Description History & Interesting Facts:
Both Miltonia and Miltoniopsis are commonly called “pansy orchids” due to their close resemblance to the garden pansy. However, it’s important to establish that the ones we call pansy orchids are not Miltonia, but rather Miltoniopsis and these two orchids have slightly different cultivation needs. There has been a long history of confusion when it comes to these two orchid genera, and to make matters worse, many modern hybrids are a mix of Miltonia and Miltoniopsis, so don’t feel bad if you’re confused.
Miltonia orchids were first described in 1837 by English botanist and orchidologist John Lindley, based on the native orchid species from Brazil, the Miltonia spectabilis. Later, more orchid species were discovered from the cooler parts of Brazil, and neighbouring countries and they were given a different but similar sounding name, Miltoniopsis.
Until 1978 Miltoniopsis orchids were filed under the Miltonia orchid genus, and although today Miltonia and Miltoniopsis are now separated by scientists, many people still refer to all of them as “Miltonia” or “Pansy Orchids”.
What are the differences between Miltonia and Miltoniopsis orchids?
Let’s look at the two orchid genera more closely and break down their unique characteristics and differences.
Miltonia Orchids
Miltonia are commonly called “Miltonia orchids”, “Pansy orchids”, and “Brazilian Miltonia”. Although they are called pansy orchids, they more closely resemble large-flowered Dancing Lady Orchids (Oncidium) Click here to read about dancing lady orchids. plant-index/indoor-potplants/dancing-lady-orchidoncidium
There are around 11 recognised species, and these warm-growing orchids from central and southern Brazil can be found growing as epiphytes on trees, and as sympodial orchids that grow stems pretty close to the ground, although their flower spikes are sometimes mistaken for stems. From this low-growing stem, which is called a “rhizome” sprout pseudobulbs, one growing from the base of the previous one.
Blooming season is in springtime, and Miltonia orchids have fragrant starry shaped blooms with complex colour patterns, and the flowers can grow as large as 10cm across. They come in various beautiful shades of white, lavender, violet, yellow, cream, and burgundy.
They thrive in medium light and adapt better to warmer climates.
Click here to see Google Images of Miltona spectabilis
Miltoniopsis Orchids
Miltoniopsis are the real, sweet pansy-faced orchids called “Pansy Orchids” that give the group their common name because they bear an uncanny resemblance to garden pansies. This genus comprises 5 species and they are the cool-growing types that originated in the higher elevations of the Andes in Columbia, Panama and Ecuador.
Miltoniopsis bloom in spring and early summer, with the flower spike emerging from last year’s growth, and can continue for weeks because of the multiple blooming stalks. As a bonus, they have a mild pleasant scent that is more pronounced in certain varieties. The flowers have complex colour patterns which include rich shades of pink, red, white, cream, yellow, lavender, purple and burgundy, often with the orchid lip in an alternating colour, resembling the traditional pansy "blotch".
Unlike the Brazilian Miltonia orchids, these types of orchid are very sensitive to daytime light.
Two different species are the parents of many of today’s hybrids, one which grows in warmer river bed regions in Brazil and a cooler-growing variety from the mountainous regions of Columbia.
Click here to see Google Images of Miltoniopsis orchids
Miltoniopsis Orchid Picture courtesy Geoff McKay from flickrCultivation:
Miltonia and Miltoniopsis are now separated by scientists, and it is important to know the differences when it comes to care.
To be successful with either one of them you need to try to simulate the conditions enjoy in their natural habitat, and their annual growth cycle. In their native homeland, as the temperatures rise in spring and summer, the more water and nitrogen are available and the plant grows vigorously. By autumn there is less food and water available, so the plant slows down and begins flower production. It may look as though nothing is going on because the plant does not send up new shoots, but it is still busy plumping up its pseudo bulb and making buds, so it still needs good light but less water.
How much light do pansy orchids require?
Both Miltonia and Miltoniopsis grow best in partial shade with just an hour or two of bright filtered sunlight each day.
Miltonia orchids are more tolerant of bright sunlight for short periods than Miltoniopsis, but the leaves of both types can become sunburned with too much exposure.
They do well indoors in a warm spot near an east facing window where they will receive some morning sunshine, or a warm north facing spot where the plants are protected from harsh sunlight by sheer curtains.
What are the optimal temperatures for growing pansy orchids?
Most orchids need a distinct fluctuation between day and night temperatures to successfully produce flowers, and both Miltonia and Miltoniopsis require cool night time temperatures of 12 to 16°C degrees to bloom properly.
Miltonia thrives in daytime temperatures below 26°C but will tolerate temperatures up to 32°C for short periods. Ideal night time temperatures are between 16 to 19°C.
Miltoniopsis are native to cool forest and prefer day temperatures between 21 and 27°C, with night temperatures between 13 and 19°C.
How much humidity do pansy orchids require?
Too little humidity, or too much humidity, will stress either of these orchids.
A minimum of 60% relative humidity is required to grow Miltoniopsis to replicate the intense humidity of its native home.
Miltonia require a minimum of 40% humidity.
If you are growing both, a moderately high humidity between 50 to 70% should be fine.
In dry regions the average home may have humidity as low as 25%. Bearing in mind that heating in winter and air conditioning in summer will also remove a lot of moisture from the air.
Why do orchids require humidity?
Humidity is the percentage of water vapour in the air and you have most likely observed that humidity is lowest during the day and highest in the evening and morning. Orchids, like all plants have stomata or pores on their leaves that allow them to breathe by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. So, when orchids open their stomata to breathe they lose water, and in their native rainforests, humidity compensates for the water lost when opening their stomata.
If humidity levels are too low this means that the water loss through the stomata is greater than the water absorbed through the roots, resulting in a drought situation. In response to low humidity levels, the orchid closes its stomata and stops absorbing carbon dioxide. In essence, it stops breathing!
Orchids require water vapour in the air, and you cannot compensate for a lack of humidity in the air by increasing water to the roots.
Because Miltonia and Miltoniopsis grow well in moderately high humidity, if you live in an arid region, it would be best to increase the humidity level in your orchid room year-round.
How to increase humidity indoors and outdoors
It’s easy to increase humidity outdoors and in a greenhouse by turning on misters, and in a greenhouse you can just spray down the floor for higher humidity.
Group plants together
Grouping pot plants together indoors increases humidity around the plants, creating a mini microclimate, but take care not to overcrowd the plants, giving them sufficient space so air can move freely around them.
Make an orchid humidity tray
One popular way to increase humidity is to make a humidity tray for orchids. Simply find a drip tray or any watertight bowl that you can fill with small pebbles or gravel. Pour water into the tray until it is about halfway full and the orchid pot can stand safely on the gravel above the water line, and not in the water. If an orchid’s roots sit in water they will rot and die. This method allows the water to evaporate and creates a small microclimate around the plant.
Does hand misting increase humidity
Orchids and particularly those that are mounted will benefit from regularly misting of their roots, but not really their leaves. In fact, misting orchid leaves to frequently indoors can lead to infection if there is little or no airflow.
Hand misting around the plant is also only a temporary fix and will not raise the humidity levels around the plants for long.
Use a Hygrometer and Humidifier
If you live in a dry region purchasing a digital indoor hygrometer which measures both temperature and humidity would be a worthwhile investment if you wish to grow orchids indoors. You can purchase these at any local home goods store or online.
When using a humidifier, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure that undue moisture does not accumulate. If your windows and mirrors have condensation this is a sure sign that the humidity is too high. To reduce fungal and bacterial growth, keep your humidifier clean. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions as regularly cleaning your humidifier will reduce the amount of fungus and bacteria in the air. Purchase a humidifier with the largest water tank that you can afford. This will reduce the number of times that you will have to refill the tank.
Why orchids need good air flow
Miltoniopsis and Miltonia are adapted to particularly airy conditions. Air movement is essential, as it evaporates moisture on leaves and stems and helps protect plants from the spread of disease.
If you are serious about growing orchids you need a fan, as airflow is the counterbalance to humidity. Orchids need humidity to breathe and, just as importantly, orchids need good air movement to stay healthy. Disease, mould, fungus, and bacteria all have a harder time taking hold of your orchid with a steady, yet gentle airflow around them. Together, humidity and airflow will create a healthy climate for orchids.
If you only have only one orchid, opening a window may be sufficient, but a small fan is your best option if you have a few orchids. Simply turn the fan to the lowest setting and face it away from the plants as pointing a fan directly at the orchids can be too drying.
How to water pansy orchids
The water needs of these two genera also differ, although watering for both may be decreased during the winter months.
Miltoniopsis grow in a cloud forest environment where they are likely to be saturated daily and need to be watered when the potting medium only just begins to dry on top so that it has constant moisture. The strong humidity in which they are kept helps to stabilize the moisture in the growing medium. They are not tolerant of water with a high mineral content, and the leaves will discolour if hard water is used on them.
Miltonia grow in warmer locations and are more tolerant of dryness. Water them when the growing medium has nearly dried out and if in doubt, wait a day. Miltonia is less sensitive to accumulating mineral salts and can be watered with tap water.
Most orchids are sensitive to a build-up of salts, so it's advisable to flush the growing medium out with just water after several feedings. If your tap water has a high mineral content you may want to use filtered water, and rainwater is excellent. Never water orchids with cold water, as this will shock the plants, room temperature water is best.
It’s also best to water orchids growing indoors in the morning, giving them a chance to dry out before nightfall.
How to fertilise pansy orchids
Feed your pansy orchids regularly during their peak growing and flowering periods. From September to December it’s recommended to include nitrogen-based organic fertilisers like Sea Grow or Nitrosol with every second watering. From January to March, swop over to a fertiliser for flowering plants or a specialist orchid food. Skip fertilising during the winter months.
Applying one flat teaspoon of dolomitic lime per pot annually is beneficial, and this can be applied when repotting.
Pruning pansy orchids after flowering
After the orchid finishes flowering and the flowering stems go brown, cut them off with a disinfected cutting tool. When older leaves turn yellow and drop, this is a natural occurrence in the life cycle of the orchid, and new leaves will grow to replace them.
How and when to repot pansy orchids
These orchids like to be somewhat pot-bound, so allow room for only one year's new growth. Because they are intolerant of stale growing medium, repotting should be done every year after flowering and when the new growth just starts to appear.
When repotting, choose a pot that is large enough to accommodate 1 or 2 years growth (2 to 3 new bulbs per year). Clay pots work well because they are porous and will wick away excess moisture. Orchid pots have additional or larger openings for drainage and some are constructed with openings in the sides of the pot to allow better airflow to the roots. Shallow pots also work well for Miltonia.
Firmly tug the plant out of its old pot, and gently shake or tease out the old potting medium. Trim off any dead roots and dead bulbs. Position the plant with its oldest bulbs to the edge of the new pot, then spread the roots out, gently filling in the space with fresh potting medium.
To avoid the transfer of orchid diseases, it is standard procedure to sterilize all cutting and potting instruments before using them on a plant. This can be done by spraying with rubbing alcohol and wiping with a clean paper towel.
Miltoniopsis Orchid Picture courtesy maticsteve from flickrPropagation:
Although it is possible to grow orchids from seed, germination can take upwards of two years and special requirements necessary for success make it more practical to purchase your first orchid from a garden centre and increase your collection through cuttings.
Propagation is best done at the end of the bloom period when you are repotting.
Using a sharp knife, take stem cuttings that include at least four pseudobulbs with active growth. Old leafless pseudobulbs should be removed.
Ensure that you leave at least three active pseudobulbs on the mother plant.
Click here to see Google Images of pseudobulbs on orchids
Gently separate the roots making sure each cutting includes viable roots. Add a layer of pebbles, small rocks, or broken pot pieces to the bottom of a 10 to 15cm pot. Hold the cutting on top of the pebbles, being careful not to compress the roots, and start filling in around the roots and pseudobulbs with fine grade orchid mix. The pseudobulbs should be at or near the top surface of the bark layer. When the plant is secure in the pot, add a light layer of sphagnum moss on top of the bark.
Spray the pot down with water to keep the medium moist, but avoid a full watering until new root growth is evident in one to two weeks. The appearance of new leaf buds will indicate your orchid is growing, and you can then continue with your regular maintenance schedule.
What potting medium is best for pansy orchids?
These orchids thrive in a well-draining growing medium. A fine grade of speciality bark-based orchid mix is perfect.
Miltonia spectabilis Picture courtesy Bruno Cissoto from flickrHow to mount pansy orchids
Miltonia tend to have a relatively elongated creeping habit, and because they are easier to grow in a home than Miltoniopsis which require the intense humidity of their native cloud forests to flourish, and Miltonia do better when mounted.
Selecting just the right material to mount your collection on is most important because your orchids are going to be growing there for a long time, so choose material that is not going to deteriorate and fall apart just when they have rooted and are beginning to flourish.
They root easily on rough surfaces, making rocks, hardwood tree stumps or logs, and driftwood ideal to mount on, not forgetting cork which is used to hang plants on walls, or from ceilings.
Make sure whatever surface you are going to mount onto is clean and clear of any other organic material. Scrub off any moss or fungi with a brush and spray the surface area with a hose. This helps to keep the plants safe from diseases and gives them a nice surface to grow into.
Any driftwood that was taken from the beach should be soaked in fresh water for a few days to remove salt from the surface, changing the water occasionally. Orchids are much less likely to attach if there is too much salt and their roots could become dehydrated.
Orchids will not be able to attach onto any surface if they are not attached firmly, as even the slightest sway from a breeze can jar the plant and prevent the roots from attaching. Therefore, it is important to use the right material to attach an orchid securely.
A natural jute garden twine is highly recommended as it is organic and will rot away on its own, making it better for the environment, and you don’t have to worry about the twine cutting into the plant or the stem. It is also great to use because it will swell and shrink with the stem when wet and dry, providing a better hold. The downside of using twine is that if it gets too wet too often, it may rot and break its hold before the plant has had sufficient time to attach fully. If you are worried about this, tie the plant on with jute garden twine and lastly tie a few pieces of wire (not copper) around the plant and its mount, just to be sure. The wire can easily be cut off later.
Using round cable staples is a fantastic method for attaching orchids, because you can find them in different sizes and the round shape conforms to the stem. The staples will last long enough for the plant to attach itself, are almost invisible, and normally you will need to use only two or three per plant. The only downside is that they can damage the plant if you use a staple which is too small, and it cuts into the stem. The staples will rust away naturally but the rust doesn’t seem to harm the plant at all.
Fishing line is commonly used as a way to mount orchids, but many growers do not recommend it because, although it is very strong and hides well, it will not disintegrate and unless removed will last for life. This can create problems as the plants grow and spread, potentially cutting into the stem and preventing other pups from attaching. Fishing line is also not elastic, so it will not shrink like twine does with the stem when it gets dehydrated, and just this little movement can lengthen the time to attach by months.
A non-copper wire is also often used, and although it is strong and some wire may eventually disintegrate, it can be difficult to get the wire tight enough to hold the plant firmly without cutting into the stem, and like fishing line it is also not elastic, and can cause delays in attaching as the stem shrinks and swells.
Select a piece of orchid that is small enough to be supported only by its stem, as this will allow the roots to grow with the plant, and the plant will attach much easier. Plants which are too large will be top heavy and will not attach easily. Wash off any growing medium before pruning the roots back as much as possible. This allows the orchid to spend energy growing new roots which will attach easier.
Wrap the roots with some sphagnum moss, and find a nice nook in your driftwood or rock to tuck the root system into. Hold the plant in place – here is where it helps if there are two of you, one to hold the plant in place while the other ties it down, but it can be done alone. Next, take some strong twine and wrap it around the roots and the driftwood until the plant is held down firmly, but not so tight as to damage the plant.
Water the plants thoroughly, using a soft spray, and place your new orchid display in a location that gets plenty of light and check the plants daily, watering as required. It can take anywhere from 1 to 6 months for orchids to attach, depending on the growing conditions.
Water and feed as recommended above, and keeping the plants free from debris like fallen leaves or twigs, will help the roots grow quicker and stronger. Once the plants have fastened their roots the wire can be cut and removed, but if you have used twine it can be left to disintegrate on its own.
Problems, Pests & Diseases:
Problems:
Yellow leaves
The leaves of these orchids are a light green, and it’s natural for older leaves to turn yellow and drop. However, if newer leaves turn yellow, it could be from too much sun or too much water. Move the plant to a cool place and withhold water for a few weeks.
Pleated leaves
Pleated leaves develop if the plant is getting too little water or humidity. Strangely, the same symptoms occur if a plant has been over-watered, is not draining well, or the pot sits in run-off water so its roots are no longer healthy enough to take up water. Ensure that humidity, air flow and watering is corrected.
Limp leaves or soft growth at the base
The growing medium is waterlogged. Repot the orchid in dry material and withhold water for one week.
Black or brown spots on leaves
The plant may be sunburned from too much bright direct sunlight. Move the plant to a more shaded location.
Brown leaf tips
Miltoniopsis will develop brown leaf tips if it is watered with high-mineral content water.
Pests
Miltonia orchids are not bothered by as many common pests as many other orchid genera. Cleanliness is important for orchids, so wash the leaves occasionally with mild soapy water to reduce the harmful effects of excess debris and minor insect infestation. Most insects can be removed by hand, or a light brushing with a soap and water solution.
Look out for the following common pests and treat heavy infestations with neem oil or an insecticidal soap: Aphids, Mealybugs, Spider Mites, Scale, Thrips and Whiteflies
Snails and slugs love eating the young buds and new root tips of these orchids so remember to place some snail bait down if you are growing them outside.
Viruses
Since orchids are susceptible to viral diseases, when cutting stems always use tools sterilized in a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) and/or alcohol.
All orchids can contract viruses, so look out for light and dark streaks, or pitting in the leaves. If you suspect a virus, take your orchid to a specialist for confirmation. Unfortunately, there is no cure and the plant should be disposed of to avoid spreading the infection, and the pot should be sanitized before it's used again.
Bacterial and fungal problems
These are usually the result of improper watering. Orchids are susceptible to root rot which can also affect the pseudobulbs. Remove any infected plant parts and repot the orchid in fresh, dry growing material. Place the plant in a cool location and withhold water until it recovers.
Botrytis petal blight
If small spots or patches of discoloration appear on the blooms, your orchid may have botrytis petal blight. Remove all damaged flowers, or the complete stem, and move the plant to a location with better indirect light. Avoid misting your orchid when it is in bloom.