Care of the indoor plant Miltonia or Pansy Orchid |
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The genus Miltonia, family Orchidaceae, includes 9 species of epiphytic orchids originating in Brazil. Some species are: Miltonia spectabilis, Miltonia hybrida, Miltonia candida, Miltonia flavescens, Miltonia regnellii, Miltonia clowesii. Common name: Pansy Orchid. These orchids are native to Brazil. They are pseudobulb orchids with evergreen leaves up to 30 cm (11.8") long. The beautiful flowers appear alone or in groups of 10 specimens; They can be of very varied colors due to the large number of hybrids and existing varieties. They can bloom several times a year; the flowers last more than a month. They are used as indoor or greenhouse plants; indoors they can last 5 years and in a greenhouse 10 years. Miltonia needs a semi-shade exposure without ever directly receiving the sun's rays; if it receives too much light, the leaves turn reddish. A period of rest in winter at 15 ºC (59 ºF) is important. The soil can be a commercial substrate for orchids or a mixture of pine bark and charcoal. Transplant it, at the end of summer, every 2 years to a narrow pot. Always water with lime-free water every 3 days in summer and every 4 days in spring; reduce watering without letting the substrate dry out completely. They do not need pruning. Fertilize every 15 days during spring and summer with fertilizer for orchids; in autumn and winter fertilize once a month. They are plants quite resistant to pests and diseases; they can lose the flowers if there is not good ventilation. The leaves can fold if they suffer from drought or overwatering. They propagate from the bulblets that the plant produces on the main bulb; they are sown in spring in a mixture of sand, peat and pine bark in equal parts. |
Images of the indoor plant Miltonia or Pansy Orchid |
 Miltonia hybrida  Miltonia hybrida  Miltonia hybrida |