flower for humming bird pollination similar to many of the epiphytic Gesneriaceae (Gesneriads and similar genera) that share the Andean habitat of this Masdevallia)

Masdevallis maxilimax is endemic to Southern Ecuador where it is reported growing from 1800-2000m in cool wet forest.

We grow the species in our cloud forest greenhouse and keep plants near the floor of the greenhouse to reduce heat stress in the summer and when tghe heating is working hardest in the winter. The leaves of Masdevallia maxilimax are rather delicate and soon become desicated if plants are not well watered.