Why are Miltoniopsis (Pansey Orchid) not popular - Page 2 - Orchid Board

AJW · #11 02-11-2018, 02:57 PM

Getting the environment right in the case of Miltoniopsis breeds success. By this I have found don't water the foliage unless very hot direct water the roots via an in pot water system. (Simple gravity feed supply tank via in pot feeders) Water every two days in the summer along with 1/2 strength fert. Night temps no lower than 12 degrees c had up to 42 degrees c in hot house. light such that no shadow appears in the plant. These photos show the basic set up and a Mps Pink Cadillac the opened yesterday.

Paul · #12 02-11-2018, 03:22 PM

As many others have mentioned, they are just too hard for most folks here to grow. I, personally, love the flowers. HOWEVER, I cannot provide the year round cool, humid conditions they desire. My summers are humid enough were I to put it outside, but the heat would do them in. In winter, I could provide the cool temps on a windowsill, but my winter RH is usually around 10-12% once the heat kicks on. Milts can't handle that. I have helped one of the out of state vendors who attends several shows in MI for a number of years now. Miltonopsis are one of the few orchids I have talked people out of buying because, upon talking to them, I know there is little chance of their keeping them alive in their home conditions.

aliceinwl · #13 02-12-2018, 01:37 AM

I’m giving one a go outside. Worst case I’ll enjoy the flowers until it passes. I haven’t repotted it yet, but it seems to be in a peat moss mix, it was dry as a bone at the store, but not yet wilty. I’ve been putting it in the garage at night since it’s still getting into the low 40s - high 30s Fahrenheit. Most of our summer days top out in the low to mid 70s and it’ll be in bright shade so should be a bit cooler. I’ll see if it can make it that long.

camille1585 · #14 02-12-2018, 03:27 AM

Like others have said before, it's not really a question of Milts not being popular, but that the vast majority of people don't live in areas with a climate they do well in. I love milts, and tried them several times when I was living in france (towards the south). Too hot in the summer, and too dry year round. I haven't tried again since moving to the Netherlands, the climate is likely better, but I suspect that my apartment is too warm in the summer. If I could I'd grow lots of these, I love the blooms.

estación seca · #15 02-12-2018, 02:21 PM

aliceinwl, you're probably one of the few people here who has a climate allowing you go grow these well. Members in the California coastal region with constant marine influence can, too.

You can probably grow them outside all year, especially if you live in the zone where there is dew almost every night. As long as it doesn't freeze you can leave them outside. A site with bright shade or dappled sun would be great. Morning or late afternoon sun would probably be fine.

You can probably also grow tuberous begonias to perfection. I remember visiting Santa Cruz, California, some 40 years ago with family. This is a town on the coast near Monterey, south of San Francisco. We saw an enormous shade house growing tens of thousands of tuberous begonias in hanging baskets, all in flower. I had been paying attention to the ambient temperature and weather conditions, and now I understood what tuberous begonias wanted.

Pattywack · #16 02-12-2018, 03:41 PM

I have a Miltoniopsis Bert Fields. In July of 2014 my husband brought this orchid home to me, my first orchid. I thought he had lost his mind, I’ve grown most everything through the years, never an orchid. Husband laughed off my concerns and said “you can grow anything.” I took that as a challenge and ole Bert is still hanging on. Not looking too happy at the moment, it’s been a cold winter and the air is too dry even with the humidifier.

My Miltoniopsis was originally potted in moss, I grow it in a mix of spaghnum, bark, charcoal and fern bark in a clay pot with a lot of holes around.

The plant is in our dining room, near a north facing window with added light 5000k cfl. Ole Bert hates to dry out so we avoid that. I did not have any flowers last year sadly though I did repot it and maybe upset the ole guy. Hopefully this year, more settled into the new pot, I will have flowers again.

I personally would not buy another Miltoniopsis, they are too big to begin with and yes, difficult to keep. Their blooms are gorgeous! I’ll stick with my miniature orchids. My husband didn’t know what kind of madness he was starting four years ago. Here is a picture of ole Bert from 2014 and now.

estación seca · #17 02-12-2018, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pattywack

I have a Miltoniopsis Bert Fields. In July of 2014 my husband brought this orchid home to me, my first orchid. I thought he had lost his mind, I’ve grown most everything through the years, never an orchid. Husband laughed off my concerns and said “you can grow anything.” I took that as a challenge and ole Bert is still hanging on. Not looking too happy at the moment, it’s been a cold winter and the air is too dry even with the humidifier.

My Miltoniopsis was originally potted in moss, I grow it in a mix of spaghnum, bark, charcoal and fern bark in a clay pot with a lot of holes around.

The plant is in our dining room, near a north facing window with added light 5000k cfl. Ole Bert hates to dry out so we avoid that. I did not have any flowers last year sadly though I did repot it and maybe upset the ole guy. Hopefully this year, more settled into the new pot, I will have flowers again.

I personally would not buy another Miltoniopsis, they are too big to begin with and yes, difficult to keep. Their blooms are gorgeous! I’ll stick with my miniature orchids. My husband didn’t know what kind of madness he was starting four years ago. Here is a picture of ole Bert from 2014 and now.

It looks like a difficult-to-grow spider plant LOL

samgeo · #18 02-12-2018, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJW

Info indicates there has been quite a gap from when Miltoniopsis (Mps) were first discovered and subsequently started to appear in collections and on display at shows.
Down under in New Zealand there appears to be a resurgence but a shortage of stock.
I stumbled upon them by accident and have been lucky having plants awarded and gained a place at shows.
Mps have there growing challenge but surly that is part of the overall orchid game. The attached photos are but of a few I have flowered and my set up I will enjoy any feedback. Yellow ones seem to be the most difficult to obtain so a group in NZ are about to embark on an Yellow Mps breeding program.

Personally, I can't grow them.... but I ADORE that yellow one you have pictured... love it, love it, love it.

aliceinwl · #19 02-13-2018, 02:49 AM

That’s good to hear! All of my long term intergeneric Oncidium types, and Zygopetalum types have been doing well outside. But, I made the mistake of putting a new winter acquisition Zygopetalum and Miltonia straight outside. The Miltonia got a lot of cold damage and I may have killed the Zygopetalum. So, I’ve been putting those two and the Miltoniopsis in the garage every night to take the brunt off the night time lows.

estación seca · #20 02-14-2018, 12:07 PM

There's a difference between Miltonia and Miltoniopsis. At one time they were both in genus Miltonia. Hobbyists called the cool-growing ones with wide flowers "pansy face Miltonias." The ones with smaller petals were called "warm growing Miltonias." Then taxonomists decided they should be in different genera. The warm-growing ones are now called Miltonia and the pansy face ones are called Miltoniopsis.

Many Miltonias would probably not like sudden cold temperatures, though some can tolerate it. Do you know whether your plant that had trouble with the cold was a Miltonia or a Miltoniopsis?