File:210409 068 SD Botanic Gdn - Dickinson Family Conservatory, World of Orchids, Fredclarkeara After Dark 'SVO Black Pearl'.jpg

English: This hybrid genus or grex is named after Mr. Fred Clarke, a force of nature in the world of orchids. He has been growing orchids since 1977 and has been hybridizing for 35 of those years. With over 38 years as a professional grower and manager in the horticultural industry, Fred applies these skills at his orchid nursery; Sunset Valley Orchids, located in San Diego County, California. He is a passionate orchid grower whose curiosity in orchids is broad and varied. Although developing Cattleya hybrids has been his sustaining interest, he is also actively creating new Catasetinae, Paphiopedilum and Australian Dendrobium hybrids.

   His pioneering work in Catasetum intergeneric breeding has led to the development of several notable hybrids, most recently the grex Fredclarkeara After Dark, which produced “the blackest flower ever witnessed”. This grex has received eight FCC’s (First Class Certificate), six AM’s (Award of Merit) and the coveted ‘Award of Distinction’ on the first flowers shown for judging!

  Fred is an internationally acclaimed speaker and travels extensively within USA, Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. He is an accredited American Orchid Society Judge in the Pacific South region. His plants have received hundreds of quality awards from the American Orchid Society.

You can visit his website at: www.sunsetvalleyorchids.com/index.html