My new miltoniopsis in bloom

[RosieC]

Here is a picture of the roots about a month after I bought it. It had that rotten moss core in the center, but the outer roots were just solid root.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...repotting.html

These ones took a lot of damage during repotting. It's probably not got as many now, but there are masses of new ones.

[NealW]

That is a very nice waterfall Miltoniopsis!

I noticed several folks bemoaning their lack of success with Miltoniopsis so I will let you all in on the secret... repot often!
Pot in an open, mosture retentive mix, water often, do not allow to become completely dry, ever. Low to moderate light, good air movement (if you don't have good air movement take great care not to get water in the new growths), weak fertilizer, best if kept between 60 and 75 degrees (but mine get 50 to 80 and do fine). If grown well these will bloom twice a year, for best results repot after each bloom, no more than a year between repots. Remove any soft or brown roots at each repotting.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by NealW

That is a very nice waterfall Miltoniopsis!

I noticed several folks bemoaning their lack of success with Miltoniopsis so I will let you all in on the secret... repot often!
Pot in an open, mosture retentive mix, water often, do not allow to become completely dry, ever. Low to moderate light, good air movement (if you don't have good air movement take great care not to get water in the new growths), weak fertilizer, best if kept between 60 and 75 degrees (but mine get 50 to 80 and do fine). If grown well these will bloom twice a year, for best results repot after each bloom, no more than a year between repots. Remove any soft or brown roots at each repotting.

Thanks!
But I don't think that it's my culture which is the problem. 99% of the onc/milt type plants here are sold with disasterous root systems due to a sphag core. The trick is getting the plant over the hump of rootlessness. They usually shrivel up and die before the new growth (and roots) appear.

[NealW]

Camille,
It certainly helps if the plants are health when you get them. Big box stores usually let their plants get too dried out, so I usually buy only if the plants have just arrived and still looking fat and happy. Pull off all the old potting material and brown roots, soak base in rooting hormone, and pot (keep the pot small compared to the size of the plant, Milts hate being over potted). You might try a bag or plastic dome over the plant to increase humidity until it begins to root.

Rosie,
I would remove all of those roots leaving a few short roots to anchor the plant. Miltoniopsis only retain their last root system and all of the older ones rot, so it's best to remove most of the old roots each time you repot. Your plant looks great, so repot it (see notes above), and keep it well watered in the new mix.

[RJSquirrel]

Hi camille1585 ..BEEAUTIFULL !!
Im on my 3rd or 4th one of these myself..I noticed your is Miltoniopsis. This one does not have FAT psuedo-bulbs on it then I'm assuming? We have one who sells these as "Miltonia" here locally. I think with the large OVERLY fat bulbs they might be a "Miltonicidium". They are not a" Miltonia" species plant as they are being sold. I got another one myself anyway as I love the blooms and the smell is wonderful

dammit no pics!!!! arghhhhhh I want you to SEEE!!!!

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by RJSquirrel

Hi camille1585 ..BEEAUTIFULL !!
Im on my 3rd or 4th one of these myself..I noticed your is Miltoniopsis. This one does not have FAT psuedo-bulbs on it then I'm assuming? We have one who sells these as "Miltonia" here locally. I think with the large OVERLY fat bulbs they might be a "Miltonicidium". They are not a" Miltonia" species plant as they are being sold. I got another one myself anyway as I love the blooms and the smell is wonderful

dammit no pics!!!! arghhhhhh I want you to SEEE!!!!

LOL Well, I can wait for the pics!

This one is Miltoniopsis, and has flat bulbs. They look nothing like the bulbs on my Miltonidium, which are quite fat.

[RJSquirrel]

ahhh I knew I was on the right track here with these. ...really bothers me they mislabel these plants...I know they do that to keep the ever viscuous orchid info from over powering one who doesnt know and they keep it simple

[RosieC]

I think Miltoniopsis used to be classed as Miltonia but the genus was split. Most garden center sellers haven't changed, even the guy at an orchid nursay I was visiting refered to one as a Miltonia, then added as an after thought "this is one of the cooler growing Miltoniopsis" almost seeming to think of Miltoniopsis as a sub-group within Miltonia.

Miltonicidium is a cross with Miltonia (possibly also Miltoniopsis) and Oncidium. They have even fatter bigger bulbs than Miltoniopsis. Mine seems to have grown a massive bulb.

[silken]

Miltoniopsis was split from Miltonia as Rosie says in about 1976. The Miltoniopsis are the pansy like ones and come from Columbia and can't tolerate heat as well as the Miltonia which are mostly from Brazil and area. Miltonia have a more spreading rhizome and Miltoniopsis' pseudobulbs are clustered quite tightly together and are fairly flat. Even for judging and labelling, the Miltoniopsis are grouped in with Miltonias so don't let the abbreviation Milt. fool you as that is usually what they will be classed under still. Then there are all the crosses like Miltassia and Miltonidium which quite often have the nice lip of Milts but different other characteristics of the oncidium intergeneric group. Yes, they like to confuse us orchid lovers

[Call_Me_Bob]

milts are growing on me. but i dont want to kill them