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.
 

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.

...Zuma Canyon Orchids has served the Malibu/Los Angeles area growers, hobbyists, and enthusiasts by providing the highest quality phalaenopsis and dendrobiums, raised in our Malibu greenhouses since 1971.

George Vasquez has been growing orchids for 30 years. He is an accredited orchid society judge who has served on many American Orchid Society committees. Whether it be a small order or a large home installation, Zuma Canyon Orchids can help you find the right orchids for your decorating or hobby needs.

ABOUT:

Zuma Canyon Orchids was founded in 1971 by Dr. James McPherson and Amado & Maria Vazquez. Dr. McPherson's love of plants and his association with the Vasquez family, who were at the time growing for the Arthur Freed Orchid Co. down the street, grew into a lifelong friendship that eventually turned into Zuma Canyon Orchids.

After 20 years or so of association, Doctor McPherson passed away, and Jean McPherson, his wife, continued as a partner of Zuma Canyon Orchids. When Jean retired, Zuma Canyon Orchids fell under the umbrella of the Vazquez family. We continue to operate, we have received many accolades, and we represent approximately 50 years of experience from Amado Vasquez, and another 40 years of experience from Maria Vasquez, who ran the lab.

George Vazquez has been growing orchids for about 30 years, is an accredited orchid society judge, and served in various positions on many committees for 17 years at the American Orchid Society. George Vazquez retired when he was on the executive board, last serving as secretary of the A.O.S. During the last few years, when he was on the board, they founded what now is known as the permanent location in the new headquarters of the American Orchid Society.

Zuma Canyon Orchids has a lot of years of experience in growing phalaenopsis and we hope that if you have any problems, or if you are looking for any information, that you will not hesitate to contact us. We will be more than happy to assist you in any way that we can.

It is easy for us to say that in the last past 50 years, Amado, George and Maria have been involved in receiving, both at Arthur Freed and at Zuma Canyon Orchids, well over 800 A.O.S. awards and at least 8 or more F.C.C. gold medals at world orchid conferences.

CONTACT US Zuma Canyon Orchids is located in the city of Malibu, 5949 Bonsall Dr., right before Zuma beach heading north on the PCH. Office Phone: (310) 457-9771 Office Fax: (310) 457-4783 Office Email: Email George Office Hours: Monday-Saturday 8AM- 4PM

MAP

PHOTO GALLERY

photos from the 2010 Santa Barbara International Orchid Show. The large display pictured contains flowers from Ventura Farms and the private collection of David Murdock. Ventura Farms brought in George Vasquez to design, consult on the orchids, and work with Estate Manager Jaime Zamora on the award winning presentation titled, “El Jardin de Tranquilidad”. The gallery can be found here.

PHALAENOPSIS CARE:

The Genus Phalaenopsis is one of the easiest and most rewarding orchids for the beginner, with or without a greenhouse. Following are a few basic cultural guidelines. The larger, more mature plants can bloom for three monthsat a time, and in some cases can bloom twice a year.

LIGHT; Phalaenopsis grow best at approximately 1000 foot candles. (Most photo stores will have foot candle light meters.) These plants are never to receive direct sunlight. The older the plant, the more tolerant to light. The ideal light condition for an apartment or windowsill grower would be a southern exposure. The key to light is "hours of daylight." In the winter the plant must receive 12 hours of light. Remember the key word is "daylight hours." Just morning or afternoon light is not enough for proper growth. Always filtered light - never direct sunlight.

TEMPERATURE; Phalaenopsis will grow between 60° and 90° F, the optimum night temperature is 68° and 68° and 85° F during the day. However, plants will grow reasonably well at temperatures of 64° to 65°F at night and warmer day temperatures.

HUMIDITY; Relative humidity during the daytime should be approximately 70%, and at night about 50% because when night temperature drops, the relative humidity will increase. The easiest way to provide adequate humidity in a home is to fill a plastic or glass tray with gravel or small rocks, and keep a layer of water at the bottom of the tray. The pot should be placed on top of the gravel stones, making sure the bottom of the pot does not come in contact with the water. As the water in the bottom of the tray evaporates, the plant will receive that humidity. It is the plant that should get the humidity, and therefore, the tray should be approximately the width of the leaf and the length of the leaf spread (from the tip of one leaf to the tip of the opposing leaf).

AIR MOVEMENT; Good air movement will prevent fungus and spores from settling on the plant and will also prevent spotting on the flowers due to high humidity. Good cross ventilation is sufficient, however, if you must lock up your home or apartment -especially if you are going to leave for a day or two in warm weather- it is important to run a fan for the length of time you are away. In a greenhouse, it is important to have air movement 24 hours a day, simply because the relative humidity increases with night temperature and because of the area and size. Air movement is essential!!!

WATERING; DON'T OVERWATER!!

Orchids in bark can be watered every 5 to 7 days by giving the plant a complete drenching when it's dry.

For orchids in arrangements, you need to remove the decorative moss on top for the moment and lightly water each pot, making sure not to put any water in the crown of the plants or any place it may stagnate. (Some plants in moss stay moist for more than three weeks, so check these before you water.)

Orchids in moss can be watered every two to three weeks because they retain more water than in bark. Water in the morning when plants are driest.

FERTILIZER; Our fertilizer contains all the nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, calcium, zinc and iron, as well as all the trace elements needed for growing in fir bark -whether you feed every watering, or every other watering. Plain water every four or five weeks will flush out mineral or salts that build-up in the pot.

POTTING; This has the greatest variance of all the culture requirements. Because of different regions in the United States, and world-wide as well, it will vary whether you use fir bark or moss, tree fern, fiber -or whether you will be growing the plant in pots or on plaques. The major requirement is that they have very good drainage. The majority of growers in the United States, especially commercial growers, use fir bark. (Medium size ½" to 5/8" for mature plants. Fine size 1/8" to ¼" for small seedlings). This bark eventually decomposes, so plants should be repotted about every 18 months to two years.