Peninsula Orchid Society

Peninsula Orchid Society Speakers Schedule: December 15, 2006

Fred Clarke

Sunset Valley Orchids
Vista, CA
http://www.sunsetvalleyorchids.com/

Catasetums and Catasetum Intergeneric Hybrids

Fred Clarke has been growing orchids for 29 years and has been hybridizing for 19 of those years. With more than 22 years as a professional grower and manager in the horticultural industry, Fred applies these skills at his orchid nursery near San Diego.

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 Bulbophylum and Paphiopedilum hybrids.

His pioneering work in Catasetum intergeneric hybrids 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 four FCCs and two AMs on the first flowers shown for judging!

Fred is a Probationary Judge in the Pacific South Judging Region. His plants have received hundreds of quality awards from the American Orchid Society. He will be speaking about Catasetum, Mormodes and Cycnoches, and intergeneric hybrids amongst these genera.

Fred will also be supplying the opportunity table for this meeting.