Miltonia (Miltonia) is a perennial plant belonging to the Orchid family. Miltonia originates from Central and South Brazil. The history of the origin of the plant's name is interesting. In the 19th century, Viscount Edligen Milton lived in England, who also became famous for his hobby - collecting and growing orchids.
Miltonia is a sympodial orchid, which consists of pseudobulbs about 7-8 cm long and no more than 4-5 cm wide. Leaves are green with a grayish tint, belt-shaped. The length of each leaf varies from 35 to 40 cm. The flowers are located on long peduncles that grow from the leaf axils. The variety of shades and their combinations, coloring flowering, is amazing. Quite large flowers with a diameter of about 10-12 cm can be white, pink, purple.
Miltonia care at home
Location and lighting
Miltonia can be successfully grown both in bright diffused light and in a shaded place. But the flower is still worth protecting the plant from being placed in direct sunlight. For this, miltonia must be shaded from the direct rays of the sun. If the lighting level for miltonia is selected correctly, then the leaves will acquire a pink tint.
Temperature
Miltonia loves to be in warm rooms. In summer - at a temperature of no more than 16-20 degrees, in winter it feels comfortable at 15-18 degrees. A large difference in fluctuations between day and night temperatures should not be allowed. The maximum value is 3-4 degrees. Otherwise, the plant will not bloom and may die. Miltonia should be protected from drafts, but it is necessary to ventilate the room every day.
Air humidity
Miltonia will grow well and please with its flowering at a sufficiently high level of air humidity - about 60-80%. In low humidity, the flowers will begin to dry out and fall off. The air humidity should rise in proportion to the temperature. To maintain the required level of air humidity, you can use a humidifier or containers of water located near the plant. It is important to remember that stagnation of humid air in a room without ventilation leads to the development of fungal diseases on the plant.
Watering
In spring and summer, miltonia is in a phase of active growth and flowering, so watering should be abundant as the soil dries. It cannot be allowed to dry completely, since the plant in such a stressful situation will shed its buds and flowers. For a flower, stagnation of water in a pot is also detrimental, since this will lead to rotting of the root system.
Watering is carried out with a warm shower, similar to tropical rain. The water temperature for irrigation is in the range from 30 to 45 degrees. Since water during irrigation will necessarily fall into the axils of the leaves, where they are attached to the trunk, it must be removed from there in order to avoid decay.
In winter and autumn, the plant is dormant, so watering is significantly reduced, but not stopped at all.
The soil
It is best to buy a medium for planting miltonia in a specialized flower shop. The optimum soil composition consists of a mixture of coniferous bark with peat and small pieces of charcoal.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Miltonia in spring and summer needs feeding once every two weeks. For feeding, use a universal fertilizer for orchids, diluted in water at half the recommended concentration. Fertilization can be both root - when watering, and foliar - by spraying the leaves. You can also alternate root and foliar feeding.
Dormant period
To stimulate the flowering of miltonia, a dormant period is required, which begins immediately after the maturation of new bulbs, when the young shoots become the same size as the old ones. During the rest period, watering and temperature are reduced to 15-16 degrees, and increased only with the appearance of new peduncles.
Transfer
Miltonia is transplanted once every 1-2 years, since during this time the substrate loses its nutritional properties. It is recommended to transplant immediately after flowering, when the dormant period begins. The neck of the plant should not be covered with substrate in order to prevent it from rotting.
The root system of miltonia is small, the roots are weak and sensitive to excess moisture in the soil, therefore it is recommended to use small pots with a good drainage layer at the bottom.
Reproduction of miltonia
Miltonia can be propagated by dividing a large bush into small parts. A new plant should contain at least three pseudobulbs for better rooting and further growth.
Diseases and pests
Incorrect conditions of keeping miltonia lead to the fact that the plant is infested with pests. The most common are aphids, scale insects, whiteflies and thrips.
If the ambient temperature is too high and its humidity is low, thrips appear on miltonia. On the lower part of the leaf, thrips reproduce actively, and the upper part becomes covered with gray dots. Leaves begin to fall off over time.
The scabbard covers the stems and leaves of the plant with brown spots. Later, sticky discharge appears in their place.
Whitefly, infecting the plant, leaves white or yellow spots on the bottom of the leaf. A heavily affected plant sheds its leaves and dies.
You can fight pests with a warm shower and the use of an insecticide solution diluted in proportion according to the instructions for the preparation.
Popular types of miltonia
Miltonia is snow-white - produces flower stalks about 40 cm long. On each peduncle about 3-5 flowers bloom, fragrant, reaching about 10 cm in diameter. Flowers are yellow, decorated with spots of red and brown. The lip of the flower is white, rounded with a wavy edge.
Miltonia Renelli refers to the sympodial orchid with glossy leaves. The flower's cups are white, the lip is light pink. Each peduncle has 3-7 flowers with a wonderful aroma.
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