Bulbophyllum lobii is found in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and the north of India at altitudes up to 2.000 meters. The orchid is epiphytic, meaning it grows upon other plants and trees. Bulbophyllum lobii reaches 20 centimetre, with flowers up to 10 centimetre. The leaves are dark green, pointy and quite firm. Each one grows from a thickened bulb. The plant blossoms from the end of May until July with multiple flowers at once, each growing from a 15 centimetre flower stem. These flowers have alternating yellow and purple stripes. The petals, not the lip, are the most striking part of Bulbophyllum lobii. The top flower petal is pointy and resembles a letter opener. Two others are on the side of the flower and curl, making them look like two half moons. The lip is found in the middle of the flower and curls downwards.

Bulbophyllum lobii needs a semi-light spot to develop its flowers properly. In spring and summer you should take care to keep it out of direct sunlight. Just before its blossom, it should be placed in a slightly darker spot to keep the flowers from drying out too quickly. Water the orchid multiple times a week during its blossoming. Use rainwater or distilled water to prevent the accumulation of minerals in the roots. This may be less during winter, but keep the substrate moist. Bulbophyllum lobii needs a humidity of around 80%. Keep the temperature of its surroundings around 28⁰C. Don't let the temperature drop below 15⁰C or rise above 35⁰C. Proper airflow combined with a proper humidity will help prevent infections and disease. You can keep the orchid in a pot or a basket, as long as you use a water permeable substrate like orchid-mix. It is also possible to attach Bulbophyllum lobii to a piece of bark, but then the roots should be sprinkled often with a plant spray. You can find this and other components in our ‘Plant Accessories’ section. Fertilize with caution. Old flowers can be cut from the plant.