Barkeria lindleyana

Barkeria lindleyana is an orchid that produces starry lavender flowers on cane-like sprays. The plant is intermediate growing species mainly from central america and blooms during summer and fall. A very attractive orchid when in bloom.Barkeria lindleyana is also found in Costa Rica in trees and shrubs in areas at an elevation ranging from 800 to 1600 metres. It is identified mainly by the lilac colour of the lip, the center white and the darker lilac spots on the apex, as well as by the three prominent keels of the lip.

Barkeria lindleyana being extremely bulky is not recommended for small amature collections , .The plants of this specious has a thick lignyfying stem on which their foliage grows as they do not have pseudobulbs. The shoots of Barkeria lindleyana reach lengths of up to 36 in /96 cm , with an additional 36 in /90 -cm long apical flower spike(!)the resulting plant is a true orchid giant!Growing sparsely on a clustered inflorescence are 5-20 purple -link flowers, up to 2 in /5 cm in size each ,with a white spot on the thick lip. In spite of its size (and weight!),the species grows epiphytically; therefore ,if you pluck up the courage to cultivate it ,the best way to go about it is to attach it to a large slab of bark. The plant requirs plenty of disffused light,and a brief period of rest after fading in the winter .The plant blooms between October and November ,and the original home of this orchid are the higher elections of Mexico and Costa Rica.