Description
IMPORTANT NOTES:
– PLEASE LOOK CAREFULLY AT PHOTOS to get an idea of size!
– IMPORTANT: PLANTS ARE NOT IN BUD/BLOOM WHEN SHIPPED
Miltoniopsis (not to be confused with the closely-related Miltonia, but you will be confused anyways, just like we all are), produces flowers that look a lot like pansies, and hence are known as the ‘pansy orchid’. That’s where the similarity ends. While you can find pansies growing in gardens, lawns, Home Depot, and even cracks in the pavement (see the Wikipedia entry for a fine example), most Miltonias are cherished members of fine orchid collections. Miltonias come from Central and South America, where there are only a handful of known naturally occurring species. Breeders have taken this limited palette, however, and produced some fantastic Miltoniopsis varieties with rich colors and patterns.
The large seedling-sized plants (SD2-size) are grown in 2.25-inch square pots; they’re about two years from reaching blooming size. Miltoniopsis are cooler-growing orchids, but must be kept from temps below 45 F. Avoid overwatering and underwatering, and keep relative humidity at least in the 60% range or higher. Leaves are thin and burn easily, so shady conditions are best. Near Blooming Size (NBS) plants are about 12 months (or less) from reaching Blooming Size.
HOW TO GROW–LIGHT: bright, shady conditions. Avoid direct sun. WATER: 2X/week. MEDIA/SOIL: New Zealand Sphagnum Moss is excellent, as is well-draining bark mix. FERTILIZER: balanced fertilizer every two weeks. TEMPERATURE: 50 deg F – 95 deg F; keep well watered and misted when very hot. Avoid freezing!
