Psychopsis papilio can be found in French-Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, Northern Brazil, Trinidad & Tobago and Panama growing upon trees in low-lying forests. The orchid produces eccentric flowers from stems of more than a meter in length. The flowers are around 15 centimetre. Contrasting the top three flower petals, the lip is broad and has a spotty orangish yellow pattern. The sides of the petals are curled. The leaves of Psychopsis papilio grow from slightly thick bulbs and reach around 25 centimetre.

There are some thing you need to keep in mind when taking care of Psychopsis papilio. The temperature during the day should be 27⁰C and at night 17⁰C or 18⁰C. During winter this should be 10⁰C lower to mirror its natural habitat. The orchid needs full shade, but can handle a bit more light if the humidity is high enough. The humidity should be between 70% and 80%. Psychopsis papilio should be watered two to three times a week with rainwater or distilled water. If the orchid is kept on a piece of bark of wood, this should be daily. It is very important to give the rhizome or roots a chance to dry in between the watering sessions. This, together with a proper airflow, will help prevent infections and disease. Psychopsis papilio can be kept in a pot with shredded bark, or attached to a piece of bark with moss. You can find this and other components in our ‘Plant Accessories’ section. Fertilize every now and then. Old flowers can be cut from the plant.