Masdevallia paivaeana

Masdevallia paivaeana is the most floriferous of our miniature masdevallia species.

The species is native to Peru and Bolivia and is reported to grow as an epiphyte or a lithophyte in cool woodland between 2450 and 2750m altitude. This habitat is cool tropical and although we grow the species in our cloudforest greenhouse (min 12C) it would be happy with a lower minimum temperature around 10C.

The species is a vigorous rooter making it an easy plant to grow and we find it does well in a small pot or a basket. We grow plants in course bark and water it well throughout the year. We have friends who succeed with the species on a windowsill or in a terrarium.

The species is happy growing in shade but is tolerant of bright light and is less susceptible to heat stress than some of our Masdevallia species. We have flowers from plants throughout the year but with a peak in the late summer and autumn.