Species library › Masdevallia › Masdevallia belua
Orchids Partly documented

Masdevallia belua

Masdevallia belua, named for its monstrous long-tailed flowers, was described by Königer and D'Alessandro in 1993 from southern Ecuador. It is a cool grower that tolerates lower humidity than most of the genus.

At home, aim for
Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night A clear drop at nightTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry
Light Dappled lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

Cool montane forest and forest edges of the Loja region in southern Ecuador, on mossy trunks and rocks in an inter-Andean climate that is drier than the Amazon-facing slope.

The single record is at 2,263 m; the species probably spans roughly 2,000 to 2,800 m.

Ecuador

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.