Psychopsis

[Hummer344]

I saw a couple of the above and was wondering what kind of care they require. Light, water, fert. etc. They look unusual and I might look for some at the SF Show
Thanks

[myorchid]

I love mine!! I hope you can get one. Mine is sitting in between an east and west facing window. I water once a week (now) and mist the top once a day. It is currently putting out new growth and I am waiting for more flowers to appear.

I know that they do not like stale media, and they can also be mounted and do well.

Hope you decide to get one!

[Danelady]

Let us know how it turns out for you. I am very interested in getting one myself. I hope to find one at the Atlanta Orchid show next week!

[janet_a]

mine's in s/h in an east window with the phals; bought in 3/08, first bloomed in about 5/08, and has bloomed successively ever since. i'd like a new pbulb, but i'm not complaining.

[norris]

I have one (Psychopsis Kalihi 'Big') and love it also. I got it about a year ago at the OC show. It had 2 spikes that continue to produce flowers, and in the meantime grew two new growths that are now spiking I read that it does good in Phal light or brighter. I let mine dry between watering, then give a good soaking, fertilizing ever other watering. It is potted in coco husk chips.

[Brooke]

I have two in 5" clay pots with two spikes each potted in CHC mix, one in a 3" clay pot in sphag/tree fern, no spikes and 18 flasklings in 2" clay pots in sphag/tree fern and all grow in catt light.

I always hear they don't like their roots disturbed but I've never had them do anything but continue to grow after a repot.

Brooke

[rcb]

I have an papilo alba, mine definitely does not like being repotted. Last time it sulked for over a year. I'm growing it in a plastic pot, with small lava rock, hoping that it can go longer before I have to repot it again. Also, my plant seems to be a reluctant bloomer, not sure if it is due to being an alba, or the conditions I have it in. In only blooms in the fall for me. Growing it warm, with phal light.

But I put up with it, cause it is really a nice flower.

[patticake]

I have 2- One is in a south window and the other is under lights. The one under lights is much smaller. I've heard that they like to go a little dry in winter, so I haven't been watering them as much until just recently, when I saw new growth on both. I have mine in my trusty Schultz bark/charcoal mix. I'm hoping for a bloom on the larger one this year. After each bloom is spent, it will put out another one on the same spike. I've heard.."don't cut the spike back"! I'll be interested in hearing what the others have to say that have grown this beautiful plant. BTW- I love the foliage on these, too!

[jay]

I have a Psychopsis Noid that I got from Costco about a year and a half ago. It had two spikes, both getting ready to bloom when I got it. I put it into S/H right away, while in double spike. Since then I have done nothing special to it and it has put out 3 more spikes, although I accidentally broke one off. I am waiting for the newest spike to flower, then I am going to pinch buds at the same time to try to convince it to get all 4 blooms at once. I give it pretty high light, and since it is in S/H it gets all the water it wants.

A great plant to add to any collection.

[katrina]

I too have one...Mendenhall 'Hildos'....I liked the unusual flowers so I bought it last year.

Mine is in a basic medium bark/charcoal mix in a 4" pot ...it's under lights...well beside the lights...w/ two spikes it can't be under anything. LOL! Since being moved inside, poor fella has been ignored...gets watered maybe once a week if he's lucky. It's blooming on 2 spikes and has since produced a set of pbulb twins. One growth somehow became two. Interesting.

His flowers have slowed down...they used to be quick in developing and opening and then the next would be right behind the first. Now, they're moving a little slower from bud to open flower and a bit longer between the 2 spikes. I think that's probably due to a combo of less water and lower light than he was getting during the warmer months. ??

During the summer he got watered more frequently..I let him dry a bit in between waterings but he didn't get bone dry like he has this winter.... and he sat w/the catts so more light in the warmer months. Unfortunately, he's too tall to sit w/the catts inside.

I haven't had mine a full year but so far, I'd say a relatively easy orchid.

[articuno75]

I have Psychochopsis Butterfly. I grow it in an East facing window in a cocohusk/ charcoal mix. I water about every 4-7 days (winter), but I mist the base of the plant daily. I've had this plant now for almost a year and got it from Jerry. It has bloomed nonstop since I received it. This plant has put out a new pseudobulb since then and now has another spike getting ready to bloom.

David, you just sooooo gotta get one of these.

[articuno75]

One of the spikes opened here on Monday. Here's a pic of the bloom.

[patticake]

Originally Posted by articuno75

One of the spikes opened here on Monday. Here's a pic of the bloom.

Jenny, you SO rule! I have to show mine what they're supposed to do when they grow up!!!!!

[flowerchild]

I have a birthday coming up on Monday so hopefully I can convince my hubby to buy me a few(notice I said a few new orchids) I think I would like to Psychochopsis "Mendenhall" again. I had a tiny seedling last year but it kicked the pot and did nothing for me!!!

[jerrymeola]

Psychopsis are one of the easiest orchids to grow. I have a dozen around all the time and they do not get any special care. They grow on the Cattleya bench.

The flowers look the same among the hybrids. The leaf pattern will vary a lot from solid green (papillo) to heavily mottled (Mendenhall).

While they will acccept wide varieations in care they should be grown pot bound. They are normally flowered in 2 inch pots and can be grown quite large in only a 2 inch pot. I do find that increasing the pot size if necessary does not have any adverse effects if the plant is already flowering. Just keep it very small until the first flowering.

Once you see the spike start it seems to take forever for the first flower to open. After that most seem to be on a 2-3 week flower 2-3 week rest cycle,although, they can vary.

Do not cut the flower stem or you may stop the flowering. They can bloom continuously for years. I have some flower stems 5 feet long. However, we have accidentally broken a couple and they either branched and continued to bloom or couple even forked giving us two flowering ends.

Jay
pinching the buds will get all them to flower at the same time. It was a tip for display from a grower that had one awarded with 13 flowers. He described how he timed the re-bloom period and the pinched them an extra week before the show judging so they were all open together.

You could equally pinch them so they flowered alternately to have one open all the time.

For those who do not grow outside you miss the pleasure of letting the long stem blow in the wind and have the 'butterfly' fly. On first glance the long stem makes it seem like it is not attached to any plant.

[articuno75]

Jerry~ You'll have to demonstrate the "pinch" method. It's got me curious.

[LouisW]

I have one as well. A NOID in semi hydro, about a 5" pot. When I got it it was producing a great flower but I didnt water it enough so the second flower was about half the size of the first. After the second one fell I repotted it and it has not bloomed since (four months ago). It has, however, started a new growth and there are small buds at the top of the two spikes waiting to go into action. I give mine Phal light right now but I think it would appreciate a little more. No special care or humidity. Great plant. I say go for it.

[Danelady]

I got my Psychopsis this past weekend at the Atlanta Orchid Show. I love it!! The one I picked out has 2 new growths already! Right now I have it w/my Phals. I will see how it likes it there. Also, I'm figuring on about a once a week watering schedule.

[lmartiny]

So is this an easy care one? Looks enticing.

[articuno75]

Originally Posted by Danelady

I got my Psychopsis this past weekend at the Atlanta Orchid Show. I love it!! The one I picked out has 2 new growths already! Right now I have it w/my Phals. I will see how it likes it there. Also, I'm figuring on about a once a week watering schedule.

I have mine sitting by Phals and Dens and it does quite fine.

[Lee]

I noticed the photo of your psychopsis showed the bottom petal to be fairly flat whereas mine is furled and the antennae are closer together and seem to bend backwards more.....what does this mean? Otherwise, looks like same variety and color.

Thanks, Lee

[Daethen]

Mine was bought in spike, bloomed one flower then blasted a bud, started a new bud and sat for about 3 months. It is just starting to open today!!!!

[edgy]

I too am curious....what is the Pinching all about? How is this done?

[orchidaddict789]

Mine is in a 4" pot. I repotted it last spring in fir bark and it currently has a new growth and the old spike from last year. I mixed in some styrofoam to help aerate the media, though I don't know if it actually helps or not. I water it once a week, after it dries out. It is a couple feet away from a west-facing window, so it does not receive any direct sunlight.

Oo, never heard of pinching.

[Brooke]

You pinch the buds off to get multiple spikes to bloom at the same time.

Brooke

[Lee]

OK, I may be the only one who is confused by this. Are you talking about the bud that appears behind the bloom after it falls off? If you pinch that off, how will it bloom again? Does another bud form?

[Brooke]

Yes another bud will form.

Brooke