Psychopsis orchids

Psychopsis is a small New World genus of around five species, native to Central and northern South America. The genus is famous for its "butterfly orchid" flowers — large yellow-and-brown blooms with wavy sepals that suggest insect wings and are borne one at a time on tall spikes. After a flower finishes, the same spike produces another, and another, sometimes continuing for years. A single healthy plant can bloom essentially continuously once the spike starts.

The genus was historically placed in Oncidium and is still listed under that name in some older catalogues. Taxonomic separation reflects distinct floral and vegetative characters.

General care for the genus (species, hybrids and cultivars vary, so check with the grower for a specific plant): intermediate to warm temperatures (16 to 28 °C), bright light (2,000 to 3,000 footcandles), regular watering during growth with drying between, 50 to 70 percent humidity. Medium fir bark or sphagnum in small pots. Do not remove the flower spike after a bloom finishes; it will branch and rebloom if left on the plant.

Species include Psychopsis papilio (the classic butterfly orchid, often credited with sparking the nineteenth-century orchid craze in Britain), Psychopsis krameriana, and Psychopsis sanderae. The hybrid Mendenhall 'Hildos' FCC/AOS is widely available. Listings below come from the nurseries we index, most of them re-checked nightly; prices are shown in USD.