Miltoniopsis--Hard to grow?

I've heard people saying milts (the pansy orchids, not miltonia, which is more related to oncs, but miltoniopsis, yeah, I'm talking about miltoniopsis) are hard to grow. And I tried to find some cultural info, but the two milts are used so interchangeably that it's hard to find the exact info about pansy orchids, just plain old pansy orchids. Oh, I'm starting to fancy these orchids, lol, can't help those huge pretty blossoms.

I know they like cool temps. I live in MD and don't know if it's too warm. Temps here are 80 F high in summer and 65 F high in winter (inside my house, of course). And do they require growing "tricks"? Seriously, I've never grown a milt before and the rumors about "hard to grow" have scared me but the flowers are so unresistable!

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~~~Lily~~~

You should see if L I Jane can help you out. I know she grows them, she took the one I had, because I don't have the touch for them.

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Diane

"NA BEAN DO'N CHAT GUN LAMHAINN"

I grow lots of miltoniopsis here in the Pacific NW. Mine are all grown in s/h and love it. They get the same light as my phals (SE exposure, filtered morning sun) and indoor temps get into the 80's here in summer, too. The most important thing to remember with them is that they HATE to completely dry out. I've heard that they can be fussy about water quality but mine get plain old tap water and seem to be happy with it. I'm sure it depends on the tap water in the area you live in.

My favorite thing about them besides the beauty and fragrance is that they don't seem to have a particular bloom season. Mine bloom whenever a new growth matures. My 'Maui Moon' has two spikes now and it bloomed a couple months ago, as well. Here's a pic of one of the blooms.....http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ead.php?t=3029