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Masdevallia veitchiana
Also called Veitch's Marvel
Veitch's Masdevallia is a cool-growing Andean orchid from Peru, found at 2,000 to 4,000 metres around Machu Picchu, grown for its striking red-and-purple flowers. It is best kept cool and moist with good light, and it is suited to beginners.
Masdevallia veitchiana, (pronounced "veech-e-anna") also known as Veitch's masdevallia or king of the masdevallias, is an orchid species of the genus Masdevallia.
The plant is found in the wild near Machu Picchu and nearby areas in Peru, where it is known as gallo-gallo, meaning "rooster" after the rooster-like red comb, crest and wattles of the flower. The plant was named in honour of Harry Veitch, of the Veitch Nurseries family, by whose plant-hunters it was discovered in 1867, and who imported, cultivated, and first flowered this species.
Masdevallia veitchiana is an excellent plant for beginners and experienced growers alike. It grows quickly into a specimen plant and is quite spectacular when several flowers bloom together, usually between spring and summer. M. veitchiana prefers a cool, moist location but, like most orchids, requires good light to flower consistently. In poor light the flower stems tend to be weak, causing the flowers to droop. M. veitchiana prefers daytime temperatures from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius and will tolerate evening low temperatures below 5 degrees. The plants will freeze, so care should be taken in times of severe frost or freezing temperatures.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Masdevallia veitchiana by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
