Miltonia flowers aren't opening

[DDS2007]

hi all ,

i have got my miltonia for two weeks now (i still didn't kill it ) and i was wondering why aren't it's flowers opening , i mean a couple of them are producing fragrance while they are only partially open, and i have been told on this board that if a flower produces fragrance that means it's sexually mature. How could these flowers be sexually mature while only half open?? why is it taking so long for my flowers to pop?

happy growing

[tom499]

I have a miltonopsis, which is very similiar (flowers are identical ).It can take some time for them to open, but as i have learnt on this forum, patience is the key

As long as there is progress in the buds opening, however slow it may be, it means you are doing the right things, and that it will open soon enough.

and trust me, there worth the wait

[flowerchild]

my miltonopsis has flower buds on it too, my friend and I purchased the same day from the same guy and hers are already open and have been for about 2 wks mine have a tint of colour and are teasing me with it!!!! Mine however have two countem 2 splits in the pseudobulbs, hopefully that means some new regrowth for me!!!!! Ya me!!!!

[mayres]

What I have personally found out about the five plants I have with miltonia/miltoniopsis heritage is that if they don't have enough humidity and/or are not watered enough the flowers may only partially open and NEVER fully open (at least that is what I have noted after passing through a couple of flowering cycles). I have been a little afraid of watering them too much because I have had phal in my mind (be careful not to overwater and cause root rot!). This spring I started watering my milts 2X per week and have them all on pebbles and I now have a gorgeous NOID white miltoniopsis with three full spikes covered with OPEN flowers! Water and humidity is my GUESS. When it starts to grow, if you get crinkled/pleated leaves this will confirm it. mike

[flowerchild]

Thanks for the information Mike, maybe I will try to water it twice a week! It seems to have some new growth happening too! Hopefully we can get those buds to open!!!!

[kmarch]

Opening flowers are affected by their environment the same way the growth of the plant or the development of a flower spike is. On more than one occasion I an my friends have bought the same or similar plants only to have the one that wnet with my friend openfirst because she had a little more light or to have mine open first maybe because I had warmer temperatures. I think it's really quite common.

If my flowers weren't opening like I thought they should I'd first check to see if the culture was good. If it is I'd ask around to see how long buds take to open (just like you've done here).

Happy Growing!