Dracula Orchids Factsheet

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The orchid genus Dracula consists of 118 species. The strange name Dracula literally means "little dragon", referring to the strange aspect of the two long spurs of the sepals. They were once included in the genus Masdevallia, but became a separate genus in 1978.

Culture of Dracula Orchids

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Temperature

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Dracula need cool growing temperatures.  Keep the daytime temperatures below 22C. At night, temperatures should drop at least 8C. They care a great deal about leaf temperatures, so respect this. The plants also dehydrate quickly if temperatures are too high, as they cannot close their stomata to retain moisture. The minimum winter Temp is 7C.

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Light

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Shaded light only. Draculas tend to be happy at 600 - 2000 ft candles of light. The higher the lighting, the cooler the temperatures need to be and vice versa.

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Fertilization

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A very light feeding of a well balanced fertilizer will keep Draculas blooming. Too much fertilizer will cause the tips of leaves to turn brown or black. Bloom feed August to April.

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Water Quality

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Draculas require high quality water. Rain water is ideal.

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Humidity & Air

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Humidity is very important for all Dracula, as they come from cloud forests in the Andes. Try for 70 to 80% humidity. Good air circulation (from a fan) will help prevent issues with rot.