Sunset Valley Orchids
Fred Clarke
1255 Navel Place
Vista, CA 92081

fred.clarke@att.net

SVO 7169
Ctsm. pileatum  (Ctsm. pileatum v. imperiale 'Pierre Couret' HCC/AOS x Ctsm. pileatum 'Snow White' FCC/AOS)
Ctsm. pileatum is the ‘King’ of the Catasetums, with the largest flowers in the genus. 'Pierre Couret' was found many years ago in Venezuela and is a very unusual red color.  It is also an excellent bloomer, with 15 or more flowers per stem.  The cultivar ‘Snow White’ is the only Ctsm. pileatum to be awarded an FCC/AOS.  It’s also the most floriferous cultivar in my collection, and a single bulb can produce two inflorescences holding as many as 25 pure white flowers each.  Here we are looking for new and unique flower color combinations for pileatum.  Expect a wide range of colors from red to white, and, of course, exceptionally high flower counts.  This is a great chance to acquire new, highly floriferous pileatum in novel colors.
25 plant flask AUD $125

SVO 7214
Cl. russelliana (Cl. russelliana 'David N' x self)
Cl. russelliana ‘David N’ is exceptionally floriferous.  Mature plants can produce 2 or 3 inflorescences per bulb, each carrying up to 40-45 flowers!  This native of southern Mexico blooms in the early summer with light green flowers, striped dark green.  As a bonus, the fragrance is magnificent!  The parent is a superior plant, and selfing will help to consolidate its good qualities.  This the first time I have brought these to Australia.
25 plant flask AUD $125

SVO 7280      
Ctsm. lucis (Ctsm. lucis 'SVO' x Ctsm. lucis 'Dana's Bird of Paradise' AM/AOS )
There was such demand for these the first time I brought flasks to Australia that they were sold out in just a few hours.  So I re-plated more just for the AOC Show and conference.  Ctsm. lucis was discovered in 1994 in the disputed border area between Colombia and Venezuela.  Only a few plants were found, and we were fortunate to acquire some.  These are very rare, and it is not easy to get them to produce female flowers.  This cross is the result of waiting 9 years for female flowers!!!  What makes this Catasetum remarkable are the upright 140 cm long inflorescences that carry 20+ green flowers with white lips.  These are large robust plants.
25 plant flask AUD $150

SVO 7301        SOLD OUT
Fdk. NEW HYBRID (Ctsm. John C. Burchett 'Ursa Major' FCC/AOS x Fdk. Dark There After 'SVO Winter’s Night' FCC/AOS)
Fredclarkeara breeding is just fantastic, with hybrids having beautiful dark color, superior shape, high flower count, and well-arranged flowers that are fragrant and long lasting.  I hold few crosses in such high regard as this one.  Here, the highly awarded ‘Ursa Major’ with its huge, flat, nearly-black lip is crossed to ‘SVO Winter’s Night,’ which is the best of the best when it comes to shape, color, arrangement, flower size, ease to bloom, fragrance and flower life.  I don’t think there could be many better crosses with such high potential.  I’ll go out on a limb and say that this grex has excellent award potential, and I predict that there will be at least one FCC from this cross!
25 plant flask

SVO 7302      
Ctsm. John C. Burchett (Ctsm. John C. Burchett x Ctsm. John C. Burchett 'Ursa Major' FCC/AOS
This is one of, if not the most impressive of the modern pileatum-based Catasetum
hybrids.  John C. Burchett (Ctsm. João Stivalli x Ctsm. Susan Fuchs) has rich burgundy color and huge, flat, nearly-black lips that are a sight to behold!  The siblings in this cross are of the highest quality: they both produce 10 or more flowers and bloom 2-3 times a season.  Huge flowers with very large, flat, dark lips.  This is an exceptionably fine modern pileatum hybrid.
25 plant flask AUD $125

SVO 7506        SOLD OUT
Clo. NEW HYBRID  (Cl. Rebecca Northen 'Grapefruit Pink' x Ctsm. semicirculatum 'The Best One' )
Mini-catasetums have been a successful new direction in breeding, so this year we are trying to release some mini-clowesetums.  The hybrid genus Clowesetum (Catasetum x Clowesia) is known for flower longevity. Rebecca Northen (Grace Dunn x rosea) is a great parent, with its pink frilly-lipped flowers, and has been used in many successful hybrids.  The pairing with semicirculatum, with its coarsely fimbriate lip and boldly spotted flowers, is an interesting one.  Both parents are small, compact growers with high flower counts.  Rebecca Northen has a densely-flowered inflorescence, and semicirculatum produces a long, arching stem.  Plenty of long-lived flowers from this mini-clowesetum.  Flower color will range from pink to pink with spots, all with frilly lips.  Everyone has space for one of these.
25 plant flask

SVO 7620      
Clo. NEW HYBRID (Cl. russelliana 'David N' x Ctsm. tigrinum 'SVO' )
‘David N’ is an exceptionally floriferous russelliana, with 2 or 3 spikes per bulb carrying 40-45 flowers each.  The flowers are light green with darker green stripes. Ctsm. tigrinum is a more recent discovery and has proven itself quickly as an excellent breeder, imparting superior flower form. The cream-colored flowers are spotted red, and inflorescences hold as many as 25 blooms.  As a bonus, the cultivar ‘SVO’ is known to flower 2-3 times a year.  With this style of Clowesetum breeding, we know from past experience that high flower count is assured and flower longevity will be 3-4 weeks. Flowers should be a beautiful icy green. I am confident the superior form imparted by the tigrinum will make these particularly attractive flowers.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7621
Ctsm. NEW HYBRID (Ctsm. John C. Burchett ‘Ursa Major’ FCC/AOS x Ctsm. Dagny ‘Fantastica’)
John C. Burchett (Ctsm. João Stivalli x Ctsm. Susan Fuchs) is one of the most impressive ‘pileatum-based’ hybrids.  Its rich burgundy color and huge, flat, nearly-black lip is exceptional!  Dagny (Ctsm. pileatum x Ctsm. Brent's Black Hawk) is also a ‘pileatum-based’ hybrid with an ample dose of the dark-flowered Ctsm. tenebrosum. The color is beautiful, and a touch of yellow on the lip provides a great accent!  ‘Fantastica’ flowers reliably 3-4 tines a season with long arching inflorescences holding 15-16 flowers each.  The expectation is for very dark, rich burgundy flowers and huge flat lips in darker burgundy, with most having the central spot of yellow. Plants will flower 2-4 times a season with strong inflorescence of 10-15 blooms.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7623
Ctsm. Pileabrosum Green (Ctsm. pileatum ‘SVO Blood Red’ x Ctsm. tenebrosum ‘Ed Wise #2’ AM/AOS )
There will be nothing green about this cross. The deep red pileatum and dark burgundy-brown tenebrosum will produce deep burgundy flowers with large flat lips.  This primary hybrid exhibits good hybrid vigor and should be a strong grower.  The parentage means that this grex will bloom early in the season, influenced by tenebrosum, and flower again in summer and fall as pileatum does. This is the first to bloom Pic
25 plant flask AUD $90

SVO 7627 
Cyc. NEW HYBRID (Cyc. cooperi 'SVO III' FCC/AOS x Cyc. Sevenfold '17 Wonders')
Cycnoches produce impressive swan-shaped flower on long cascading inflorescences. Cyc. cooperi ‘SVO III’ is still the most spectacular – when exhibited it was carrying 41 flowers on a 71 cm inflorescence! Sevenfold is (Cyc. warscewiczii x Cyc. Swan Cascade) and was named for its significant improvement in color, form and size of blooms. Sevenfold improvement…   The re-introduction of Cyc. cooperi will add significantly to flower count and darken the flower color.  If you love long inflorescence with 25 plus swan-shaped flowers, this grex is ‘spot on!’  As an additional benefit, these plant have excellent hybrid vigor and will bloom easily.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7628
Ctsm. NEW HYBRID (Ctsm. Portagee Star 'Brian Lawson Sunrise' HCC/AOS x Ctsm. Chuck Taylor 'Sunrise' )
I really like yellow lips on Catasetums; they make the flowers pop! Portagee Star (Ctsm. pileatum x Ctsm. Black Knight) has been instrumental in the development of this line, and here we have crossed it back to one of its mini-catasetum offspring, Chuck Taylor (Ctsm. Portagee Star x Ctsm. denticulatum). This grex has a high probability for yellow lips and is also the next generation of mini-catasetums – small plants with substantial improvement in flower size. Excellent vigor and quick-to-bloom plants are expected.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7629        SOLD OUT
Ctsm. Dentigrianum (Ctsm. denticulatum 'SVO II’ AM/AOSx Ctsm. tigrinum 'SVO')
I first flowered this cross in 2013, and what a surprise! It turned out to be the best new hybrid of the year. These are free-flowering mini-catasetum plants with some of the most eye catching flowers. Check out these first to bloom: pic 1, pic 2 . To remake this superb cross, I patiently waited for female flowers…it took 2 years before that happened! Finally I have these available. This is the first time I’ll be bringing these to Australia, and who know when I’ll have them again!  A very desirable cross and highly recommended.
25 plant flask

SVO 7637      
Cyc. NEW HYBRID  xxx x Cyc. Richard Brandon 'Extra Wide Petals')
SVO has been making tremendous strides in the breeding of Cycnoches, and we continue to be impressed by the improvements in these swan-shaped flowers. Dark Swan (Cyc. Richard Brandon x Cyc. Chloroge) has been amazing, with eye-catching flowers. The plant used in this cross ‘Dark Swan’ is by far the darkest-colored Cycnoches flower ever seen!  Richard Brandon (Cyc. warscewiczii x Cyc. Jean E. Monnier) has become one of my ‘go to’ plants for breeding, as it consistently gives excellent shape to its offspring. Here we are re-introducing the Richard Brandon genes, looking for improved petal widths. Many flowers will be deep burgundy with bold spots, and some will be a highly desirable and unusual solid dark color. This is cutting-edge Cycnoches breeding at its finest! These are easy to grow and produce their first flowers at a young age.
25 plant flask AUD $125

SVO 7649      
Ctsm. NEW HYBRID (Ctsm. Susan Fuchs 'Burgundy Chips' FCC/AOS x Ctsm. Karen Armstrong 'Super Nice')
This is the next generation of mini-catasetum breeding, where plants are small but with a substantial improvement is flower size. These have excellent vigor and are quick to bloom. Susan Fuchs ‘Burgundy Chips’ is a proven parent that plays an important role in modern breeding by adding flower size and superior color.  Susan Fuchs is a grandparent of Karen Armstrong (Ctsm. Susan Fuchs x Ctsm. denticulatum), most of which have coloring similar to the Susan Fuchs grandparent. Plant size is greatly reduced due to the influence of denticulatum.  The expectation here is for flowers similar to Karen Armstrong but larger, in yellow tones with bold burgundy spotting. Plant stature will largely remain unchanged, making this a cross with lots of flower power in a small package. Very nice!
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7651 
Ctsm. NEW HYBRID (Ctsm. Extravaganza 'Super Nice’ x Ctsm. Dentigrianum 'Best' )
Here is the first cross made with one of my favorite new mini-catasetums, Dentigrianum (Ctsm. denticulatum x Ctsm. tigrinum). These flowers are exceptionally nice, on plants that are easy to grow and that flower several times all summer long.  Extravaganza (Ctsm. Karen Armstrong x Ctsm. Louise Clarke) is a very successful hybrid and should be important in producing the next generation of mini-catasetum breeding. By crossing Extravaganza back to Dentigrianum, we are expecting that plant size will stay small and flowers will have excellent form. As an added benefit, these will be particularly easy to flower.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7676      
Cyc. Richard Brandon x Cyc. Richard Brandon 'SVO II')
Richard Brandon (Cyc. warscewiczii x Cyc. Jean E. Monnier) has proven to be a landmark Cycnoches hybrid, with superior color, shape, flower count and size. If that’s not enough, this hybrid is easy to grow – it has it all!  This sib cross takes the clone with the widest petals and combines it with great spotting; needless to say, we’re looking for wide, spotted petals in the offspring.  I had these for sale in Australia many years ago, so if you missed them then, here is a great opportunity to acquire some superior Cycnoches breeding.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7688      
Cyc. Cryminy (Cyc. Richard Brandon 'SVO' x Cyc. Kevin Clarke 'SVO' FCC/AOS)
Richard Brandon (Cyc. warscewiczii x Cyc. Jean E. Monnier) has become an important breeder, as it gives excellent shape and spotting to its offspring.  Kevin Clarke (warscewiczii x herrenhusanum) has impressive flower quality and carries 14-16 bright yellow/green blooms with golden spots. I am expecting unusual flower coloring from this pairing. Many will have a yellow to bronze base color with very bold dark burgundy spotting, making for an exceptional contrast. Check out the first plant to bloom: picture   I can hardly wait to see these flower!
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7704      
Mo. NEW HYBRID (Cl. Rebecca Northen 'Grapefruit Pink' x Morm. hookeri 'Black Fuzz')
Mormodias (Clowesias x Mormodes) are hot items in America! They have many excellent qualities, including showy flowers, high flower count, multi-spiking bulbs with pendulous inflorescences, nice fragrance and long-lived blooms! They are the last Catasetinae to flower each season, blooming on leafless bulbs.!  Rebecca Northen (Grace Dunn x rosea) is a great parent, with its pink frilly-lipped flowers, and has been used in many successful hybrids. Morm. hookeri is one of my favorite Mormodes species, and this clone has a very dark red flower with a textured lip reminiscent of black velvet – very unusual.  Mormodes are dominant for color transmission, so expect flowers in shades of red to dark red with darker lips, and some lips might even be a bit fuzzy. This is the first Mormodia cross I have brought to Australia.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7705
Clo. NEW HYBRID (Cl. Rebecca Northen 'Grapefruit Pink'x Ctsm. tigrinum 'SVO')
Rebecca Northen (Grace Dunn x rosea) is a great parent, with its pink frilly-lipped flowers, and has been used in many successful hybrids. Ctsm. tigrinum has proven itself quickly for its ability to impart superior flower form. Its cream-colored flowers are randomly spotted red, with inflorescences holding as many as 25 blooms and flowering 2-3 times a year.  These are going to be super cute! I can imagine them flowering late in summer, the inflorescences cascading over the side of the pot, with 2 -3 inflorescences per bulb and flowers in light pinks with flat full forms and frilly lips! This is a mini-clowesetum, and plants will stay small and produce many long-lived flowers.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7706      
Mo. Jumbo Ruby (Cl. Grace Dunn 'Live Oak' HCC/AOS x Morm. ignea 'Neon Orange' )
This is the second of four Mormodia (Clowesias x Mormodes) crosses in this listing. Grace Dunn (Cl. warczewitzii x Cl. rosea) produces pendulous inflorescences with many light pink flowers and a touch of green in the background, and the lips are frilly. Morm. ignea has an unusually bright burnt orange color with a peppering of many fine red spots. The color from the Mormodes will be dominant in the offspring, and I expect flowers in salmon tones. Plants will bloom with inflorescences cascading over the sides of the pots late in the season on leafless plants.
25 plant flask AUD $90

SVO 7707      
Mo. NEW HYBRID  (Cl. Grace Dunn 'Live Oak' HCC/AOS x Morm. Jumbo Bacia 'SVO' AM/AOS)
Grace Dunn (Cl. warczewitzii x Cl. rosea) produces pendulous inflorescences carrying many light pink flowers with frilly lips and a touch of green in the background. Jumbo Bacia (Morm. badia x Morm. uncia) is a deep maroon color with a lighter red maroon lip.  Flower size is a little bit smaller but is more than made up for by floriferousness – a single inflorescence carries 30-35 blossoms, and many bulbs will make 2 spikes!  Mormodes is dominant for color, and these will be in be in shades of red to dark red with lighter lip color. With this third Mormodia I am expecting the plants to be very floriferous, with 2 spikes per bulb and many flowers per stem, making an impressive show!
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7708      
Ctsm. expansum (Ctsm. expansum 'Myra' HCC/AOS x Ctsm. expansum 'Midori' AM/AOS)
Ctsm. expansum is not often seen in cultivation and rarely offered for sale. Here I have crossed two exceptional cultivars. The picture for ‘Myra’ is from a different clone with very similar flowers. ‘Midori’ has a spectacular deep green color. Both plants produce 13-15 flowers per spike and will flower 2-3 times a year. I think that this is the best pairing of expansum clones I could have made. Crossing a spotted form with a solid green should produce an interesting range of color forms, and I’m very excited to see how these come out! This is the first time I have brought this species to Australia.
25 plant flask AUD $125

SVO 7711      
Mo. NEW HYBRID (Cl. Rebecca Northen 'Grapefruit Pink' x Morm. Mimi 'Extra Wide')
Rebecca Northen (Grace Dunn x rosea) has proven itself as a parent, producing many successful hybrids. Mimi (Morm. lawrenceana x Morm. ignea) is a spectacular primary hybrid, and the flower colors have been impressive. I don’t have a photo of ‘Wide Petals,’ but the color is similar to the clone pictured. As the name suggests, ‘Wide Petals’ has significantly wider petal segments than its siblings. Truly a remarkable clone! Plants of Mimi have excellent vigor and bloom with 2-3 spikes per bulb, each carrying 13-17 flowers. This is the fourth Mormodia cross that is being offered here. As previously mentioned, Mormodes is dominant for color. These have potential for an especially wide color range, as it includes the genes from two Mormodes species. Expect sunset colors tending towards red and oranges with darker burgundy spots. This will be a surprising hybrid!
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7723
Clo.  White Magic (Cl. warczewitzii 'SVO' x Ctsm. Orchidglade 'Davie Ranches' AM/AOS)
This Clowesetum hybrid has been around Australia for some time, and I was motivated to remake it when I saw a beautifully-flowered plant of Clo. White Magic ‘Ellie’ AM/AOS at an orchid show in Sydney. I have yet to see one in America as good. Cl. warczewitzii blooms with many light green, striped flowers that cascade over the side of the pot in early winter on leafless bulbs. Orchidglade (Ctsm. pileatum x Ctsm. expansum) is a highly-regarded parent, and the cultivar ‘Davie Ranches’ is exceptional. Its impressive flower size and bright color make it a favorite breeding plant that imparts many fine qualities to its offspring. These will bloom in colors from soft to bright yellow, and about half will have red spotting. All will have 2-3 cascading inflorescence per bulb with full-formed flowers.  All in all, this will be a top performer.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7726       SOLD OUT
Fdk. NEW HYBRID (Fdk. Turning Point ‘Green Goddess’ x Ctsm. De Etta Harris ‘Emerald Goddess’ )
Dark green flowers have always intrigued me.  The development of this breeding line has required several steps, and now we have what I believe to be the next level of significant improvement. Turning Point (Mo. Lime Tiger x Ctsm. expansum) was a real breakthrough in green Fdk. breeding. The plants produced many long-lived, deep green flowers on multiple cascading inflorescences; several notable plants have already been awarded.  Ctsm. De Etta Harris (Ctsm. Donna Wise x Ctsm. Crownfox Voodoo) has shiny green flowers, waxy texture and a bit of contrasting yellow on the flat, frilly lip that always draws attention. We know from, previous Fdk. breeding that flower longevity is increased to 5 weeks or more, and 2-3 inflorescences will be produced per bulb. Ctsm. De Etta Harris will assure dark green coloration and, more importantly, add its flat lip shape to the offspring.  I am expecting many well-formed deep green flowers with flat lips and yellow spots on multiple cascading inflorescences.
25 plant flask

SVO 7173      
C. Zip (C. tenebrosa ‘None Darker’ x C. milleri ‘Dr Koopowitz Red’ HCC/AOS)
I first saw a picture of C. Zip over 30 years ago.  Frank Fordyce was giving a talk at the San Diego County Orchid Society, and when the slide came up, the whole audience (over 150 people) gasped so loudly it sent shivers up my spine!  I’ll never forget that moment.  I have been waiting to remake C. Zip, and have now done so with the finest parents available. Expect impressive clusters of sparkling bronze-red flowers with contrasting dark purple lips held high on strong inflorescences.  Highly recommended and very desirable; don’t miss out on these! Here is a picture of the first to bloom Pic
25 plant flask AUD $85

SVO 7198      
 C. Peckhaviensis 4n (C. schilleriana 'Afri' SM/JOGA 4n x C. aclandiae 'Kathleen III' AM/AOS 4n)  
It is rare to see 4n bifoliate cattleyas pffered for sale. Over the years I have been working quietly to convert species and acquire 4n varieties from other growers. I don’t have a photo of ‘Afri,’ but the flower pictured is similar and also 4n. ‘Afri’ is a good grower that consistently flowers twice each summer with 3-4 blooms at a time. C. aclandiae ‘Kathleen III’ has as close to perfect flower form for an aclandiae as one could expect. It also blooms twice in the summer, usually with 2 flowers, but occasionally 3 will appear. Peckhaviensis grow best on a mount or in a basket, just like its parents, where the roots can dry out between waterings. This cross is demonstrating good hybrid vigor; the plants are growing fast, and many are flowering after only 3 years from flask. Expect twice-a-year blooming, and large, mature plants may flower three times under favorable conditions.  These also have a strong fragrance that will perfume your growing area.
25 plant flask AUD $90

SVO 7193      
C. Elisabeth Calov (C. Mark Jones 'SVO' HCC/AOS x C. Katherine Clarkson 'SVO' HCC/AOS)
Yellow flowers with red spots are a Sunset Valley Orchids specialty. They were just a dream 20 years ago; today they are a beautiful reality. The parent Mark Jones (C. Fascelis x C. Caudebec) has exceptionally wide petals with a light cream base color, bold spots, and a bright red lip, and flowers are produced 5-9 per stem. Katherine Clarkson (C. Jungle Gem x C. Mark Jones) is the best yellow with red spots I have seen. It has excellent shape and color, blooms twice a year with 4-6 flowers and is a vigorous grower.  The expectation is for continued improvement of fuller-shaped wide-petalled yellow flowers with clean red spotting. Mature plants will hold 5-7 blossoms per stem. I feel that this is going to provide the next jump in flower quality and form for this type of breeding.  A must have!  These plants are growing really well, showing lots of vigor and will bloom in the summer and fall.
25 plant flask AUD $90

SVO 7434      
Rlc. NEW HYBRID (Rlc. Ruby Delight ‘SVO’ x C. Angel Eyes ‘SVO II’ AM/AOS)
Ruby Delight (Rlc. Rubescence x C. Cosmic Delite) has very attractive red candy stripe flares on a solid red flower. Although the plant is only 16 cm tall, it has a 9 cm flower!  Angel Eyes (C. Bright Angel x C. Little Dipper) is a known breeder for flared flowers and flat petal presentation with none of the commonly seen petal tip reflexing. These have excellent potential for very well-shaped, flat blooms and dark red color with red and yellow candy stripe flares. Plants will mature at 15-20 cm tall. Flower size will range from 7-9 cm, and plants will bloom twice a year with 2-3 flowers.  This is top breeding for compact flared Cattleyas.
25 plant flask AUD $85

SVO 7552       SOLD OUT
Rlc. NEW HYBRID (Rlc. Ruby Delight 'SVO'x Rlc. Louise Clarke 'Outstanding')
This grex is Ruby Delight (Rlc. Rubescence x C. Cosmic Delite) by Louise Clarke (Rlc. Golden Circle x Rlc. Rubescence). Its lineage is even more impressive when you look at the grandparents: Oconee, Circle of Life, Goldenzelle, Seagulls Apricot, Bright Angel and Batemanniana. Now that’s an impressive list! Ruby Delight has a particularly nice 9 cm flower with red candy stripe flares on solid red and excellent shape. The plant is compact - only 16 cm tall. Louise Clarke (so good I named it for my mum!) has 10 cm deep red flowers of excellent form and substance, with a well-proportioned red lip and yellow throat.  About half of the cross will have red candy stripe flares, some showing touches of yellow; the other half will be solid reds. Overall form will be excellent, with flower size around 9-10 cm and plants maturing at 15-20 cm tall and blooming twice a year.  This is top compact Cattleya breeding.
25 plant flask

SVO 7569      
C. NEW HYBRID (C. Katherine Clarkson ‘SVO’ HCC/AOS x C. Jungle Gem ‘Yellow Candy’)
Katherine Clarkson (C. Jungle Gem x C. Mark Jones) is the best yellow with red spots I have seen, with excellent shape and color. Plants are compact, vigorous growers and bloom twice a year with 4-6 flowers per stem. Jungle Gem (C. Precious Stones x C. Jungle Elf) was the ‘keystone’ in improving the shape of yellow/red spot breeding, which I believe is due to the influence of C. coccinea via C. Precious Stones. Jungle Gem is a short plant, about 15 cm tall, and blooms twice a year with 2-3 flowers. The color is a clear yellow with scattered red spots and a red lip. This new grex is the result of line breeding – crossing Katherine Clarkson back to its Jungle Gem parent. The yellow/red spot flower color and twice a year blooming are going to remain unchanged. What we will see is 3-4 flowers with nicely rounded petals and reduced plant size. These will flower easily in 6-9 cm pots. This is a super nice yellow spotted red mini-Cattleya.
25 plant flask AUD $85

SVO  7613     
C. Maui Plum  (C. Summerland Girl 'Orchidglade' x C. tigrina 'SVO Dark Wonder' 4n )
Maui Plum was originally registered in 1983, and one plant ‘Volcano Queen’, was cloned and widely distributed. Tall plants produce a commanding display of waxy burgundy red flowers produced 15 to 20 on strong upright stems. It is a great summer bloomer and the envy of those who see it in flower but don’t own it. Here we have remade the cross using the original plant of Summerland Girl ‘Orchidglade’ (C. tigrina x C. Grandee), a tall, very floriferous plant that produces with 22-24 waxy, deep plum red flowers per stem. This tigrina is from a colchicine-treated batch, and ‘SVO Dark Wonder’ is one of the most floriferous with very nice shape. These are going to be tall plants, with strong stems holding 15-20 burgundy red flowers of heavy substance with waxy texture and red lips. Mature plants will be the envy of every grower who doesn’t own one.
25 plant flask AUD $90

SVO  7617     
C. Mini Love  (C. Love Knot f. coerulea 'SVO' HCC/AOS x C. Mini Purple f. coerulea 'H&R' 4N)
Coerulea or ‘Blue’ Cattleyas have always been favorites of mine. Developing small plants with large flowers has also been a goal in SVO’s breeding. Love Knot (C. sincorana x C. walkeriana) has excellent color and very flat flowers, traits imparted by the sincorana parent. It blooms twice a year, once in the spring as walkeriana does and again in summer with sincorana. The Mini Purple (C. pumila x C. walkeriana) flower pictured is for your reference, but the ‘H&R’ 4n cultivar is larger, with fuller segments and heavier substance. This lovely plant also blooms twice a year, like Love Knot.  These plants will mature at 15-18 cm tall, and will bloom twice a year with 11-12 cm well-shaped flowers in ‘coerulea blue’ with darker blue lips.
25 plant flask AUD $85

SVO 7633      
C. NEW HYBRID (C. Allen Condo ‘SVO’ AM/AOS x C. Summerland Girl ‘Orchidglade’ )
This is an example of line breeding, where Allen Condo (C. Summerland Girl x C. Mrs. Mahler) is crossed back to its parent, Summerland Girl (C. tigrina x C. Grandee). The new grex combines Allen Condo, a very robust grower with 12-15 deep bronze flowers with bright fuchsia lips, and Summerland Girl, a tall, very floriferous plant that produces 22-24 waxy, deep plum red flowers. Both parents are really impressive! These will be amazing plants, with tall robust bulbs at least 50 cm tall, and thick strong stems holding 15-20 waxy burgundy red flowers with red lips well above the leaves. I wrote earlier that SVO 7613 will be “the envy of every grower who doesn’t own one.” This cross will be equally good, if not better!  For those with space, this will be a real ‘Show Stopper!’
25 plant flask AUD $90

SVO 7636      
Rby. NEW HYBRID (C. Florence Lin ‘Ruben’s 4n’ x Rcv. Jimminey Cricket ‘Super Bug’ HCC/AOS )
Sometimes orchid breeders need to have some fun, and this novelty hybrid is a good example of trying something different! Florence Lin (C. tigrina x C. milleri) was known as Lc. Jalapa prior to the recent nomenclature changes. The cultivar ‘Ruben’s 4n’ has excellent dark red color, good form and strong stems, a significant improvement over the older 2n forms. Jimminey Cricket (Rl. digbyana x B. nodosa) is a huge-lipped light green flower with nodosa evident in the petals and sepals.  Both plants are robust growers, tolerant of both heat and cold.  We are expecting 4-5 well presented flowers in shades of rose with big darker red rose lips; some might even have a few burgundy spots. Plants will be compact with a twice-a-year blooming habit.
25 plant flask AUD $85

SVO 7683      
L. anceps (L. anceps '6th Wonder' x L. anceps 'Irwins' AMAOS (clonal mutation)
L. anceps generally has 3-4 flowers per stem, but why not more?  Here is a great chance at improved flower count with great flower form. ‘6th Wonder’ got its name for one reason: it blooms regularly with 6 flowers of excellent quality. The parents of this remarkable plant are (‘Helen’ x ‘Ultimo’), and ‘6th Wonder’ is very vigorous and breaks new leads easily. The clonal mutation of ‘Irwins’ was a land mark occurrence and set the stage for many of the high-quality L. anceps we see today.  Here we have great potential for progeny of excellent quality and improved flower count, with the expectation of 5-6 per stem. The quality of L. anceps is really improving, and this cross is an important next step.   Sorry no pictures of the parents, but this picture is (‘6th Wonder x ‘Déjà Vu’) a similar breeding line.
25 plant flask AUD $100

SVO 7702      
B. perrinii (B. perrinii 'Ruben's 25' x B. perrinii 'SVO 15')
Here is another example of a species that usually blooms with 8-9 flowers, but these two cultivars produce remarkably high flower counts. ‘Ruben’s 25’ flowers with 25 blooms on a stem, and it sibling ‘SVO 15’ holds 15 flowers. When unusually high flower counts appear, it is often best to self the plant, but in this case we made a sibling cross, because ‘SVO 15’ had significantly better shape and a large lip (unfortunately, I did not take a picture of ‘SVO 15’). These are excellent mounted or in hanging baskets, and they grow well with the heat and humidity of summer, preferring to keep their roots dryer in winter.  This is another must-have for Cattleya species collectors.
25 plant flask AUD $125