Bloom Event - Miltonia clowesii

I know I've been a bit quiet on here for a couple of weeks. There hasn't been a lot to report, really. Most orchid growers will tell you that summer is a definite dry spell for blooming orchids, and my collection is no exception. That's not to say its completely barren and there are a few in the pipeline, but they aren't queueing up as they do at other times of the year.

So I am doubly thankful that the Miltonia species have decided to grace me with their flowers at this time. I posted about Miltonia spectabilis var. moreliana at the weekend, so now the focus moves to Miltonia clowesii. My plant is still very young (I got it from the Quinta da Boa Vista Garden on Madeira back in February), and I know it can reach quite a size when it is all grown up, but it has still put out a flower spike for me bearing four flowers, one of which is now fully open. I'm quite surprised that it has decided to bloom, at least partly because it is usually cited as a cool grower. This species seems quite adaptable to warmer conditions, as is often the case with the many species that either have a wide geographical range or occur at a range of elevations.

My plant is growing in the 9cm pot that I originally put it in back in February. Once new growth starts again, I will put it in a wider, shallower pot as this is another shallow rooted scrambling species although it is better behaved than its cousin, Miltonia spectabilis. Miltonia clowesii, along with many of the other Brazilian Miltonia species, appreciates being growin in bright light, as bright as that for Cattleya. Under these conditions the plants tend to take on a yellowish cast which would normally be a warning sign but for Miltonia this simply means they are getting the correct amount of light. Lower light results in lovely green foliage but no flowers. Even moisture is essential at all times, and the plant does not like to dry out.

The picture shows quite nicely the yellowish colour. It is good to know that my lighting system is sufficient to both bloom Vandas and Cattleyas, and to turn my Miltonia a healthy (unhealthy looking) colour. All this without burning any foliage. Under natural light, it can be very difficult to give plants enough light without burning them which is why a lot of growers either have lovely healthy looking lush green plants that don't bloom well or tatty yellowed and wrinkled half dead looking plants that look ugly but bloom brilliantly. The true skill in growing orchids lies in striking a balance between good looking plants and decent flowering.

The thin foliage on Miltonia can often be a target for bugs such as red spider mite, and the yellowish foliage can easily mask such damage. Maintaining high levels of humidity and having strong air movement over the plants helps to discourage them, and the regular sprayings of soap solution kill off any strays that do make it to the plants.

Such a beautiful flower. I really like the contrast between the petals and the lip. As an added bonus, there is a sweet scent. It's not a room-filliing scent, but very pleasant indeed. This seems a nice form of the species and I am proud to have it in my collection. I will genuinely look forward to seeing it bloom to its full potential. It just goes to show that many easy growing and very beautiful orchids are totally overlooked by the horticultural industry, and this is a classic example.