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Sunset Valley Orchids
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Plant Archive
2014/15 Australian Dendrobium and Sarcochilus list
Australian Dendrobiums are bred with species that originate in Australia. The Aussies have done an amazing job in the breeding of their native Dens and have made significant improvements; they are very popular in Australia.
Here in the USA we rarely see the advanced hybrids for sale. We do see D. kingianum, and anyone who grows it knows how robust they are. The Aussie Dendrobiums are all very hardy. They do well with hot summers (75-95 deg. days) and cool winters (40-55 deg. nights). I have been trialing them all over the USA and have had customers report good successes in Florida, Virginia, New York, Michigan, Oklahoma, and California. The flowers are fragrant and will fill the growing area with a wonderful aroma. Most importantly they re-flower from the old pseudobulbs, which allows for an outstanding floral display. I have seen plants produce 12 inflorescences from a single bulb over a 5 year period; now THAT is a nice feature! This re-flowering characteristic makes for plants that form beautiful specimens in a relatively short period of time.
Sunset Valley Orchids is the leading hybridizer of Aussie Dens in the USA. We have been sourcing plant material for many years and have developed a superior collection of breeding stock. This season we have been focused on breeding yellow flowers with red markings, a highly desirable color form.
Here is the first significant offering in the USA of what our friends in Australia have worked on so diligently. Give them a try - we think that you'll be impressed!
SVO 5004 NEW |
SVO 5044 NEW |
SVO 5267 NEW |
SVO 5268 NEW |
SVO 5269 NEW |
SVO 5290 NEW |
SVO 5300 NEW |
SVO 5305 NEW |
SVO 5306 NEW |
SVO 5307 NEW |
SVO 5308 NEW |
SVO 5309 NEW |
SVO 5333 NEW |
SVO 5655 NEW |
SVO 5658 NEW |
SVO 5663 NEW |
SVO 5664 NEW |
SVO 5667 NEW |
SVO 5668 NEW |
SVO 5669 NEW |
SVO 5671 NEW |
SVO 5677 NEW |
SVO 5678 NEW |
SVO 5690 NEW |
| Australian Dendrobiums |
SVO 5000 This is the remake of an earlier very successful cross. The flowers are excellent, with one receiving an AM/AOS award for a customer last year. These are slower to mature but well worth the wait. Graceful arching sprays of large yellow-green flowers with red marking on the margins of the segments. Picture of first to bloom. |
SVO 5004 Hilda's have been around for a long time; they still command attention and are excellent growers and bloomers. These are my two best Hilda's. Look for green-yellow flowers with red markings to be produced 2-3 times a year. Picture of the first to bloom, nice! |
SVO 5304 In August 2013 I attended the Melbourne Spectacular Orchid Show and after seeing all the Australian Artist in bloom there, I was really pleased on how nice they were flowering with strong upright spikes, light yellow blooms and purple-red spotting. They were really spectacular, making excellent display plants. This is a proven cross with excellent qualities. These are nice robust plants, ready for potting in to 4” pots. First to bloom picture |
SVO 5305 Regal Gillieston has a superb plant habit, beautiful light yellow flowers with a blush of red and a solid red lip. The 'Daylight Moon' is the best curvicaule available, producing over 100 chunky light yellow flowers per inflorescence.
This type of breeding makes for improved yellow and red flower color, good stem length and bloom count. Although speciosum is in the immediate background, it will not add much to the plant size, as this is a recessive trait. |
SVO 5333 This is a cross I am really looking forward to flowering. It is as current as any Aussie Native breeding in Australia. The Golden Vista (Class x Star of Gold) produces a rather large yellow flower with red markings on the edges of the segments and a white lip covered with fine red spots. The Dunokayla produces solid yellow chunky flowers with 20 or more blooms per stem. Impressive! I expect these to be good yellows with a few red markings, high flower count and chunky form. Really nice. |
SVO 5348 These will be the desirable dark purple kingies everyone is looking for. Both parents have the dark purple color, are vigorous growers, free flowering and don't keiki. These are also the smaller growing type, and mature plants will not exceed 8” tall. |
SVO 5655 Royal Vista (Beryl Wuth x Hilda Poxon) has a large purple flower with an almost white lip, which contrasts nicely. Den. speciosum 'Windermere' is a well known breeder it allows the color to come thru from the other parent. It has produced many successful hybrids. Here we expecting large lavender flowers produced on long stems. |
SVO 5658 Regal Gillieston has a superb plant habit, beautiful light yellow flowers with a blush of red and a solid red lip. The 'Windermere' is a time tested breeder which is recessive for its color thus allowing the great color of Regal Gillieston to prevail. Although speciosum is in the immediate background, it will not add much to the plant size. Expect the bright yellow flower color and red markings to come through from Regal Gillieston with improved flower count and size from the 'Windermere'. |
SVO 5664 This cross has excellent potential and is as current as any Aussie Native breeding in Australia. The Golden Vista (Class x Star of Gold) is a large yellow flower with heavy red markings on the edges of the segments and a lip covered with red spots. The Dunokayla produces solid yellow chunky flowers with 20 or more blooms per stem - quite impressive! I expect these to be good yellows with a few red markings, high flower count and big chunky blooms. This is a really nice cross! |
SVO 5667 Blushing Vista (Gillieston Jazz x Rutherford Blushing Bride) has dark lavender flowers with some white at the base of the segments. It's a good grower and bloomer too.
The Dunokayla produces solid yellow chunky flowers with 20 or more blooms per stem - quite impressive! I expect these to produce chunky blooms with high flower count and flower color ranging from lavender to soft yellows. |
SVO 5668 Sunny Vista (Peewee x Yondi Tina) produces large light yellows with a purple blush originating from the influence of bigibbum. The Dunokayla produces solid yellow chunky flowers with 20 or more blooms per stem - very impressive! I expect these to be good yellows with a faint red blushing, high flower count and chunky blooms. This is a really nice cross and similar to SVO 5663. |
SVO 5669 In August 2013 I attended the Melbourne Spectacular Orchid Show and saw many Australian Artists in bloom there. I was really pleased with how nicely they were flowering, with strong upright spikes, light yellow blooms and purple-red spotting. They were really spectacular, making excellent display plants. This is a proven cross with excellent qualities. First to bloom picture |
SVO 5671 Victorian Bride has a chunky flower with a white background color and dark purple markings. They are quite the attention getters! The Dunokayla is a special plant and has 20 plus chunky yellow flowers per stem. Here we are expecting flowers with a yellow base color and dark purple-red markings on top. These could be spectacular. |
SVO 5677 Victorian Bride has a chunky flower with a white background color and dark purple markings. They are very showy blooms. 'Daylight Moon' is as good as it gets, with over 100 chunky light yellow blooms per inflorescence. This grex will give great stems and flowers ranging in color, with many soft yellows and purple markings |
SVO 5678 Cobber has been successfully used in a number of hybrids, and the Dunokayla has all the potential to produce a hybrid with 20 or more yellow flowers. This pairing just may give us yellow flowers with dark purple-red markings. These are very promising. |
Sunset Valley Orchids 2014-15 Sarcochilus list
Sarcochilus are native to Australia and have been grown there for many years; occasionally we see a few plants here is the USA, they generally are the old fashion type with white flowers and a red spot in the center. With my visits to Australia sourcing Aussie Dendrobiums, I came across several Sarcochilus breeders who are doing a magnificent job breeding for “high color” Sarcochilus. Their efforts are focused on developing flower colors in: pinks, reds, yellows, salmon, and purples. I have carefully selected these hybrids that appear to be most promising with good color, quick to bloom, compact plants, and charming aspect. This is the first significant offering in the USA of the “modern high color” Sarcochilus breeding from Australia.
Here are the basic requirements for moisture, temperature and light needed for good culture. Sarcochilus need to be watered in a way to keep the medium slightly moist. They don’t have pseudobulbs to store water so it’s the leaves and roots that are responsible for this function. I water them every 2-3 days in summer and once a week in winter. Sarcochilus need a well drained potting medium as watering will be frequent; I have found medium orchid bark to be ideal. The summer temperatures should range from 75-85 degrees during the day and 60-70 degrees at night with winter temperatures from 60-75 degree days and 45-55 degree nights. The plants prefer light levels of 1500 to 2000 foot candles (fc). In hot humid conditions the plants benefit from increased shading, air movement and watering, as this helps keep the foliage cool.
Sarcochilus generally flower in late April and early May; I am always reminded that Mother’s day is not far off when I see the first blooms.
SVO 5479 Ok, so I did make one Sarcochilus hybrid for this year. I just could not resist! Both of these are considered the best Sarcs. in my collection. The Firey Glow (Bernice Klein x Zoe) is just fantastic. It’s amazing red color with darker red blotches and beautiful shape is truly exceptional. The other parent is equally nice with amazing color and shape. The cross is also showing excellent plant vigor. |
9103 With Bunyip as a parent we always see an improvement in flower quality. Elegance has been the main building block in pink tone breeding, bringing great vigor and multiple spiking to it hybrids. Nice pink throughout segments, a few with red centers, good shape from this pairing. |
9117 With Bunyip as a parent we always see an improvement in flower quality and Elegance is an excellent breeder. Soft pinks will be produced here with a few having red centers and good shape. |
A024 We call these poached eggs! Golden yellow centers surrounded in white, and do they stand out from the crowd. These line bred species show outstanding growth rates and mature early, flowering as young plants. Both parents have well-presented flowers with full shape, ensuring a top result from this cross. |
A029 Fiery Glow brings the advantage of longer, more floriferous spikes. Here we see it in combination with the prolifically spiking Kulnura Dazzel. These will be purple spotted over a white background. Some will be solid purple and very attractive. |
A041 This color combination is one of my favorites. The flowers have softer pink on the outer ends of the segments with deep red/pink in the center. With Bunyip as a parent we always see an improvement in flower quality, and this cross should be no exception. There will be award quality flowers from this mating. |
A063 Zoe is one of the older parents, but it provides its offspring with vigor of growth. It is important when breeding to emphasize ease of growth, and this parent accomplishes that well. It also brings a multi spiking habit to its hybrids. With Kulnura Dazzel, we are looking at productive, open-shaped flowers in the "spots and pattern" color grouping, and this parent also will favor more upright spikes. |
A077 Elegance has been the main building block in pink tone breeding, bringing great vigor and multiple spiking to it hybrids. Combined with Bunyip, I am expecting very attractive softer pinks. These are very vigorous growing plants. |
A086 The original cross of Kulnura Firemist was made for patterning, but this remake is aimed toward segments with red edging. This is a very attractive and desirable combination, but will only be present in a small percentage of the progeny. The plants will be very vigorous growers and will flower profusely. |
A093 Sensationally intense reds! Both parents have an upright spike habit and show multi spike potential. Rebecca also carries albino genes, but I am not expecting those to be expressed here. Finer foliage will be present in this hybrid. |
A109 The red lines that have been developed recently show much improved vigor. This cross is no exception. Deep reds with a hint of darker mottling around the column. |
A110 Most Sarcs flower in the late spring, missing many of the bigger shows. One breeding objective is to bring the flowering period forward. There are two ways of doing this. One is to introduce some of the smaller species, which are difficult to grow. The other is to use early-flowering hartmannii. This Heidi flowers in early to mid-spring and should confer that timing to its offspring. In this first generation I expect mostly white flowers, but a few will have some red to pink color. It will be nice to see Sarcochilus blooming in late March and early April. |
A111 The Kulnura Dazzel cross has been one of our most successful matings in the intense purple to bold spotting range. While they don’t have the spike length of some other hybrids, they are extremely free flowering and have straight upright spikes. This cross is focused toward boldly spotted flowers. Expect a high percentage of spots, with some solid purple tones. |
A116 This cross brings the two yellow styles together. Galaxy has the creamy yellow with red flecks in the segments while the hartmannii has albino yellow center. The result will be creamy yellows with varying degrees of light red in the segments however a few will be soft yellows though out. When mature these plants will produce flowers throughout the year as well as main flowering in spring. |
B111 NEW |
B127 NEW |
B155 NEW Dark pinks centers with clean white borders, excellent shape. First to bloom from the cross Pic |
B191 NEW Dark pinks many will be a solid pink, excellent growth habit. One of the first to flower from the cross Pic |
