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Echeveria macdougallii
The plant likes a sunny location. The plant can be grown outdoors in summer.
Always water a few days after the substrate has dried out. Reduce watering in winter.
It can withstand temperatures as low as -6.7 °C for short periods. However, the plant is not frost-resistant.
The name macdougallii commemorates the discoverer of this species, T. B. MacDougall, known as "Don Tomas," a Scottish gardener, botanist, and anthropologist active in the first half of the 20th century.
Echeveria macdougallii originates from southern Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. The epithet macdougallii honours the discoverer of the species, Thomas Baillie MacDougall, known as “Don Tomas” (1895–1973), a Scottish gardener, botanist, and anthropologist with a strong passion for the natural world of Mexico.
The plant forms small rosettes on woody stems, gradually developing into a miniature succulent shrub. It can reach up to about 30 cm in height, while the individual rosettes remain very small, often only around 3 cm in diameter. The leaves are thick and fleshy, pastel green in colour, with vivid pink to red margins. This colouring can become even stronger during the cooler months.
The flowers are bell-shaped, red with a yellow edge along the petals. They typically appear in summer in small clusters, often in groups of three, on short flowering stems that can reach up to about 9 cm in length.
Echeveria macdougallii grows best in a bright position with well-draining soil and careful watering. Thanks to its woody stems and tiny rosettes, it is also an interesting “tree-like” echeveria that can be trained over time in a bonsai-style form. If you are looking for a smaller species with striking red-edged leaves, Echeveria macdougallii is an excellent choice.