Miltonia orchid is a plant native to Brazil. This is a perennial flower of the Orchid family. The genus was named after the famous English orchid collector Wiscons Milton.
Miltonia Description
Miltonia orchid is ideal for growing a house. This genus is characterized by large flowers with a diameter of 10-12 cm, gray-green pointed leaves 40 cm in length. The color is varied: there are pink, burgundy, snow-white petals, some hybrids also have a pattern in the pharynx. Miltonia reaches no more than 40 cm in height, but some species can grow up to a meter. Blooms 5-6 weeks. The roots are airy, at their base are pseudobulbs. This genus has false bulbs. Subsequently, panicle-shaped stems appear, differing in color.
Types of Orchid Miltonia
Miltonia has many species and hybrids, which differ not only in color, but also in size of plants.
| View | Description | Flowers Flowering period |
| Snow white | One bulb gives 1-2 peduncles 40 cm in size. | Large, 9 cm in size. The white lip of the plant has a purple mark at the base and contrasts with the yellow cups. There are 3-5 in total. Autumn. |
| Renelli | The leaves are thin, shimmering due to the release of a special vegetable wax on them. | 3-7 snow-white. The lips are pink, has purple stripes and a border. Spring. |
| Close | Not more than 10 inflorescences, reaching 40 cm. Small pseudobulbs with yellow-green leaves. | 7-10 alternately blooming. The upper half of the lip is white, the lower is purple with yellow lines. Spring Autumn. |
| Yellowish | Reaches 50 cm. Egg-shaped pseudobulbs of a saturated green shade. Peduncle: 1 m. | 15 with yellow pointed petals. There is a wavy white lip with purple stripes. Spring Summer. |
| Wedge-shaped | Low, about 35-40 cm. Leaves are pointed and shiny with extension to the top. | 4-6 colors with a bright aroma. A trapezoid-shaped white lip contrasts with brown petals. Winter spring. |
| Russeliana | Small size. The pseudobulb is oblong, dark green. | In diameter, about 6 cm. 5-9 flowers. The petals and leaves are brown, the lip is white with a purple spot at the throat. Autumn winter. |
| Varshevich * | Has large inflorescences. Reaches 30-50 cm. | Brown or burgundy sepals and petals. A flat, wide lip of a pink hue, has a bright light pink spot in the center. |
| Phalaenopsis * | It grows to 30 cm. A pointed leaf appears on top of a green pseudobulb. | 3-5 with a diameter of up to 6.5 cm each. The lip has purple lines, the remaining parts of the flowers are snow-white. Looks like Pansies. |
| Roesla * | It reaches 28-38 cm. On pseudobulbs covered with small scales, one pointed dark green leaf grows. Peduncles 30 cm long. | 2-5 with a diameter of about 10 cm. White with purple spots, the lip has an orange disc. |
| Cymbidium * | It grows by 50-100 cm. | The color of the inflorescences is diverse, and the corolla: 13 cm. |
* Flowering in Varshevich, Phalaenopsis, Roesla and Cymbidium occurs in spring and autumn.
Miltonia care at home
In order for the miltonia to please the hosts with its flowers and leaves, it needs proper care.
| Parameter | The necessary conditions |
| Location / Lighting | Unpretentious. It is grown both in the light and in the shade. The pot is placed in the east or west. Interactions with direct sunlight should not be allowed. In winter, it needs enhanced lighting. |
| Temperature | Does not withstand swings. It should be maintained + 18 ... +24 ° С. At low, it ceases to bloom and dies. |
| Humidity | 70-80%. At low flowers fall. |
| Watering | Abundant, especially in the spring and summer, when the plant is actively growing. Use water + 30 ... +45 ° С, prevent drying out and stagnation, otherwise the miltonia will rot. |
| The soil | It is necessary to prepare a special soil mixture of peat, humus, sphagnum moss and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 0.5. Sprinkle the soil from above with chopped coniferous bark and charcoal. |
| Top dressing | In spring and summer. Fertilizers for orchids are sold in stores. Prepare a solution with a concentration of half less than the recommended dose. You can feed soluble fertilizer for indoor plants once a month. |
| Pruning | Almost no need. However, when pests appear, carefully cut off the affected parts of the plant. As for the flower stalk, it is cut off after flowering. |
Flowering and dormant period
In order for the plant to continue to fully bloom, a dormant period is necessary. It passes from the beginning of the formation of new bulbs and lasts several months. It is necessary to adhere to the temperature: + 15 ... +18 ° C, and water once a week. With proper care, the orchid will bloom throughout the year, except for the dormant period.
Each species has its own time, most often it is spring or summer. Immediately after flowering, every 2 years, it is recommended to transplant the orchid into a new nutrient ground.
It is necessary to carry out a transplant by transshipment from one container to another, and then to fill up at the edges of the bark pot. The roots of the plant are delicate and fragile, so you need to be careful.
Breeding
Orchid miltonia is propagated in only one way: by dividing the bush. There is no proper sterility for the seed method at home. At the time of propagation, the plant should not be sick, at least 6 pseudobulbs must be present.
- The plant is pulled out of the pot and gently shaking off the soil from the roots.
- Then, using a disinfected scissors or knife, cut the bush so that the deletion has a root and 3 pseudobulbs. Places of cuts are treated with charcoal powder.
- Before planting, the resulting parts are dried for 5 hours.
- Place the delenki in a pot with a prepared soil mixture, but do not deepen more than 5-8 cm, as rot may develop.
- The first 3-4 weeks are watered sparingly. Orchid will begin to grow fully only after this time.
It is also permissible to propagate miltonia using air layers, however, this method is most often used in botanical centers.
Miltonia Care Mistakes
| Manifestation | Causes | Remedial measures |
| Short flowering period. | Lack of fertilizers, lack of nutrients. Short rest time. Incorrect temperature (too hot). | Place the plant in a suitable place without direct sunlight, increase feeding. |
| The leaves are getting dark. | Lack of light. | Increase lighting by moving the pot or adding additional sources such as phytolamps. |
| Leaves turn reddish. | Bright lighting. | Remove the orchid from the light and cover with a cloth. |
| Unopened buds fall. | Violations of the temperature regime (hot), low humidity, drafts. | Make conditions favorable: protect from drafts and place a container of water near the plant. |
| The ends of the leaf are withered. | Mineralization of the soil due to the use of tap water. | Sprinkle with melted boiled water. |
| Root rot. | Too frequent watering. | Transplant into a new substrate. Water the next 2 months no more than 1 time per week. |
| Black spots on the surface of the leaves. | Water in the tank stagnates and becomes unusable. | Make drainage holes (if none exist) or change the soil to a lighter one without clay. |
| Light transparent spots on the leaves. | The plant has a burn, due to a long interaction with direct sunlight. | Remove the plant from the light and cover with gauze. Also spray the leaves every 3-4 days. |
| Slows flower growth, corrugation appears on the leaves. | Lack of watering and saturation of the substrate. | Put miltonia in new soil. |
Diseases and pests of miltonia
| Outward manifestation | Cause | Repair methods |
| On leaves and pseudobulbs appear black spots, a characteristic smell of rot. | Root rot. | Remove the orchid from the pot and use the disinfected scissors to remove the parts of the flower that have the above symptoms, then treat the cut sites with crushed cinnamon. After placing the orchid in a new soil with the addition of Trichodermin. Over the next 3 days, water with Topsin. |
| It is expressed by small round black marks on pseudobulbs and leaves, which are subsequently covered with a yellow coating. | Anthracnose. | Remove infected parts of the plant and treat the sections with Mikosan or any other antifungal drug. |
| The plant is covered with a thin web, and orange circles are visible on the back of the leaf. | Spider mite. | Moisten the flower abundantly and cover it with polyethylene for several days. Use Neoron, Omight, Fitoverm for processing month. |
| Leaves cover beige lines, pseudobulbs - black sticks. | Thrips. | To process with a soap solution, an oil emulsion, Inta-Vir and Nurell-D. Conduct no more than 2 times. |
| Small white butterflies living inside the flower. | Whitefly | Place syrup-based traps around the plant. Water Fitoverm, Actellik 2 times a week. |
Mr. Summer resident tells: signs and superstitions about miltonia
Violet and red miltonia help in the fight against laziness and the old way of life. Yellow orchids accompany increased finance, while orange orchids bring inspiration. Beige will help to understand their inner world, whites will defeat depression. Pink give the owners of femininity and charm, it is better not to decorate men's rooms with them.
