Psychopsis Orchid
Known as the butterfly orchid.
Psychopsis orchid. Water around every 2 to 3 days. Although plant is warm growing it can tolerate intermediate to cool temperatures. Keep humidity high during. Flowers are about 2 inches wide and about 5 inches tall.
Psychopsis is a unique genus of sympodial orchids native to the wet rainforests and upland forest habitats of central and south america. The orchids lip is a broad petal that reaches downward hence the name butterfly orchid. Oncidiinae psychopsis with 38 chromosomes and two pollinia grow epiphytically in wet rainforest and also dry upland forestthe pseudobulbs are tightly clustered oval oblong and almost round very compressed wrinkled often dull red. Water around every 2 to 3 days.
Psychopsis very often grows on the trunks and branches of trees. These are about 2 years from blooming. Keep humidity high during. The flower spikes can get 18 inches to 2 feet tall and will produce a single large butterfly like flower that lasts 3 weeks and will then fade while another bud is produced and will flower three weeks after the earlier flower.
The butterfly orchid is the name not only for common phalaenopsis orchids. Sye cop siss click on the name to hear it spoken tribe. Culture keep the plant in shade and in a well drain mix or mounted. A mericlone of one of the best psychopsis ever produced with beautiful light green foliage covered in mahogany checks and spots.
Use potting media such as chopped sphagnum tree fern fibers fir bark charcoal or perlite. Psychopsis are epiphytic orchids with laterally crushed cylindrical pseudobulbs from which two fleshy coriaceous leaves appear apically in their center two floral wands emerge with large golden yellow flowers with purple spots on bands in sepals and on the lip whose edges are forming folds. Mature blooming plants can reach 3 feet tall or more. Paul starosta getty images how to grow psychopsis orchids.
In their native habitat psychopsis orchids are epiphytic meaning they grow on the surface of plants and trees and derive most of their nutrients and moisture from the air around them. Mature plants can bloom 3 4 times a year off the same. Psychopsis mendenhall hildos is a mericlone of one of the best psychopsis ever produced with beautiful light green foliage covered in mahogany checks and spots. Usually blooms in late winter or early spring.
Psychopsis mendenhall is a primary psychopsis hybrid that blooms in the winter through summer. The flower spikes can be 40cm up to 60cm tall and will produce a single large butterfly like flower that lasts 3 weeks and will then fade while another bud is produced and will flower three weeks after the earlier flower. Culture keep the plant in shade and in a well drain mix or mounted. Three long sepals grow upwards from the top of the orchid while two petals grow off the side of the orchid.
Psychopsis orchids have flowers that are unique to the plant world. In fact this is the name for literally alien orchids which are called psychopsis which have no relation to psychosis or other disorders but means soul in latin and it is actually named after goddess psyche the wife of eros who had had butterfly wings. Use potting media such as chopped sphagnum tree fern fibers fir bark charcoal or perlite.