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Species library › Masdevallia › Masdevallia pumila
Orchids Well documented

Masdevallia pumila

Masdevallia pumila, the dwarf Masdevallia, is a miniature epiphytic orchid of wet montane and cloud forests from Colombia to Bolivia. It grows on tree trunks at 500–2,350 m and is described as warm to cold growing. It suits an intermediate to cool orchidarium with constant moisture.

Masdevallia pumila
Photo: Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry
Light ShadeDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
No rest periodGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

IOSPE describes it on tree trunks in wet montane and cloud forest. Plants are tiny, with blackish ramicauls and single leaves, and solitary flowers held below the leaves in winter and spring.

IOSPE gives 500–2,350 m; GBIF records span the same range (median 1,600 m, 14 records).

ColombiaEcuadorPeruBolivia

🔒 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. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its Public domain licence, unmodified.