Why Barkeria?

MAS Orchids is focused on growing Barkeria orchids on account of their many fine qualities that makes them attractive plants for commercial growers.  

1) Flowers are long-lasting.  Almost all species in the genus have flowers that will last over a month with the one notable exception being Barkeria spectabilis.  The flowers are so long-lasting that cut spikes of Barkeria scandens will last more than three weeks in a vase.  

2) Plants grow and mature quickly.  It is possible to see the flowers of a new hybrid cross in 24-30 months.  It is clear why we want to hybridize with Barkeria when you consider that many other orchid genera take 5 to 7 years for their first blooms.  Orchid breeding is not for the impatient, but picking the right genus means that you can see meaningful progress in your lifetime.

3) Compactness.  Some Barkeria plants can grow up to one meter in length if you take into account their flower spikes, but the plants themselves are quite manageable since the biggest species won’t grow more than 75 cm.  This means that it is possible to have quite a large collection of plants and seedlings.  

4) Beautiful flowers.  Barkeria orchids have eye-catching, spectacular flowers.  The flowers have a reflexed dorsal sepal that shows off the broad lip to great effect.  The flowers are usually pink, lilac, magenta or even white with darker lines, veins or spots on the lip or column.