Description
Milla magnifica is indeed a magnificent species, the largest in the genus, with an umbel reaching from 20cm to over 30cm across. This may carry up to 20 flowers. Both the umbel and the individual flowers, at a diameter of 10-12cm are the largest in the genus. You can get an idea of individual flower size from the large hand in one of the photographs. This plant truly lives up to the name of magnificent.
Milla magnifica is native to parts of s.w. Mexico in the states of Guerrero and Mexico state, usually on limestone hills where it grows in clay pockets within the rock. The wild habitat is said to be dry, tropical, deciduous jungle and the plant is adapted to a little under half of the year being monsoon and remainder being bone dry. In cultivation it is best kept totally dry from about November to around June.
When the temperatures are at summer levels then copious water (preferably containing fertiliser) should be given to promote good growth. Beware of trying to start the plant too early, when temperatures are low. Trying to give it a longer growing season by doing this might sound a reasonable idea, but it will not do well when given watered when the temperature is too low. We use our standard bulb compost composed of loam, sand, grit and cocopeat (5:2:1:1) with additional feeding.
The reward, once it is established with you is long, thin, tubular foliage and, from around August onward to October, a huge umbel, containing individually large, pure white flowers which are strongly and beautifully perfumed, in the evening, with a wonderful scent of Tuberose. Some find the scent too powerful, it isn’t, it is simply strong and superb. Each flower opens at night and can remain in condition for up to 3 days, closing or partially closing in the day and re-opening at night. The flowers in an umbel will open sequentially, but with some overlap, so you can reasonably expect the whole head to provide pleasure for around a month, in the right conditions. This is a night-flowering species hence the difficulty of providing good photographs, but it is really a plant to be experienced rather than just admired.
Seed raised in cultivation.
Introduced to our lists for the first time in November 2019.
