In the spotlights
If you grow an exclusive product on a small scale, it is extra hard work to make your product known in the market. But last year we happened to see Nancy Hendriks on Facebook quite a few times and we became curious. Together with her husband Ad de Koning she grows Choisya ternata 'Lich': a special leaf product with a high ornamental value. When we contacted them we were warmly welcomed by Ad and Nancy, after which we were given an instructive tour.
Ad and Nancy
Both Ad and Nancy grew up in horticulture. Yet neither of them have followed in their parents' footsteps. Only when they bought a house in Maasdijk in the 1990s with a few old greenhouses attached to it, did the entrepreneurial blood reappear in both and they started an actual nursery in addition to their day-jobs.
In collaboration with a breeder, they planted about 20 different types of cut shrubs to find out what would suit them best. Hedera, Philadelphus (Jasmine), Lilac, Ceanotis, Choisya, everything was tried. Ad and Nancy had a number of important demands; “the quality and shelf life have to be perfect, preferably a product that fits in the high segment and we have to be able to manage the costs”.
Over the years, more and more products disqualified, and about ten years ago, Ad and Nancy renovated the greenhouse and specialized in Choisya ternata 'Lich'.
Origin
Choisya ternata is a green ornamental shrub (garden plant) that originates from Mexico. Choisya ternata 'Lich' blooms in the period April-May with white star-shaped flowers. Because of the scent and flower shape, the plant is also called orange blossom. However, the Choisya is not grown at this nursery as a cut flower, the ornamental value lies with the leaves. Despite the hardy character of the shrub, the plant is sensitive to frost. The plant therefore only grows in the warmer areas in Europe.
Choisya ternata "Lich"
Choisya ternata 'Lich' is the yellow-green variety of the dark green Choisya ternata. Due to the special color of the leaf, the ornamental value of this product is very high. When it gets colder, a beautiful bronze glow comes over the leathery leaves. The ternata 'Lich' is the only variety grown for cutting.
In the Netherlands, the Choisya is grown on a small scale. Ad and Nancy were the first growers to put the product on the market about 25 years ago and now harvest about 200,000 stems a year. As far as Ad and Nancy know, there is one other breeder in the Netherlands who has approximately the same numbers. So less than half a million stems are offered on the market every year. We can therefore call this product really exclusive and a product with which you can really distinguish yourself as a florist.
Choisya is very suitable to be used in field bouquets, but it’s also a great choice for a Biedermeier bouquet. Because of her special rosette-shaped head and fresh color she is equal to the other flowers in a bouquet and is a real eye-catcher!
Cultivation
Partly due to Ad's botanical studies and years of experience in growing Choisya, Ad and Nancy have mastered the intricacies of the trade, and this is reflected in the quality of the product. No risks are taken, they have a reputation to uphold! The stems are only offered if they are really well hardened and of the right quality.
Don't cut before mid-November
Choisya has a very good vase life if the branches are well hardened. Ad and Nancy therefore consciously choose not to cut before mid-November. As soon as it gets colder, the crop stops growing. After that, the branches need a number of cold nights to harden off nicely to ensure a vase life of at least four weeks. A florist can therefore work with the product for a long time.
The crop is harvested in several parts from mid-November to mid-March. Because the crop no longer grows during these months, Ad and Nancy can plan their harvest very well.
From March/April the days become warmer again and the crop produces new branches which are then harvested again in November.
MPS A+
The Choisya is grown very sustainably; the nursery is therefore MPS A+ certified. The crop needs very little heating; only when the temperature falls below 2 degrees Celsius something is done about it. Ad uses integrated crop protection, but the biological control agents do most of the work.
The plants last an average of four years. The plants are replaced per greenhouse part. After the plants have been removed, the soil is steamed and new cuttings can be planted. The second year, the first branches are cut. In the third and fourth year, the plant gives full production.
Artisanal cultivation
As we often see with niche products, Choisya is also a product where the entire process is done by hand. The advantage of this is that every branch is seen and judged before it is sold. The branches are sorted by head size, then by length. The bunching, wrapping and preparation for the auction is also done manually.
Ad and Nancy stand for top quality of the product and that must be the priority in the entire process.
FloraPodium, 06 January 2022
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