Bloom Event - Miltonia Goodale Moir 'Golden Wonder'

I'm rather annoyed as I've just typed all this out and added the pictures and lost the lot due to computer user stupidity. Oh well, here we go again.

I'm rather surprised to see this flower as I only got it in February from the Quinta da Boa Vista Orchid Garden on Madeira. The plant was just about blooming size, but there is a big difference between 'blooming size' and 'adult'. At any rate, I was pleased to see a flower spike on this and there is one coming on the M. clowesii I got at the same time. I'll post on that one separately when the blooms open in a few weeks time.

At first glance, this on is superficially similar to Miltonia Sunset, but I think I prefer the colouring on this one. The yellow is deeper and I like the white lip with just a splash of colour. I haven't detected a scent, but I wasn't particularly expecting one. This is a primary hybrid between M. flacescens and M. clowesii so I'm actually growing both its parents. I haven't bloomed M. flavescens yet, so hopefully it will bloom at some point.

I was rather surprised to see flowers so soon; I might have expected blooms on the next growth to be produced, so these are a bonus. There are only two on the spike, but that's better than nothing. I might consider these two flowers to be a preview.

As you can see, the plant is still in the 10cm pot I put it in in february, but it has produced an nice new growth and it is this its flowering from. You can also see that I'll have to pot this on again once new growth is produced. This was quite deliberate as I wanted the plant to grow some nice new roots before I put it in a bigger pot. Miltonia as a rule (and this one is no exception) aren't well suited to regular size and shape pots as they have short roots and long rhizomes. I knew that no sooner this one was established in this pot it would need a bigger one.

I have yet to find a supply of appropriate shape and size pots for a lot of the orchids I grow and I don't want to start cutting pots up (sharp edges). I think I will start experimenting with clay bulb pans as they are wide and shallow. The pond pots work fairly well, but even they are too deep, really. Also, Miltonia have rather fine roots and they need to stay moist.

I think this one has potential to be very impressive when it grows up and I look forward to seeing it bloom more fully next time.