Dracula polyphemus is native to Ecuador. These plants are found in high-mountainous rainforests, in eternal clouds, in the province of Pichincha in west-central Ecuador. They grow at an altitude of about 2000 m, above Chiriboga, between Quito and Santo Domingo...
Dracula polyphemus also called as The Cyclops Dracula, Masdevallia polyphemus, is a species of the genus Dracula. This species was described by Carlyle A. Luer in 1878.
IDENTIFY DRACULA POLYPHEMUS
Dracula polyphemus is native to Ecuador. These plants are found in high-mountainous rainforests, in eternal clouds, in the province of Pichincha in west-central Ecuador. They grow at an altitude of about 2000 m, above Chiriboga, between Quito and Santo Domingo. Although the occurrence is limited to a relatively small area, it is a quite popular plant.
It is a medium sized, cool to cold growing epiphyte, which reaching 15-31 cm high, with erect, stout, 3-6 cm long ramicauls enveloped basally by 2 to 3 loose, tubular sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, thinly coriaceous, carinate, lightly plicate, elliptical acute, gradually narrowing below into the conduplicate, indistinct petiolate base, 12-25 cm long and 3-5 cm wide leaf.
The Cyclops Dracula blooms in the winter and spring on a purple, slender, horizontal to descending, 10 to 20 cm long, sparsely bracted, successively few flowered inflorescence arising from low on the ramicaul with a tubular floral bract. The flowers are 10-15 cm in diameter and have petals of outer whorls densely covered with brownish-brown dots and short hairs. These dots merge towards the tops and perimeter, leaving the center of the petal more or less greenish-white. Each outer whorl petal is ended with a long, slender, rigid protruding, auburn tail. The inner coat flakes have the color of ivory and are marked with brown spots. The lip is snow-white and the greenish-white bristle.
DRACULA POLYPHEMUS CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Dracula polyphemus needs a light level of 12000-18000 lux. The light should be filtered and dispersed, and the plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight in the afternoon hours. Strong air movement should be ensured all the time.
Temperature:
A plant with moderate thermal requirements. Similar throughout the year, the average temperatures is 24-27 ° C, average night temperatures is 12-13 ° C, with an amplitude of daily variations of 11-16 ° C.
Humidity:
The Cyclops Dracula needs the humidity of 75-80% for most of the year. In the period of 2-3 winter months it drops to 60-65%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Dracula polyphemus grow well attached to pieces of tree ferns or cork with high humidity, and requires daily watering during the summer. If growing these plants in baskets or pots, any rapidly draining substrate can be used, such as medium bark granulation or chopped wood fern fiber. Substantial release materials are also often added to such a mixture, but at the same time retain a portion of the moisture, e.g. perlite and cut sphagnum moss. Wood charcoal is also often added to ensure the air permeability of the substrate and protection against acidification.
You can use only sparsely packed New Zealand sphagnum moss, but the plants grown in it must be repotted every 9-12 months. The plants should be repotted when the substrate begins to decompose, or when they grow out of pots. If repotting is done at the time when new roots begin to appear, the plant will be accepted and rooted in the shortest possible time.
Watering:
In the period from spring to late autumn rainfall is moderate to heavy. In winter, there are slightly drier conditions. For the majority of the year, the cultivated plants should be kept in an even humidity, while in the late autumn watering should be slightly reduced.
Fertilizer:
If the plants grow in sphagnum moss, tree fern or Osmund fern roots, they should be fertilized every 3-4 weeks 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of orchid fertilizer during the period of strong growth. If grown in a bed of pine bark, fertilization should be applied every 1-2 weeks.
At the beginning of the year, when the plants grow actively, instead of fertilizers with equal proportions NPK, you can use fertilizers with high nitrogen content. Then in late summer and autumn, use high phosphorus fertilizers ("bloom booster") to stimulate the plants to flower.
Rest period:
In winter, watering should be reduced to some extent, but the Dracula polyphemus must never be allowed to dry out completely. Fertilization should be limited until spring, when stronger watering resumes.
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