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Sunset Valley Orchids is a firm dedicated to the breeding of orchids. Our breeding lines are focused in three ways: 1) the development of new flower colors and shapes: 2) vigorous, robust, and compact growing plants: 3) AOS award quality flowers.
Our primary effort is in the hybridizing of the Cattleya, Catasetinae, Australian Native Dendrobiums and Paphiopedilums. We also have several other smaller genera that we are working with like Sarcochilus, Zygopetalum and Stanhopea.
Orchid hobbyists from around the world have realized how interesting the Catasetinae alliance is. Sunset Valley Orchids is the top breeders of the genus and our plants have been shipped and growing worldwide. The development of the “blackest orchid seen” the Fredclarkeara After Dark (Mo. Painted Desert x Ctsm. Donna Wise) has really captured attention. The expectation for the next generation of Catasetinae hybrids is spectacular!
Our Cattleya breeding has been under development for over 25 years and our efforts have developed many unique hybrids as well as hundreds of AOS awards. At Sunset Valley Orchids we do something different, we hybridize for the orchid hobbyist, not the mass market. This requires that we do something different, and it distinguished us and our customers from the mass market orchids. Our specialty is compact sized cattleyas where the plants are less than 12” tall and bloom in 4” pots. We also breed miniature and standard sizes.
All our Orchid hybrids are grown from seed in our laboratory at the nursery and we raise them to maturity in our 45,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse space (just over an acre).
At Sunset Valley Orchids we take pride in offering only the best grown plants. We have a rigorous selection process where only the best plants are advanced in each phase of the production cycle. This process starts in the lab with replating, de-flasking, up potting and through to maturity. Only the most vigorous plants are offered for sale.
Please take some time to look at the orchid listings and the pictures of the parents. You will see our breeding stock is exceptional; this is an exciting orchid hybrid list of high potential.
E-mail , I enjoy talking orchids.
Fred Clarke
To explore Sunset Valley Orchids, click this link here.
Mr. Clarke gave a presentation to the Napa Valley Orchid Society in 2014.
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We're located just 8 miles west of the 101 Fwy., just off Hwy. 246. High on a terraced hill, overlooking the vineyards and tasting rooms of the Santa Rita Hills Wine Region, you can stroll our nine acres of woodland paradise. Commune with hawks and deer. For our new catalog ($5.00 refundable with purchase) please call us or email us. We specialize in special appointments. We always return a clear message left on our answer machine if we are out-and-about. We're having fun! Join us!
We also specialize in marsupial orchids -- Paphiopedilums -- not carnivorous, but often all-consuming. Our Lady's Slippers are award and trophy winners, and we have more slippers that Imelda Marcos' closet! Additionally, we are now the owners of the Kevin Porter Collection (Curved Air)!
Buy orchids in flasks and save. We have a list available of the very newest chaotic hybrids and species. Each flask contains 25-30 one-year-old orchid seedlings, ready for compotting. We also have de-flasking instructions available.
And not to be left out, we also have Cymbidiums, Encyclia's, Epidendrum's, Dendrobium's, Bulbophyllum's, Oncidium's, Odontoglossum's, Miltonia's, and many, many, more exotic orchids!
We offer personalized instruction and get your hands dirty potting classes.
Cattleyas are among the most popular orchids. Their culture is often used as the basis for comparison with other types of orchids. Cattleyas and their related hybrids come in many colors, shapes, forms and sizes. Culture varies only slightly among most of these. This sheet is a general guide to basic cattleya culture. Like many other cultivated orchids, cattleyas are epiphytes, or air plants. They have developed water-storage organs, called pseudobulbs, and have large, fleshy roots covered with a spongy, water-retentive velamen. They are accustomed to being dry at the roots between waterings, and therefore should be potted in freedraining media.