Barkeria is a genus of orchids from Central America that produce cane like pseudobulbs and a tall terminal spike with many flowers. Barkeria melanocaulon comes from Mexico and has smaller flowers (about 2cm across) but lots of them on branched spikes. The flowers are long lasting and spikes produce secondary sprays as the first flowers die. Like all the Barkerias we grow Barkeria melanocaulon produces lots of thick roots which love to hang in the air and we grow the plant on a large piece of cork bark. It is a wonderful orchid but does have the inconvenient habit of rooting onto other nearby mounts and walls making it impossible to take out for shows.