Dracuvallia Aletta Page

Description

Dracuvallia Aletta Page is a small hybrid of Masdevallia veitchiana x Dracula Raven.  These are vigorous plants with long-lasting showy orangy-red flowers.  Flowers are held well above foliage for an even better display.  I grow these intermediate to warm temps with more light when it’s intermediate, less light when it’s warm.  Inside for winter, outside for summer.

General Information

Masdevallia is a New World genus named for Dr. Jose Masdeval, a Spanish botanist in the time of Charles III, and comprised of about 600 miniature to medium sized epiphytic or lithophytic species from Mexico to the southern Andes. Like their close relative the draculas (for example Dracula andreettae), masdevallias have creeping rhizomes and an inflorescence that arises from an annulus, but it’s the structure of the flower that really stands out. The sepals are fused into a tube, of sorts, and the petals stand out in various triangular arrangements. Colors range from white to yellow to brilliant reds and purples.  It is hard to pick favorites.

Being mostly from montane cloud forest, Masdevallia is generally considered a cool grower; however, there are species that grow naturally in intermediate and even warm conditions, like Masdevallia rex, M. ayabacana, M. discoidea, and M. bennettii.  In my experience, most (if not all) can tolerate temperatures in the 80’s if they are kept in the shade, and they grow well in pots with sphagnum or small bark mix (I favor moss).  They like low light, high humidity and watering throughout the year but be careful not to overwater.  I grow mine in net or closed pots with sphagnum moss, and I keep them in intermediate (when it’s cooler) to low (when it’s warmer) light.