Guest Author - Susan Taylor Oncidium (previously known as
Psychopsis) papilio, or Butterfly Orchid is one of the most
distinctive of all orchids. The flowers are bright orange and
yellow with sepals that are slender and resemble the antennae of
a butterfly. It is a member of the Oncidium Alliance and fairly
easy to grow. A native of Trinidad and South America, it grows
as an epiphyte at low elevations. Papilio needs intermediate
temperatures and a fair amount of water during the growing
season. Pseudobulbs should be nice and plump, not wrinkled. As
you can see, the flowers are spectacular! The orange and yellow
5-6 inch, or 13-16 centimeter, flowers are held high above the
plant itself on a long inflorescence that can reach 2 feet, or
24 centimeters. There is also an alba (white) variety, but it is
much harder to grow than the standard variety. At an orchid show
these are always show stoppers, since there is nothing else like
them. Don't cut the inflorescences since they will continue to
produce buds for year