Commonly called pansy orchids, Miltonias are best known for their lovely and fragrant flowers, which range from red to white to yellow and display lots of different patterns. Native to South America and particularly concentrated in the Andes Mountains, they prefer high-elevation conditions with lower light levels and a temperate climate. Their leaves are bright green and slightly elongated, and their stems are fairly thin.


These stems bear open flowers that only stay in bloom for four to six weeks; however, Miltonia orchids bloom quite well and can be stunning during the short time in which their flower buds have opened. A mature plant capable of bearing multiple inflorescences will flower all at once in the spring, creating a quite beautiful display. Their common name comes from their flowers’ resemblance to garden pansies. These tropical orchids are growing in popularity and vary widely in difficulty: some species are quite easy, while others can be finicky and difficult to grow. But tropical gardeners who put the work in to cultivate Miltonias will be rewarded with eye-catching displays once they begin to flower in the spring.

Growing Conditions

• Light: Filtered or indirect light is best, and they’ll do well with some shade in the middle of the day. Too much direct sunlight will damage these orchids’ leaves.
• Water: Water frequently during the growing season in summer and then scale their water back to about once a week in fall and winter. It’s important never to leave Miltonias in standing water, which can rot their roots.

• Temperature: Warm, tropical temperatures, ideally between sixty and eighty degrees. Do not subject to prolonged cold. Some require slightly cooler temperatures: these varieties are generally more difficult to cultivate.
• Soil: A potting mix containing fine fir bark and perlite will work, as will chopped sphagnum moss. Drainage must be good, and you should choose a soil appropriate for fine roots.
• Fertilizer: Like most orchids, a balanced fertilizer like a 20-20-20 diluted to half-strength during the growing season is good; they won’t need to be fed as often during winter. In early spring, some gardeners use a 10-30-20 fertilizer designed to induce blossoming and improve the orchids’ bloom.

Propagation

Though they can be propagated by division, in which their rhizomes are separated and replanted, Miltonias dislike disturbances and separating these orchids could kill them or make them sulk. Propagating these orchids, therefore, can be difficult, and you’d be advised to treat them very carefully if you do try to divide them.

Repotting

Just as with division, Miltonias dislike repotting and should be disturbed as little as possible. Many gardeners choose to mount these plants on cork or wood. Hanging baskets are also a good way to grow Miltonia orchids, and they make repotting easy: just lift the entirety of the plant and replace it in a larger basket with fresh soil.

Varieties

The variety within the genus is quite astonishing, and many Miltonias are very showy: especially the larger-flowered varieties like M. moreliana, which has dark purple blooms. One quite popular Miltonia is the Outstanding Miltonia, or M. spectabilis, which resembles the pansy to the greatest degree of any species in the genus. There exists some taxonomic confusion between these orchids and the larger Miltoniopsis plants, which are also commonly caled pansy orchids and look very similar; however, Miltoniopsis is classified as a different genus. There are also many hybrids: these are very popular orchids with lots of options available to prospective gardeners.

Grower’s Tips

These plants should be kept moist and misted regularly, but never subjected to standing water. They also suffer from pests like spider mites, scale, and aphids, so stay vigilant and use a good but environmentally friendly insecticide if you find any problems. The easier varieties in the genus really only require a warm, humid environment and regular feeding to thrive; Miltonias can be a good choice for beginning orchid gardeners.