Articles
TRENDS AND REQUIREMENTS IN FLORICULTURE IN EUROPE
Article number
454_3
Pages
39 – 48
Language
Abstract
In most European countries there is a high consumption of floricultural products, stimulated by urbanization and prosperity.
In recent years the supply has strongly increased due to an increasing production within Europe and imports from outside Europe.
The assortment, which was wide already, has further diversified with these imports.
During the winter period, flowers, which are difficult to grow in that period in northern Europe, are imported from southern countries where they have more light.
Moreover other products are imported as well, which are not grown in Europe at all, such as waxflower, protea, ruscus and leatherfern.
Although the assortment is very large there is still much interest in new crops, especially when they fit existing or rising trends.
To know current and possible future trends, one must look about and carefully study trendy magazines for home and garden.
Detailed information from the market can help to recognize shifts in turnover and supply of each product at an early stage.
Investment in research or breeding activities of new crops is very expensive and only worthwhile when a crop possesses a good internal quality and is expected to gain a larger place in the assortment in future.
Testing the internal quality, as vase life, ornamental value, suitability for transport, is one of the first things to be done before a new crop is introduced.
The assortment of floricultural products represents only a small part of the whole flora of herbaceous plant.
Cooperation between botanical gardens and the floricultural industry can be useful in testing promising plants and collecting species for breeding work.
Also documentation of the reasons why showy plants are not useful for production or consumption would be helpful.
In recent years the supply has strongly increased due to an increasing production within Europe and imports from outside Europe.
The assortment, which was wide already, has further diversified with these imports.
During the winter period, flowers, which are difficult to grow in that period in northern Europe, are imported from southern countries where they have more light.
Moreover other products are imported as well, which are not grown in Europe at all, such as waxflower, protea, ruscus and leatherfern.
Although the assortment is very large there is still much interest in new crops, especially when they fit existing or rising trends.
To know current and possible future trends, one must look about and carefully study trendy magazines for home and garden.
Detailed information from the market can help to recognize shifts in turnover and supply of each product at an early stage.
Investment in research or breeding activities of new crops is very expensive and only worthwhile when a crop possesses a good internal quality and is expected to gain a larger place in the assortment in future.
Testing the internal quality, as vase life, ornamental value, suitability for transport, is one of the first things to be done before a new crop is introduced.
The assortment of floricultural products represents only a small part of the whole flora of herbaceous plant.
Cooperation between botanical gardens and the floricultural industry can be useful in testing promising plants and collecting species for breeding work.
Also documentation of the reasons why showy plants are not useful for production or consumption would be helpful.
Authors
C. Noordegraaf
Keywords
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