Miltoniopsis bismarckii is endemic to Peru, where it grows in the humid tropical forests of the department of Huánuco at an altitude of about 1000 m above sea level.
Miltoniopsis bismarckii also called as Bismark's Miltoniopsis, Miltonia bismarckii, is a species of the genus Miltoniopsis. This species was described by Dodson & David Edward Bennett in 1989.
IDENTIFY MILTONIOPSIS BISMARCKII
Miltoniopsis bismarckii is endemic to Peru, where it grows in the humid tropical forests of the department of Huánuco at an altitude of about 1000 m above sea level.
It is a medium sized, warm to cool growing epiphyte, which reaching 18-20 cm in height, with egg-shaped, laterally compressed, ancipitous pseudobulbs enveloped basally by several pairs of imbricating, distichous, lower leafless and upper leaf-bearing sheaths and carrying a single, apical, erect, oblong-elliptic, concave, keeled dorsally, acute, basally slightly narrowed, light green leaf.
Bismark's Miltoniopsis blooms in the fall and winter on a erect to slightly arching, axillary inflorescence arising on a newly matured pseudobulb and carrying 4 to 6 flowers. The wide open, flat flowers are about 4 cm in diameter. The outer whorls are pale pink, the inner darker, and the lip is dark pink and purple. The lip has a yellow shield with reddish spots.
MILTONIOPSIS BISMARCKII CARE AND CULTURE
Miltoniopsis leaves are excellent indicators of the state of plants, you just need to be able to read what they convey. They tell us if the level of light is right (slightly pinkish), too high (red, brownish or yellow), if there is no excess salt in the substrate (blackened tips of leaves) and if the air humidity level is not too low and the water is not enough (leaf folds on young growths). Such harmonica will remain forever, being a reminder of the neglect of the plant.
If the watering and the humidity level are correct, and the leaves still get wrinkled to form a harmonica, this is probably a sign of root rot. This is usually caused by overflowing, especially if the substrate is old and spread. The root rot does not allow the plant to take the necessary amount of water. The same symptoms unfortunately give too little watering ... In this case, you should immediately repot the plant into a clean pot with fresh ground. Before repotting, remove all dark, soft and rotten roots. The plant should then be immersed for one hour in the natrifene solution (1 ml per 1 liter).
Light:
Miltoniopsis bismarckii needs a light level of 12000-20000 lux. They creates the most flowers when it receives as much light as it can tolerate without damaging the leaves. The quality of flowers can often be improved if the bud is moved to a darker stand after the buds have formed.
Temperature:
It is a thermophilic plant. Throughout the year, the average temperature of the summer day is 27-29 ° C, the night 15-17 ° C, which gives a daily amplitude of 11-13 ° C.
Humidity:
The humidity of the air during the day should be on average 70-80%, increasing at night to 80-90%, and at noon dropping to a minimum of 50-60%. If in the winter due to high humidity condensation forms, then it can be slightly reduced. Strong ventilation will prevent condensation, even at high humidity.
Substrate, growing media:
Delicate, thread-like roots of Bismark's Miltoniopsis are easily damaged when the substrate is too dry or soggy. Therefore, the substrate, while remaining moist, must ensure a rapid outflow of excess water. You can use fine bark mixed with moisture-retaining materials, such as perlite or cut sphagnum moss. You can also use charcoal as additives, crushed oyster shells, peanut shells, thick peat, or chopped tree fern fibers. These additives vary depending on the experience in watering and general growing conditions.
Plastic pots are preferred because it is easier to keep moisture in them, but excellent drainage must be ensured. A layer of thick bark on the bottom of the pot improves the outflow of water. To improve it, you can also enlarge the holes in the pot, and even make additional ones by burning them with a suitable tool or cut-out. The fumes of melted plastic can be poisonous, so this should be done in the open or with good ventilation.
Repotting:
Miltoniopsis bismarckii like annual repotting. In addition to complying with the basic requirements, annual repotting is the most important activity that can ensure success in growing. Do not overdo it in large pots! The plants should be planted into small pots, providing space for increments of only one year. When repotting these plants is not about translating the plant into a larger pot with the entire old, compact body of the substrate. The entire old substrate should be removed, all damaged or diseased roots cut off, and the plant placed in fresh medium and clean pot.
It is best to perform repotting in the autumn when new roots begin to grow, and the new growth reaches half of the mature. Plant are repotting at the beginning of winter will have time to rush before the onset of hot summer days.
Watering:
The substrate of all Miltoniopsis species and hybrids should always be kept moist. Do not allow complete drying. The frequency of watering affects by many factors: the time of year, temperature and humidity, the longitude of the day, cloudy or sunny weather is, what substrate and how much pots are used, the size of the plant, when the last time the transplant was performed, whether strong ventilation. Determine if the watering time is appropriate for the weight of the pot, or you can just touch the substrate with your fingers to assess how moist it is.
The only time when Miltoniopsis should be somewhat dried up is the period just after repotting, especially if it was repotted before the growth period of new roots. Regular watering resumes immediately after emergence of new roots in fresh soil.
Fertilizer:
During the active growth, Miltoniopsis bismarckii should be fertilized every week 1/4-1/2 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids. Most prefer the use of nitrogen-enriched fertilizers, e.g. 30-10-10, for almost a whole year. You can also use fertilizer with less nitrogen, and higher phosphorus, e.g. 10-20-10, every 3-4 weeks. Periodic application of a fertilizer with an increased amount of phosphorus improves flowering.
Sometimes there are problems with drying up the tips of mature leaves. Although this may be a sign of lack of water, it is usually a sign of excessive salinity of the substrate. Such accumulation of salt may be the result of fertilization or the use of highly mineralized water. To prevent this, it is necessary to rinse the substrate every few weeks, especially when using high doses of fertilizers.
Rest period:
In winter, watering should be somewhat restricted, especially in the case of Miltoniopsis bismarckii which grow in dark, short days at moderate latitudes or when the temperature drops below 16 ° C at night. Just in a situation where there is less light, the day is short and the temperatures lower, the plants consume less water. However, do not allow them to completely dry out. If the amount of water supplied decreases, fertilization should also be reduced until new increments are created in spring.
COMMENTS