FloraCulture International November 2023

WWW.FLORACULTUREINTERNATIONAL.COM NOVEMBER 2023

T R A D E M A R K S V E R S U S VA R I E T Y D E N O M I N AT I O N S

Beware the concepts do not mean the same thing GREEN CITIES EUROPE

Utrecht qualifies for EU Awards in Brussels S U M M E R F LO W E R S

Takii's sunflowers gain a place in the sun

GUIDE TO PLANT BREEDERS' RIGHTS Access to superior genetics will become even more important in the future than it is today

VALUABLE INDUSTRY DATA The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), in association with

AUTHOR: R ACHEL WAKEFIELD

Union Fleurs, the International Flower Trade Association, is to launch the 71st edition

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of the International Statistics – Flowers and Plants 2023.

he International Statistics Flowers and Plants Yearbook has the most comprehensive production and trade data collection for the ornamental plants and flower industry.

This annual publication is invaluable to trade organisations, policymakers, marketers, producers, traders, libraries, and universities.

In its 71st year, the contents result from extensive research and data compiled by the Centre for Business Management in Horticulture and Applied Research, Leibniz University Hanover, Germany.

The Statistics Yearbook provides production data for over 40 countries, detailed country breakdowns, product

FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

comparisons, market data and prices and global import and export data.

This edition also features CPVO statistics regarding PBR applications for ornamentals.

The 2023 Yearbook is published as a pdf document and features 238 pages of illustrations, tables, diagrams and maps of crucial production data.

The International Statistics Flowers and Plants 2023 will officially launch on Wednesday, 8 November, at the opening of Trade Fair Aalsmeer.

The 2023 digital version will be available to purchase and download for 195 euros from the AIPH website after the launch, from www.aiph.org/giic/international-statistical-yearbook/

Partners of FloraCulture International FloraCulture International encourages the pursuit of joint activities in areas of mutual interest with national, and international societies, and organisations.

Agreements have been reached between FCI and leading growers and trade associations worldwide. FCI is proud to work in collaboration with:

F R O M T H E ED I TO R

FCI Editor Ron van der Ploeg

November is all about PBRs Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) are recognised in most of the world’s leading floriculture production countries. And rightfully so. The plant breeders have invested the time, money and investment to bring varieties of consistently higher quality to the market, benefiting the value chain and society at large.

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However, an increasing number of growers illegally propagate plants or do not pay royalties to use the plants at their farms to reduce their expenses. It cannot be repeated enough: the use of and trade in plants from an unauthorised source without compensating the breeder is stealing and constitutes a violation of Plant Breeders’ Rights - punishable by the law.

This month’s issue includes a 10-page supplement Guide to Plant Breeders' Rights. This is our 14th annual update on Plant Breeders' Rights, which encourages flower and plant growers around the world to adopt sustainable agricultural practices. Experts explain the intricacies of the law and explain why paying royalities in acknowledgement of the research benefits growers in the future.

Global ornamental horticulture without PBR and other forms of Intellectual Property would be unsustainable globally, and there would be unhealthy market competition, stagnating innovation and fewer spectacularly new varieties that bring people joy and well-being.

The good news is that the GLOBALG.A.P. certification scheme has recently updated its Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standards. IFAVersion6 is specific to flowers and plants and includes the principle that ‘propagation materials are obtained in compliance with Intellectual Property Law is a major must, adding that producers not complying with IP Law shall not be granted a GLOBALG.A.P certificate.

Today’s world of horticulture comes with a fair amount of sustainability struggles. At the semi-finals of the Green Cities EU Awards in Alkmaar (page 32), the Netherlands, former weatherwoman Helga van Leur told her audience that increasing greenhouse gas emissions from industrialised economies have led to a weather type comparable to ‘a wheel of fortune’ marked by extreme weather events happening more frequently and severely. Scientists have a growing consensus that climate change affects plant health and vice-versa. At the same time, under the EU’s Farm to Fork and Green Deal strategies, and with mandatory Integrated Pest Management (IPM) anchored in EU legislation, green professionals see their pesticide cabinets emptying rapidly.

In such a challenging business environment, the Sunrich sunflowers of Japanese breeder Takii gained a place in the sun by bringing a trustworthy, disease-resistant product to the market that gives growers and retailers a competitive edge and never fails to raise a smile among consumers. Page 42.

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CO N T E N T S NOVEMBER 2023 VOLUME 33 NUMBER 11

COVER STORY 8

WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF PLANT BREEDERS’ RIGHTS? CIOPORA update us on Intellectual Property in plant breeding

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TO LICENCE OR NOT TO LICENCE? The most pertinent question is how?

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ITALY IS INCHING TOWARDS FULL PBR ENFORCEMENT Comparing different levels and forms of protection

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CHOOSING THE BEST PLANT VARIETY RIGHTS IN THE USA Which options are right for you?

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TRADEMARKS VERSUS VARIETY DENOMINATIONS? The differences and what to be aware of

FEATURES 24

IN FLANDERS’ FIELDS (2) Episode two takes us to Fargesia and Hydrangea specialist Plant Select and tree nurseries Boomkwekerij Peers and De Bruyn Boomkwekerije.

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SUMMER FLOWERS How Takii’s sunflowers gained a place in the sun

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VOICES 04 07 11

FROM THE EDITOR EXPO 2023 KAHRAMANMARAŞ OPENS AGAINST ALL THE ODDS WHY DEFINING THE SECTOR’S ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT MATTERS

IN EVERY ISSUE 06 32 57

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WORLD NEWS GREEN CITY POST SAVE THE DATE

FloraCulture International (FCI) is an independent trade magazine, founded by Debbie Hamrick, with the largest circulation for a world publication of its kind. FCI is published for the ornamental horticulture industry by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). It is published 11 times per year worldwide.

Contributing writers: Isolde Borghans, Travis Bliss, Aldo Colombo, Erdoğan Kök, David Krantz, Jaap Kras, Tjeerd Overdijk, Marta Pizano, Charlotte Plasman, Ron van der Ploeg, Judith de Roos, Elena Terekhova, Audrey Timm, Selena Travaglio, Emanuela Truffo, and Rachel Wakefield. Contact: info@floracultureinternational. com. Address: FloraCulture International, Horticulture House, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RN, United Kingdom. Editor: Ron van der Ploeg, ron@ floracultureinternational.com Worldwide Advertising Office: Angie Duffree, angie@floracultureinternational.com. T. +31 6 403 277 35. Magazine designer: Rachel Wakefield. Cover image:FCI Stock Photo. AIPH ©2023 FloraCulture International magazine. All rights reserved. Publisher is not liable for the content of the advertisements. Photographs by permission of copyright owners.

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WORLD NEWS

SOU T H KORE A

Award Prize presented at the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo The 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo officially closed on 31 October. More than eight million people have learned about the importance of plants and gardens for the past six months at the AIPH-approved 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo in the Republic of Korea.

The Expo’s theme, ‘Living In The Garden,’ was embodied in the pavilions and gardens created by national and international participants.

Their hard work was celebrated in an Awards Ceremony during the AIPH 75th Annual Congress on 18 September.

All participants were judged twice, at the beginning and end of the Expo, by members of the AIPH Expos Committee and the Korean Association for the Advancement of Flora Culture, KAFC. Congratulating the participants, the Chairman of the International Honorary Jury and Secretary General of AIPH, Tim Briercliffe, said: “As cities tackle the impacts of climate change and because of your contributions

to this Expo, so many more people can appreciate why greening our cities makes the difference between surviving and truly living.The jury was very impressed by the outdoor and indoor gardens we assessed. The plant and maintenance quality are very high, and for the gardens to look as good as this at the end of an Expo is an outstanding achievement. All those who designed and built these gardens can be very proud.”

The garden created by Ha Ju-ryeong won the Grand AIPH Prize with a garden titled Haemunuiwon (A Sun-Patterned Garden).

Her garden was positioned to watch the sun rise and set over Suncheon Bay – symbolising the everchanging cycle of life. Her

(Left to right) AIPH President Leonardo Capitanio, AIPH Secretary General Tim Briercliffe, Suncheon Mayor Roh Gwan-gyu, AIPH Board Member Karen Tambayong, Grand AIPH Prize Winner Ha Ju-ryeong, Secretary General of 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo Cheon Jaeyeong, and AIPH Expo Committee Members, Kevin Chung and Takuhiro Yamada.

planting scheme created a tranquil garden that provided solace and rejuvenation to the weariest souls, with the interplay of light and shadow, the gentle rustle of leaves, and the calming scent of the sea are all part of this mesmerising experience, which awakens the senses and restores the spirit.

AIPH President Mr Leonardo Capitanio commended all the participants and the Expo

organisers, “AIPH is ‘the world’s champion for the power of plants’; so we are particularly pleased to see that the theme of this Expo has become a legacy for the city of Suncheon, in addition to the amazing Expo park and garden. The truth is that your Expo has given millions joy since it opened in April and will continue to give pleasure and inspiration for years and generations to come.”

basis, busy men on motorised vehicles shift auction trolleys deliver containers to the auction’s buyers’ areas.

Now in its 24th year, Trade Fair Aalsmeer is blooming – literally. It has blossomed from a modest wholesale plant sale event in 1999 on Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer’s ground floor – coinciding with the Bloemenvaktentoonstelling’s last edition on the auction’s upper floor – to become one of Europe’s leading horticultural trade shows.

Bookings for this year’s Trade Fair Aalsmeer have been strong as always over the past few months, which has resulted in 100% of the available space now being taken by 426 potted plant

growers, 120 producers of fresh-cut flowers, 40 breeders, around thirteen floral wholesale companies and an additional 70 added value suppliers. “What’s unique about Trade Fair Aalsmeer is that it’s a focused ornamentals event.

The majority of exhibitors are growers, which makes for a lush and colourful display,” says Van Straalen, who references the many side trend presentations and workshops happening in the Trade Fair Theatre.

Throughout the three days, the Royal FloraHolland House and Theatre will be home to floral art demonstrations and presentations on floral trends, cyber security, AI and international trade flows in

NE THERL ANDS

ARE YOU READY FOR TRADE FAIR AALSMEER Anticipation is building as green professionals line up to join the 24th Trade Fair Aalsmeer. Bringing ‘the world’s largest selection of plants and flowers’ under one (Royal FloraHolland) roof, the three-day event, held between 7-9 November 2023, offers exciting new products, innovative design and smart marketing concepts.

With only a few days to go before the event, trade show manager Wilma van Straalen stresses that Trade Fair Aalsmeer is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the B2B world of flowers and plants.

“In terms of product availability, it rarely happens that a customer at Royal FloraHolland asks for a

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product we don’t offer. The cooperative prides itself on its broad product portfolio to suit the needs of all floral category buyers,” says Van Straalen.

Set across three adjoining halls, the trade exhibition will keep an anticipated 20,000 attendees engaged from the moment they enter the 25,0000m2 show floor where normally, on a day-to-day

VOICES NE THERL ANDS

The world of ornamental horticulture will gather at the forthcoming IFTF show IFTF 2023 is getting ready to receive the thousands of international trade visitors that have pre-registered so far. With more than 300 exhibitors, IFTF 2023 is set to take place at the Greater Amsterdam Expo (formerly known as Haarlemmermeer Expo) between 8-10 November 2023.

This year will see a record number of 135 international flower growers participating from 15 countries, offering cut flower purchasers from around the globe to discuss new varieties and contracts for the new selling season.

Event organiser HPP says there will be a record number of country pavilions. Each flying their national flag, countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Ecuador, Colombia, Turkey, Italy, India, Iran,

Japan, Rwanda, and Spain will showcase their latest products and services.

Just like last year, the 2023 IFTF will happen one week later than usual.

This date change will allow green professionals from, in particular, Southern Europe to travel to the Netherlands after the peak sales period for All Souls’Day. For more information, visit www.iftf.nl

(Left) Mr Erdoğan Kök with Dutch Ambassador to Türkiye, Mr Joep Wijnands.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTICIPATION FOR EXPO 2023 KAHRAMANMARAŞ the Special Advisor for Kahramanmaraş Expo 2023, writes for us about the importance of AIPH-approved International Horticultural Expo 2023 Kahramanmaraş which opened on 14 October. Despite the devastating TurkeySyria Earthquake earlier this year this International Horticultural Expo is important to the country and to its citizens to help them rebuild their lives after the devastating natural disaster.

“After getting the approval of AIPH for organising the B Category Horticultural Expo for 2023 in 2018, the people of Kahramanmaraş were excited and highly motivated with their first international city organisation. Despite its natural beauty, strategic location, and cultural/historical richness, Kahramanmaraş was a long time waiting to be explored by international visitors. Therefore, Expo 2023 was conceptually and wholly a great opportunity for the city.

After I took up my job as a special advisor, my contacts with international participants bore its fruits, and 22 countries decided to participate. The key point here was to convince our international participants why participating is worthwhile. I will not repeat here the well-known pros of Horticultural Expos.

Actually, when I talked about our Expo, the most important thing was to share our story and tell the story of our people’s motivation to be a part of this positive event. And I believe I was able to pass the enthusiasm of the people of Kahramanmaraş and the vision of Mayor Hanefi Mahçiçek to the international delegates.

ornamental horticulture.

Innovation will continue to play a key part at Trade Fair Aalsmeer 2023, with the return of the New Products Showcase giving breeders and growers alike the opportunity to showcase novel flowers and plants.

This stage is also host to the 2023-2024 Royal FloraHolland Dutch Tulip Awards and the 2023 Greenovation Awards on 8 November. The Greenovation Awards ceremony recognises companies which have demonstrated exceptional leadership and achievements in protecting the planet and its people.

Floral wholesale giant DFG will use the Trade Fair Aalsmeer to host its annual

Dutch Flower Awards Ceremony on 8 November.

Nine cut flower and ornamental plant growers will battle it out to win DFG’s prestigious Dutch Flower Award, which identifies successful and growing companies.

Now in its 21st year, the prestigious accolade recognises hard-working, outstanding horticultural entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, product quality, supply chain management and commitment to sustainability efforts. All candidates are suppliers with whom the Dutch Flower Group has a tried and tested relationship.

Unfortunately, a devastating earthquake hit a large southeastern part of Türkiye, including Kahramanmaraş, on early 6 February 2023. Kahramanmaraş was the epicentre of two very high-scale (Mw7,7-Mw 7,6) earthquakes. It is the deadliest natural disaster in Türkiye. As of 30 May, the number of casualties is 50,783, and approximately 12,000 of them are from Kahramanmaraş.

Since the first day of the earthquake, the nation acted quickly and tried to save lives first and provide shelter and food for those survivors. We are also thankful to the international community for their quick and efficient response to Search and rescue operations and help in providing aid to the earthquake-stricken provinces.

Expo 2023 Kahramanmaraş site was not affected by the earthquake, but the progress of the Expo construction and other activities were naturally halted. As of 1 March, we initiated the remaining work again in spite of difficulties, and we were determined to finish the building.

The Expo site remained the only green area to serve the people of Kahramanmaraş as a place of socialising, recreation, and rehabilitation.

Therefore, the participation of other countries has gained a far deeper meaning for the people of Kahramanmaraş. Opening the Expo under these circumstances also shows everyone how the city is quickly recovering.

For all of us, Kahramanmaraş Expo 2023 will be a unique experience and will show how this Horticultural Expo can continue under extraordinary conditions with the will of its people.”

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G U I D E TO P L A N T B R EED ER S ’ R I G H T S

CHALLENGES AND TRENDS IN EU PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION (PVP) FOR ORNAMENTALS CIOPORA, the International Association of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Horticultural Varieties, provides the most up-to-date EU Plant Breeders’Rights (PBR) data while sounding the alarm on the drop in CPVR applications in different crops in the European Union, especially the ornamental sector.

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n 2023, the number of applications for Community Plant Variety Rights (CPVR) saw a decline in all crop sectors, especially in the application of ornamental varieties. From January to September 2023, there were 201 fewer applications compared to last year, 34.8 per cent of which referred to the ornamental sector (fig. 1 and 2).

Fig 1

PROBABLE CAUSES

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Fig 3

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Fig 1 & 2: Infographic made by CIOPORA from date shared by the Community Plant Variety Right Office.

Fig 3: The Community Plant Variety Right Office presented an infographic at the Administrative Council Meeting of October 5, 2023, in Malaga, Spain.

The causes of this drop have not yet been identified, but it is believed to be mainly due to some tailspin effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, compounded by the extreme weather conditions that affected some major production areas and a highly unstable global political and economic situation, which led to an increase in shipping and electricity costs for the plant industry.

Nevertheless, the market – especially for cut flowers – seems to have held out, overall, in some cases, with some adjustments of business strategies, for example, by focusing further investments on a few selected varieties.

Despite the situation described above, ornamental crops remain the leading sector for CPVR applications submitted, as shown in the following graph (fig. 3): More side effects on the application rate could, however, be seen in the course of 2024, as a result of the increase in fees from July, 2023, decided by the CPVO in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis, in response to the peak in energy costs and the surge of inflation across Europe.

G U I D E TO P L A N T B R EED ER S ’ R I G H T S

WHAT ARE THE REMEDIES? For breeders, there are two main remedies to mitigate this:  To lower examination costs, breeders may file a national Plant Variety Right (PVR) application and then ask for an extension of protection before the CPVO. When the DUS test is carried out by an examination office (EO) entrusted for the same species, the Office takes over the existing DUS reports. DUS reports from a non-EU EO may also be considered under certain circumstances.  Until December 8, 2023, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may request to be admitted to the SME Fund and be granted a refund of 50 per cent of national PVR or CPVR application fees. Requests for reimbursement must be submitted before the PVR application. The initiative should be renewed for 2024. The possibility of extending the PVR Voucher to the partial reimbursement of technical examination fees is currently under discussion.

MORE CPVR CANCELLATIONS The drop in registration applications has, moreover, been accompanied by a rise in CPVR cancellations. Most of these are, apparently, attributable to non-payment in good time of the annual fees through human error/ oversight. This led to increased appeals against CPVO cancellation decisions, yet often resulting in unfavourable outcomes for titleholders, as if the material error is established, there are no remedies available to rectify the situation. The CPVO, therefore, strongly recommends paying the annual fee as soon as the debit note is served. More information is available on this link.

VIOLATION OF PBR Besides the economic efforts and difficulties in obtaining and maintaining Plant Breeders´ Rights (PBR), breeders must face major challenges fighting against third-party infringement activities, especially after the “Nadorcott” decision (C-176/18) exposed loopholes concerning provisional protection and protection of harvested material, undermining breeders´ trust in the UPOV Plant Variety Protection (PVR) System.

More and more protected varieties are propagated and then placed on the market, imported, and exported

without the breeder´s consent. For the floriculture sector – especially for cut flowers – the situation becomes particularly critical in the vicinity of certain occasions, such as Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day, when the demand for flowers increases worldwide.

Little attention is given to the fact that using and selling plants from an unauthorised source may constitute a PBR violation, punishable in the country where they are produced as much as in the consuming country where they are sold. Moreover, such unlawful practices distort the market, affecting the entire value chain of the protected variety, to the detriment, especially, of honest growers, who – having to comply with the obligation to pay royalties to the titleholder – cannot compete with prices set by unlicensed producers.

ENHANCING IP COMPLIANCE

By Selena Travaglio. She is the Legal Counsel at CIOPORA, the International Association of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Horticultural Varieties.

All value chain operators can contribute to enhance IP compliance by implementing a set of measures:  Make sure you get plants and flowers from legitimate sources;  Use variety denominations, trademarks, and trade names;  Rely only on certifications requiring IP compliance. Global GAP has recently updated its Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standards (IFA Smart – v6) Search (globalgap.org), obligatory from 1st January 2024, including the principle that “Propagation materials are obtained in compliance with intellectual property laws” as a ´Major Must´. Producers not complying with IP Law shall not be granted a Global G.A.P certificate.

It is important to stress that plant breeders play an essential role in fostering innovation in agriculture and horticulture by placing on the market varieties of consistently higher quality, bringing benefits to the value chain and society. Therefore, their commitment must be safeguarded through a common effort.

To achieve this, CIOPORA works continuously with national and international authorities and key industry stakeholders by enhancing the legal framework to promote breeders’ innovation.

UPCOMING CIOPORA EVENTS CIOPORA Breeding Academy Starting on 30 November, the fourth edition of this webinar series will be held, delivering a comprehensive program for R&D departments and plant breeding companies.

This time, there will be three webinars covering topics such as ‘Genetic Algorithm-Guided Allele Stacking to Accelerate Genetic Gain in Breeding’, ‘Practical Ways to Use Molecular Markers in Asexually Propagated Crops’ and ‘The Applications of Phenotyping in Plant Breeding’.

For more information, please visit www.cioporaacademy.org 2024 CIOPORA AGM Marrakech In 2024, the CIOPORA family will gather, as it does every year, for its annual general meeting.

Between 15 -19 April 2024, breeders, lawyers, authorities, and key stakeholders from the breeding industry will meet in Marrakech, Morocco, to discuss the latest trends in plant breeding and intellectual property protection. For more information, please follow the association's social media channels and visit their website at www.ciopora.org

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31st International Trade Fair for Plants, Horticultural Technology and Landscape Architecture

GREEN IS LIFE

Nurseries, the heart of the fair, has been connecting the whole green industry for over 30 years!

E E DAT 24 H T E V SA R 20 TEMBE P E S 5-7 AW WARS

This is where business, passion and art meet, which gives great results.

The fair is the forum for exchanging information, knowledge, experiences and establishing contacts.

Take advantage of the potential of trade fair meetings and book a stand at the promotional First Minute price – www.greenislife.pl, mail: info@greenislife.pl; phone no: +48 501 713 593.

recommendation

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WHY DEFINING THE SECTOR’S ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT MATTERS Jaap Kras is a horticultural consultant, a PBR expert, an industry veteran and a former owner and publisher of FloraCulture International.

“The most beautiful girl in the world is my granddaughter, Leah. She is 18 months old and deserves a peaceful, healthy, happy future.

This year, the Earth Overshoot Day fell on 2 August 2023. Each year, the event marks when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services exceeds what the Earth can regenerate in that year. The Earth Overshoot Day is hosted and calculated by humanity’s ecological footprint.

To make complex calculations short, we need 0.75 per cent more Earth to break even. In 1971, the balance was even. So, understandably, I am worried about Leah’s future.

On 12 December 2015, 196 parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris adopted the Paris Agreement, a legally binding treaty on climate change. It entered into force on 4 November 2016.

Seven years later, the main conclusion is that the actions taken and progress in climate change mitigation adaptation measures are slow.

Long before the Paris Agreement, governments of 29 European countries set up the world’s first international emissions trading, aka EU ETS (European Union Emissions Trading System) in 2005, for which the EU gives carbon permits.

Participation in the system is mandatory for companies. Hopefully, the number of permits will decrease year on year until the Paris Agreement’s goals are met.

The emissions trading scheme obliges the industry to hold a permit for each tonne of CO2 they emit. And if a company emits more than it is allowed, it must buy rights on the market from other companies. If the company produces less, it can sell the rights to other companies.

The prices per permit (per tonne CO2 ) increase rapidly. Initially, the price started at €5 per tonne, while the current price is approximately €80. The programme’s success is encouraging.

In the Netherlands alone, the emission of CO2 went down by 44 per cent.

We can expect prices to go up in the coming years, given the EU pressure to limit the number of permits every year. The scheme is big

business. In 2022, the Netherlands’ emission rights sales exceeded €1.13 billion There are many private initiatives, but I am only familiar with those started in agriculture and, even more specifically, horticulture.

Some trees and plants, such as Paulownia, Miscanthus and Bamboo, are known for absorbing carbon.

Dealin.Green, the project I am involved in, uses genetic knowledge to breed new varieties in several crops protected by Plant Breeders’ Rights. It runs a sales platform for Paulownia and Miscanthus, propagating material and final products. Its philosophy is that a farmer wants to farm and create an income. He does not like to be told by the government that you are not allowed to do this and not do that close to a Natura 2000 nature reserve. This situation pushes him to sell his farm to the government or stop his farming activities altogether.

Dealin.Green prefers to offer a farmer the opportunity to earn an income by, for instance, growing Paulownia trees or Miscanthus.

It offers the opportunity to earn money by selling emission rights and harvesting the wood of Paulownia trees: in eight years, the tree’s trunk has a diameter of 30 centimetres of the most

robust timber in the world.

One hectare of Paulownia absorbs ca. 40.000kg CO2 per year. In this example, a farmer needs 6.4 ha Paulownia to break even with 100 of his cows; aside from the CO2, we estimate that one hectare of Paulownia absorbs 150kg N (nitrogen).

I am also involved in the Greenhouse Sustainability initiative, as we must identify and communicate our ecological footprint.

Greenhouse Sustainability claims it can calculate precisely the carbon footprint of horticultural products, flowers and plants, and vegetables, from breeding to consumer, all through the vertical supply chain.

The tools of Greenhouse Sustainability calculate the footprints using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). An LCA calculates the environmental impact of a product by assessing various impact categories, such as climate change and ecotoxicity. If desired, the water usage and land usage can also be measured.

Greenhouse Sustainability designed tools to measure the emissions in the horticultural sector to align the goals of a company’s goals with the Paris Agreement climate goals. The environmental impact can be calculated for breeders, propagators, growers, traders, retailers, and their suppliers (pots, trays, substrate, packaging), transport and, in the end, consumers who throw away their flowers or eat their cucumbers. These tools calculate the footprints with LCA. Also, the water and ecotoxicity can be measured, and other important elements can be calculated.

Greenhouse Sustainability works according to the standards of Hortifootprint Category Rules (NL), FloriPEFCR (EU), Greenhouse Gas Protocol and the ISO standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.

The reliability of the methods and companies working in this field need credibility. So, certification by SGS, Veritas certification or Control Union World Group (who claim to have their roots in agriculture) seems important. The two mentioned companies work hard on this.

And Leah? She melts my heart and spurs me to work hard on these projects.”

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G U I D E TO P L A N T B R EED ER S ’ R I G H T S

TO LICENCE OR NOT TO LICENCE THE MOST PERTINENT QUESTION IS HOW? Imagine you are the breeder of a fine new raspberry variety. Naturally, you would like your new product to become a market winner. But there are many steps you must follow to turn your ideas into a fruitful product, and it is impossible to do everything yourself.

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By Tjeerd Overdijk, Attorney-at-Law at Vondst Advocaten in the Netherlands.

he market potential of the raspberry variety looks very promising.

Still, it needs to pass through four stages in its life cycle.

After completing the breeding process, the variety must undergo extensive trialling. Then, the raspberry plants must be propagated and grown.

In the most ideal situation, a massive crowd of growers will be lining up to buy the raspberry starter plants and harvest its tasty fruits in due time. Subsequently, the fruits must be brought to the market and sold through different distribution channels.

TEAMING UP WITH EXPERTS IS FRUITFUL

‘A LICENCE AGREEMENT IS HARDLY EVER AN OFF-THE-SHELF PIECE OF PAPER. IT NEEDS TIME FOR REFLECTION, DISCUSSION, AND GOOD DRAFTING.’

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You may excel in plant breeding, but you may not be as good at all the other activities that need to be undertaken following the product’s launch. Most probably, others are better at doing certain things.

Teaming up with these experts is fruitful.

This is the number one reason why plant varieties are being licensed.

As a breeder licensing his variety, you are licensing the right. A licence agreement is simply a contract that permits someone else (the licensee) to do ‘something’.

In the case of a plant variety right, that ‘something’ is doing something that would otherwise only be permitted to be undertaken by the right holder.

The most common form of a license agreement is a written contract between two parties in which the right holder permits another party

to use that right under a specific set of parameters.

A licence agreement does not necessarily relate to all the rights.

The permission to use could be limited to only part of the right. So, only propagation/reproduction, not production. Or only growing on; no propagation. Or merely trialling; no commercialisation. In essence, a trial agreement is also a licence agreement.

CLARITY IS CRUCIAL In the Dutch Plant Variety Law, there is a provision that stipulates, “In the absence of other provisions, a license will apply for the full duration of the PVR and applies to all acts which are subject to the consent of the holder of the PVR pursuant to this Law.” In other jurisdictions, there are different laws with similar provisions.

A licence agreement can be concise and only set out the bare essentials:  Which right is being licensed – is it the varieties or variety?  What are the authorised acts/ scope of license?  Is the licence exclusive, or is it a so-called ‘sole license’?  For which territory is the licence granted?  What is the compensation/ royalty?  When and how should the royalty be paid?  What are the reporting procedures, and what rights of auditing are given to the Licensor?  What is the duration of the Licence, and how can it be terminated (if at all)?  How would you like disputes to be resolved?

G U I D E TO P L A N T B R EED ER S ’ R I G H T S

HELPFUL CLAUSES If you stick to these essentials, the licence agreement can be short.

However, there is a large list of subjects that are often worthwhile to be addressed: I usually refer to these subjects as the ‘helpful clauses’. Among these are the following:  Definitions;  Modification of licensed rights/ varieties;  Detailed description of non-authorised acts;  Is the Licensee authorised to sublicense?  Obligations regarding reporting on sales;  Restrictions on sourcing starting material/young plants;  Controlled circulation of material/‘closed’ licensing system (‘perpetual clauses’);  Certification/quality control;  Obligations on the use of a variety denominations/trade marks/labelling;  Ownership of improvements / EDVs;  Are there royalty obligations after the expiry of rights?

 Obligations/arrangements for events of late payment;  Reporting assistance by third parties/certification bodies;  Are there restrictions on assignment/subcontracting?  Sell-off rights upon termination of the agreement;  Limitation of liability of the Licensor or Licensee;  Safeguarding obligations;  Who may undertake enforcement actions/authorisations;  Reporting on known infringements;  Penalties for non-compliance?  Reasons for termination of contract and consequences of termination;  Consequences of cancellation of licensed rights; The list above is long but not exhaustive.

A LICENSE IS NEVER AN OFF-THESHELF PIECE OF PAPER All these subjects are usually relevant themes to think about when you wish to enter into a licence agreement.

It does not matter which side

you are on, the right holder or the prospective licensee. What is practicable and reasonable depends on many factors, such as specific characteristics of the variety and the market, geographical considerations, the number of parties active or expected to become active in the market, and whether the parties are known to each other.

The experience of the parties, to name a few - again, the list is not exhaustive.

Because there are so many options, variations and solutions, a licence agreement is hardly ever an off-the-shelf piece of paper. It needs time for reflection, discussion, and good drafting.

So that both parties have good clarity of what they get and what they are giving away and are aware of what they prefer to leave open. Even a sample contract typically deserves careful review.

Good luck in giving more attention to your licence agreements!

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Jacobacci Law. Since 1996, legal defense for your plant varieties.

Jacobacci & Associati ís a Law Firm that has, since the day it was founded in the mids-1990s, specialízed in the field of Intellectual Property, with a practice area dedicated entirely to the protection of New Plant Varieties, specifically focusing on the flower industry. Thanks to the experience we have gained over nearly two decades, our Professionals are able to offer the highest quality services in relation to contentious and non-contentious matters, updating traditional strategies and tools by means of new technologies.

Because any technology has been contemporary, Jacobacci - Contemporary IP for the future.

Member to

Ms. Emanuela Truffo Individual Member

Ms. Emanuela Truffo Individual Member

AIPH WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE

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he International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) hosted its General Meeting during its 75th Annual Congress at the Ecograd Hotel, Suncheon, Republic of Korea, on 19 September.

As the world’s champion for the power of plants, AIPH has been supporting grower associations since 1948. AIPH Members are grower associations and trade organisations representing the interests of ornamental horticulture in their respective countries.

The ornamental horticulture industry is crucial to providing green solutions for combating global climate change. The power of a larger association like AIPH in bringing together and amplifying the voices of these associations is the reason for the increasing worldwide membership.

During the General Meeting, members voted on a Full Membership application from the Spanish Asociación de Comercializadores de Planta Ornamental – ACPO, as well as Affiliate Membership applications from SEHA - Sino European Horticultural Association in Germany, Greenhouse Sustainability and Hilverdaflorist in the Netherlands, Goyang International Flower Foundation in the

Republic of Korea, TMS Global in the USA, and TaylorBridges in the UK. NEW AIPH MEMBER FOR SPAIN The Association of Ornamental Plant Marketers (ACPO) is a group that represents producers of flowers, nursery stock and bedding plants. All 20 member companies within the ACPO are marketers and producers of ornamental plants. They produce over 40 million plants annually across more than 1,300 hectares, generating more than 2,000 direct jobs in Spain.

The association is situated near the Portugal-Spain border in the city of Vigo, a municipality in the province of Pontevedra. It is located in the autonomous community of Galicia, northwest of the Iberian Peninsula.

The Vigo growers operate in a temperate zone with warm summers and mild winters accompanied by plenty of rainfall.

ACPO’s primary objective is to help its members develop productive environments in balance with the territory, promoting Good Agricultural Practices under a sustainability approach.

Uxia Diz, Technical Secretary of ACPO, explains in their AIPH application, “It is all about joining forces and jointly achieving achievements that allow the companies in

the associated ornamental plant sector to grow and continue with their activity, always from a sustainable point of view, ensuring the quality of the products in the today without compromising the quality of future generations.”

BECOME A MEMBER OF AIPH Our Full Members are national associations that represent growers and the horticulture industry in their respective countries.

AIPH Affiliate Membership is open to any business or organisation that has an interest in ornamental horticulture, including companies that supply the horticulture industry, such as manufacturers, young plant suppliers, breeders, consultants, media, individual grower/ landscape businesses, landscape architects/ designers, and research establishments.

Membership gives you access to membersonly information, including free access to the International Statistics Flowers and Plants Yearbook. All our members receive newsletters, communications, and access to industry-leading research, and they are invited to attend our twice-yearly meetings.

Members can also submit news items for inclusion in AIPH communications and FloraCulture International (FCI) magazine.

Scan the QR Code to find out more in the Annual Review 2023.

The world’s champion for the power of plants www.aiph.org

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G U I D E TO P L A N T B R EED ER S ’ R I G H T S

ITALY IS INCHING TOWARDS FULL PBR ENFORCEMENT Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) are pivotal to horticultural businesses. They belong to the Intellectual Propriety Rights (IPR). PBR are close to patents, but strictly seen are two distinct legal concepts that protect different types of intellectual property. So, what are they? And how should they be enforced?

S

tarting from scratch, there is no specific legal framework for enforcing PBR. Therefore, practitioners and courts must adapt IPR toolkits, such as patents, to PBR, which is a difficult task.

Many comments have been delivered on the Nadorcott saga.

So, no further comments are needed here. However, a few recent decisions made by Italian courts might be of some interest to define new strategies for PBR enforcement.

that there are PBRs related to the plants he propagated, the other members of the supply chain are liable as they perpetrated a sort of contributory infringement.

More often than not, department stores impose – or at least kindly require – to get generic references and denomination for merchandise to join their internal Product Management System (PMS). To safeguard against a liability that turns into accounts for profit damages compensation and legal fees reimbursement.

SUPPLY CHAIN LIABILITY

By Emanuela Truffo a Partner at the Italian law firm Studio Legale Jacobacci E Associati.

‘THE COURT ARGUES THAT ALL SUPPLY CHAIN MEMBERS, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, CONTRIBUTED TO THE INFRINGEMENT ITSELF.’

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FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

In June, the Court of Milan – IP Chamber issued one of the first judgments – very likely the first of its kind – stating the liability for infringement of the whole supply chain, starting from the department store and going back in the chain, passing through the intermediaries, until reaching the grower.

So far, the mainstream case law has been blaming growers, relying on the impossibility of intermediaries and department stores to check the merchandise supplied by growers.

For the first time, an Italian court stated that all the professional members of a supply chain should be considered liable for the PBR infringement.

The court argues that all supply chain members, directly or indirectly, contributed to the infringement itself. In a nutshell, if the grower is liable because he knows (or should have known)

PBR means that nobody can, without your permission, use your plant species for production or reproduction, selling or offering for sale, altering so it can be propagated, exporting, importing, or keeping stock of your plant species for any reason.

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The Italian Court of Genoa – IP Chamber made a first step towards a ‘supply chain liability’, issuing a restrictive order preventing department stores and wholesale dealers from further selling the infringing products.

WHY IS THIS GOOD NEWS? In the past, the Court of Genoa – IP Chamber made a first step towards a ‘supply chain liability’, issuing a restrictive order preventing department stores and wholesale dealers from further selling the infringing products.

However, no damage compensation or account for profit was granted.

That is why the Milan decision is good news: only common knowledge and awareness of the need to do business in the full respect of the whole supply chain IPRs, including PBRs, could lead to a more mature – and profitable – market.

A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS FULL PBR ENFORCEMENT Furthermore, granting damages compensation means making a step towards the full enforcement of PBRs. As stated before, PBRs are close to patents, although they are not a patent as we are used to thinking of, at least in the EU legal framework.

The distinction of being 'close but different' has often kept them out

of the A-list of the Intellectual Property Rights League. Now, they see the infringing supply chain, which was once treated as a 'full' patent, being treated to their detriment. This is a major issue.

Turning to the case law related to interim relief proceedings, what seemed like a novelty with great expectations a couple of years ago has become a consolidated case law. The Court of Bari - IP Chamber confirmed that the validity of drone investigations can be used as evidence and has granted a few more pre-trial investigation orders.

For the first time, an Italian court stated that all the professional members of a supply chain should be considered liable for the PBR infringement.

Photo: Campo dei Fiori, Rome.

authority to issue a judgment, thus limiting the variations on the theme that might lead to full uncertainty on the scope of PBRs. I hope that the Court of Cassazione will confirm the paramount importance of PBRs in the horticultural and agricultural industries; stay tuned!

STAY TUNED! Finally, but importantly, the Supreme Court of Cassazione will take a position on the Nadorcott principles in Spring 2024. Since the well-known decisions of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) have been released, a series of lawsuits have been affected by interpretations of the ECJ’s words.

In an interlocutory order made in October, the Court summoned a discussion hearing focused on granting the Court the legal

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Protect Your Plant The Plant Breeders’ Rights Team at AOMB is specialised in filing plant breeders’ rights applications in the European Union, in almost all UPOV countries and several non-UPOV countries. We have an international network of professional agents that enables us to file PBR applications worldwide and to help our clients manage their portfolios globally.

We provide advice and assistance in all PBR related matters, including PBR legislation, (license) contracts, disputes and infringements.

Furthermore our AOMB trademark and patent colleagues can help you with all other types of IP rights in order to protect your plants to the fullest extent possible.

plantbreedersrights@aomb.nl

www.aomb.nl

Judith de Roos

Charlotte Plasman

Debora Thie

Senior plant breeders’ rights attorney

Plant breeders’ rights attorney

Paralegal plant breeders’ rights

AOMB is member of AIPEX, the European alliance in Intellectual Property.

Stay unique.

G U I D E TO P L A N T B R EED ER S ’ R I G H T S

CHOOSING THE BEST PLANT VARIETY RIGHTS IN THE USA: WHICH OPTIONS ARE RIGHT FOR YOU? Back in the 1930s, the United States became the first country to offer breeders the ability to protect their novel plant varieties. In the nearly 100 years since then, the US system has evolved such that breeders now have multiple intellectual property (IP) options that are available to them for protecting their novel varieties. Deciding which is most appropriate for a particular variety requires knowing the basics behind each of the three options and the business goals you are trying to achieve with the new variety.

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hough numerous factors should be considered when deciding which types of variety rights should be obtained for a new variety, two primary considerations when selecting appropriate protections are (1) whether the new variety will be reproduced asexually/clonally or sexually/seed and (2) what activities you are trying to stop others from doing with the new variety.

IP RIGHTS DIFFER ON HOW THE PLANT IS REPRODUCED Available variety protections differ depending on whether a variety is reproduced asexually (e.g., via cuttings or tissue culture) or sexually (e.g., via seed reproduction). If your variety can be bred only asexually or only sexually, the answer to this is clear. However, suppose the variety could be produced either asexually or via seed. In that case, the question should often focus not so much on whether the plant can be reproduced in a particular manner but rather on whether the plant would be reproduced commercially in a specific manner. For example, suppose commercial production of that particular plant species is typically done through seed. In that case, it may not be as important to focus on the asexual reproduction of the plant when considering a variety protection options.

IP RIGHTS ARE EXCLUSIONARY

By Travis Bliss is a Wilmington, Delaware, office partner at Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP. His practice focuses on counselling, procuring, monetising, and enforcing IP rights within the life sciences space, including a focus on IP rights in the agricultural, horticultural, and cannabis industries.

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FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

Intellectual property rights are generally exclusionary in nature, meaning they give the holder the right to prohibit others from certain activities. The different variety rights that are available encompass different sets of exclusionary rights, so identifying what exclusionary rights you want to assert is an essential step in determining

which type of protection you should secure.

Are you just trying to stop people from directly reproducing the variety? Are you concerned about a competitor using your variety to develop a downstream variety, such as an essentially derived variety or a new variety bred from your variety?

Are you concerned about the importation of harvested material into the USA? The answers to these questions can help you select the most appropriate protection for your particular variety.

THREE VARIETY RIGHTS OPTIONS IN THE USA Unlike most countries, where there is only a single option for protecting a novel variety, there are three primary avenues available for protecting novel plant varieties in the USA: Plant Patents, Utility Patents, and Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Certificates. The answers to the above inquiries will primarily guide the selection of the most appropriate and valuable variety rights for a particular variety.

Plant Patents Plant Patent protection is available only to plant varieties that are reproduced asexually, not to seedreproduced varieties. However, if the particular variety that you

G U I D E TO P L A N T B R EED ER S ’ R I G H T S

patent office for Utility Patents generally requires.

PVP Certificates PVP certificates are issued by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO). Though PVP certificates were originally only available for sexually reproduced varieties, since 2019, PVPs have been available for both sexually and asexually reproduced varieties.

PVP protection is generally intermediate in scope compared to Plant and Utility Patents, offering protection that stops someone from reproducing the variety sexually or asexually, from using the variety to generate F1 seed for sale, and from commercialising any EDV that is generated. However, PVP protection does not stop someone from breeding with the variety. Cost is also intermediate to Plant and Utility Patents.

SUMMARY CHART

are protecting can be produced asexually or sexually, but it would not be commercially feasible to reproduce it asexually, then Plant Patent protection may not be appropriate even though it is available.

Plant Patents allow the holder to stop others from asexually reproducing the variety and from using, offering for sale, or selling those asexually bred plants throughout the USA or from importing the plant or any of its parts into the USA. However, Plant Patents do not generally give the holder the ability to stop someone who purchases a plant of the protected variety from using it to generate an essentially derived variety (“EDV,” such as a sport, mutant, or genetically modified version) or from breeding with the new variety. Plant Patents also do not prevent someone from

reproducing the plant sexually (if that is possible).

Utility Patents Utility Patents can be used to protect both sexually reproduced and asexually reproduced plant varieties. Utility patents offer the possibility of much broader protection than Plant Patents, which can include protection that prohibits anyone from breeding with the variety or using the variety to make an EDV and can even cover downstream varieties generated through such breeding programs.

On the other hand, Utility Patents are generally more costly than Plant Patents for several reasons, including increased government fees, increased attorney fees (due to the increased complexity of the filings), and the cost of making the biological deposit of seed or tissue culture material that the

A summary chart of these Variety Options is included to highlight their numerous differences.

Another point to note is that these protections are not mutually exclusive but can be combined to provide a more robust “IP fence” around your new variety. That IP fence can be further strengthened by obtaining appropriate trademark protection over plants of that variety that are sold under particular branding. A graphical representation of the IP fences that can be constructed using these various options is also included in the diagrams to the right.

As this demonstrates, breeders have several options available to them in the USA for protecting their novel varieties. Breeders must consider multiple factors when selecting appropriate variety protections, including how the variety will be reproduced and what activities they are trying to exclude.

By thinking through these issues on the front end, you can help ensure that you have constructed an appropriately strong IP fence around your new variety, which helps to maximise the value you will get out of that variety and all of the breeding efforts that went into producing it.

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G U I D E TO P L A N T B R EED ER S ’ R I G H T S

TRADEMARKS AND VARIETY DENOMINATIONS

ARE TWO DIFFERENT CONCEPTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED

When buying a Pink Lady®, Kanzi® or Jazz™ apple in the supermarket, few consumers will know they are purchasing a ‘Cripps Pink’, ‘Nicoter’ or ‘Scifresh’ apple variety. The fruit industry, particularly the market segment of apples, uses end-consumer brands to identify specific varieties.

Narrowing it down to flowers, when buying a luxurious, heavily petalled rose in pure white and with a hint of moss green in the outer petals, flower connoisseurs know they are buying an Avalanche+® (variety ‘Lexani’), but for most of us, it will just be a white rose.

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hile branded products are increasingly present on the retail shelf, these products represent mostly grower brands or brands to market a specific product range.

Trademarks to identify specific flower varieties are predominantly used by breeders for marketing aimed at the professional supply chain, including growers.

TRADEMARK OR VARIETY DENOMINATION?

By Judith de Roos, Charlotte Plasman, David Krantz, and Isolde Borghans from AOMB intellectual property. The firm has both trademark and PBR experts who are available to assist you in any trademark or PBR-related matters. Their knowledge can help you navigate the complexities of IP, which, in the case of plant identification, can be either interfering or complementary.

AOMB intellectual property Veraartlaan 4 2288 GM Rijswijk Netherlands j.deroos@aomb.nl

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A trademark is a sign used in trade to identify the origin of goods and services. It will help differentiate your products from the competitors.

A trademark owner is free to use a single trademark, either for one variety or for multiple products (or plant varieties), within the class linked to that trademark. Class 31 of the Nice Classification (living plants) is the most relevant for plant varieties.

Variety denomination is the generic designation of a specific plant variety, meaning that each variety has its own denomination by which it can be identified.

HOW TO USE A VARIETY DENOMINATION Using the same denomination for several varieties within the same species is not allowed. Such a denomination must be chosen when applying for a plant breeders’ right (PBR). When a variety is protected

by a PBR, the UPOV Convention stipulates that the use of variety denomination is obligatory when commercialising propagating material of the variety at stake.

In the EU, this obligation applies to the marketing of variety constituents, which covers entire plants or parts of plants as far as such parts are capable of producing entire plants. The floriculture industry has several commercial registration systems, such as Plantscope available in Dutch, English, and German, to facilitate variety identification. Green professionals use it when marketing finished products such as potted plants and fresh-cut flowers.

Unlike trademarks, variety denominations are generic and should be able to be used by everyone. This means that you cannot apply for a trademark in Class 31 for a name that encompasses the species for which that same name is already used as a denomination, as being generic is an absolute ground for refusal of a trademark.

A solution can be to specify in the trademark registration that this applies to all living plants except for the species in which the variety denomination is or are in use.

VARIETY DENOMINATIONS ALREADY USED AS TRADEMARKS The other way around, if you apply for a PBR and propose a variety denomination that another party already protects as a trademark,

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the CPVO will give a warning but leaves it up to the applicant to consider whether this trademark will indeed jeopardise the use of the denomination.

This is because the validity of a trademark depends on different factors, such as the actual use of the trademark. If there is a valid trademark, then a trademark holder will be able to forbid the PBR holder the use of his variety denomination.

Therefore, the applicant can try to come to a settlement with the trademark holder. This should be done in time so it will be possible to choose an alternative denomination in case a settlement hasn’t been reached. If successful, please note that this will not be with the affect of exercising this trademark against third parties that want to use the variety denomination, as it still is the generic name of the variety.

INFRINGEMENT So, you cannot use the same name for a trademark and for a variety denomination.

However, if you want to strengthen the IP protection of your plant variety, you can use a trademark with a different name next to the variety denomination. One of

the significant advantages of a trademark, next to its commercial value, is that it is easier to use as a basis for an infringement case due to its recognisability. Providing evidence for PBR infringement is often more challenging.

Nonetheless, whosoever omits the correct use of a variety denomination may be sued by the PBR holder on the grounds of infringement.

Regarding trademarks, it is the other way around, where someone is not allowed to use your (registered) trademark without your permission. Furthermore, when using a trademark next to a variety denomination, it is important to use both next to one another consequently in order to avoid the trademark being perceived as the variety denomination and would still become the generic designation. Beware that this is also required when a code is used as denomination instead of a fancy name.

WHICH SYMBOLS TO USE? For trademarks, the well-known Trademark ™ and Registered ® symbols exist. The first is usually used for unregistered trademarks;

American poet Gertrude Stein once said: a rose is a rose, is a rose. For some, Avalanche +® (variety ‘Lexani’ is just one of the many white roses. For others, it represents one of the best roses for the high-end market.

using this symbol does not guarantee that the mark is or will be protected under trademark laws.

Contrarily, it is not mandatory to use this ® symbol. However, it is important to note that in many jurisdictions, this symbol ® can only be used if a trademark has indeed been registered. In fact, it is even considered a civil or criminal offence (depending on the jurisdiction) if this is not the case. So, if you have applied for a trademark which is not yet registered, you are not allowed to use this symbol.

In most territories, however, the use of the ™ or ® symbol is not sanctioned, and they can be used regardless of whether an application for registration has been filed or registered. Any such use may, however, be considered misleading, which may lead to a sanction after all.

Variety denominations, on the other hand, do not have an internationally recognised symbol you can use and put next to that name to inform customers the variety is protected. Instead, based on the variety denomination, interested parties should themselves search the relevant databases to find out the protection status.

The use of single quotation marks can recognise the variety denomination. For example, ‘Cripps Pink’.

When buying a Pink Lady®, Kanzi® or Jazz™ apple in the supermarket, few consumers will know they are purchasing a ‘Cripps Pink’, ‘Nicoter’ or ‘Scifresh’ apple variety.

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CO U N T R Y P R O F I L E

AUTHOR AND PHOTOS: RON VAN DER PLOEG

In Flanders Fields, where ornamental trees and plants grow (2) The Flanders’ Agricultural Marketing Board (VLAM) invited FCI to see a crosssection of ornamental horticulture in the province of Antwerp and the Kempen, aka Campine.

Episode two takes us to Fargesia and Hydrangea specialist Plant Select in Rijkevorsel, Boomkwekerij Peers in Ranst and De Bruyn Boomkwekerij in Begijnendijk.

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he self-governing Flanders Region includes the provinces of Antwerp, East Flanders, Limburg, Flemish Brabant, and West Flanders. Ornamental horticulture geographically concentrates in East Flanders, with Wetteren and Lochristie being epicentres of nursery stock and flowering pot plant production, respectively.

In the province of Antwerp, nursery stock and potted plant growers are much more scattered. So, the tiny town of Lier, 20km east of Antwerp, is a great location to explore seven of the region’s leading companies.

Because departing from Lier’s city centre, they are all within a 50km radius.

PLANT SELECT Plant Select in Rijkevorsel is firmly rooted in ornamental horticulture and owns a 1,300m2 newly-build tissue culture laboratory, an adjoining 6ha of greenhouse space, with a total output of 1.2 million

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Automatic pruning of plants at Boomkwekerij Peers.

containerised (Fargesia) plants, and 100,000 (Hydrangea) plug plants.

The company’s forerunner, Oprins, had been selling nursery stock since 1991, with Jan and Paul Oprins and Chantal Quirijnen establishing markets across Europe.

The latter has held the CEO position since private equity firm Group MC acquired the company and management in 2020. Quirijnen’s colleague and the company’s business development manager, Feico Smit, has a long track record in the ornamentals sector worldwide. Smit has fulfilled different management roles at flower farms abroad, having worked for rose grower Mount Elgon Orchards in Kenya, Sjaak van Schie Hydrangeas in Portugal, Royal Van Zanten’s Chrysanthemum cutting farm in Uganda, and for rose grower Terra Nigra’s Kenya branch.

While he greatly enjoyed being ‘out in Africa’, he loves working closer to home. He savours the good things of the garden plant industry: its friendly, down-to-earth

CO U N T R Y P R O F I L E

atmosphere, incredibly extensive product range and a strong focus on plant quality and diversity rather than on mass production and quick turnarounds.

Smit says, “I take pride in working for a unique company, in that we are the only business which multiplies Fargesia, a non-running bamboo, and speciality Hydrangeas through tissue culture to ensure the cleanest, most uniform, and quickest stock availability. The bamboo’s spiritual and cultural significance, attractiveness and versatility are also at stake. It can be used to decorate gardens and patio pots, in construction, clothing, and fuel and energy. It perfectly fits the sustainability era as it soaks up five times more carbon dioxide than trees because of its quick-growing capabilities.

Nine out of ten images featuring pandas depict them eating bamboo.

So, the plant also has a soft, cuddly power.”

Private equity firms such as Group MC, which also owns fruit

tree grower Carolus Fruit Trees from Nieuwerkerken and apple and pear breeder ABC2 from Hasselt, have always looked for innovative companies with growth potential. Smit reckons that apart from the money, Group MC brings substantial knowledge in horticultural production and royalty management as they manage several lines of

Feico Smit is Plant Select’s business development manager.

PBR-protected fruit trees. Smit explains, “Private equity can be reluctant to invest in horticulture out of fear of losing control in an unfamiliar world. This is typically not the case with Group MC, a family business that knows exactly what the plant talk is about.”

Smit adds that ‘differentiating yourself in a crowded marketplace’ provides a strong basis for

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CO U N T R Y P R O F I L E

success. “Jan Oprins, his colleague Hilde, Head of the Laboratory, in collaboration with reputed research institutes such as ILVO, have been developing a unique tissue culture protocol for Fargesia for 30 years and are still fine-tuning it.”

As with other bamboo, large-scale Fargesia propagation is daunting because the plants flower at long intervals and some species are sterile. Vegetative propagation by division is complex, lengthy, and involves weighty, difficult-toextract clumps.

Smit puts it this way: “If bamboo number one causes troublesome propagation, the next one undoubtedly will cause even more trouble. Experts tell me that in lavender, for example, you can easily establish a mother stock between 4-8 weeks using tissue culture. It can take two years or much longer in bamboo. More recently, Plant Select helped a desperate Fargesia breeder who had

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proudly created a new cultivar but found it impossible to multiplicate by division.”

Plant Select grows Fargesia plants under the typical tissue culture laboratory conditions, multiplicates clumps roots, and weans them, after which they are grown in two-litre pots sold to predominantly bamboo growers across Europe who finish them.

Customers in the Netherlands include Fargesia specialists such as Hoogeveen Plants, Bamboekwekerij Hoekse Waard and Kolster. A smaller portion of same-size pots find their way into the retail supply chain. Smit enthuses, “Retailers simply love them. We grow our plants evenly and uniformly, bringing great loading efficiency. One Danish trolley easily fits 600 P9 pots.”

Following the same stages to micropropagation are the woodiest and thus most complex Hydrangeas to multiplicate, such

FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

Dimitri Peers, of Boomkwekerij Peers, took his early education in engineering and currently oversees the plant nursery his parents started.

as serrata, quercifolia, and aspera.

Smits explains, “Other Hydrangeas are much easier raised from cuttings. Yet, the breeder will still use micropropagation as this leads to better-branched specimens.”

Occupying pride of place are wholly-owned Hydrangea paniculata ‘Wim’s Red’ with burgundy-red young wood and the ground-covering ‘Magic Pillow’ plus a swath of other speciality Hydrangeas, mostly bought from third parties.

Plant Select sells its Hydrangea plug plants to growers who finish them.

Plant Select also produces saleable plants for retail chains across Europe.

Smit concludes by saying there’s growing interest from Dutch plant breeders to micro-propagate small batches of ‘first breeds’. He elaborates, “At that stage, breeders are still assessing the market potential of new cultivars and find in Plant Select a partner who can keep and treat their newly bred plants in confidence.”

Another side business is growing Phyllostachys for biomass now that additional space is available in the recently completed laboratory.

When asked if tissue culture in Belgium is not too much of a capital-intensive and costly endeavour considering the high labour costs, Smit concludes, “While the unit price per plant might be lower when sourcing TC plantlets from India or Indonesia, the pertinent question is what quality of plants you receive. If half of the plants have died during shipment, you might think twice.

Our short distance to the market and profound and specific crop knowledge is the perfect recipe for success.”

BOOMKWEKERIJ PEERS “The price of almost everything is increasing, including peat, labour, and energy. When looking at 2022, price hikes have generally been deeper and more frequent, occurring six times in a single year,” says second-generation Dimitri Peers, who since 2013 has been at the helm of Boomkwekerij Peers. Peers is a 20ha freehold nursery growing a wide range

Trade Fair Aalsmeer Stand 5.16

floritec.eu

CO U N T R Y P R O F I L E

hedging plants, conifers, shrubs, and perennials.

He, his parents, and a team of 11 staff try to navigate the higher inflationary environment by prudently adjusting the prices for the company’s customer base, predominantly comprised of landscapers, garden maintenance companies and garden centres.

Making sure they are justified from a cost standpoint.

Established in 1980 by Dimitri’s parents, Louis de Swert and Sonja Peers, Peers sustains a shared identity as a family focused on business efficiency, high-density production and thus quick turnarounds, cost-savings, and selling plants of the ‘right quality, delivered at the right quantity and the right price’.

Dimitri says investing in machinery and greenhouses is critical to maintaining their competitive edge, referencing the 1,000m2 shade hall with a

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retractable roof. The greenhouse structure protects against wind, hail, and solar radiation, helps modify the environment and extends the growing season in cold and warm weather. The shade house also reduces irrigation needs during the summer.

Environmental concerns, increasing risk of supply limitations and stringent EU legislation are leading the company to review its water management practices. While still relying on overhead irrigation, recently completed closed-loop gravel beds linked to a retention pond and sand filter are designed to harvest, store and re-use excess irrigation and rainwater.

The system also reduces nutrient leaching and pesticide run-off. It also helps to minimise labour costs as there is less need for weeding.

Dimitri explains that the company relies primarily on hand weeding. It is more expensive than a herbicide programme with three people out in the field facing what he calls

FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

Ben Verlinden is Head of Sales at De Bruyn.

a challenging task’ of regular monitoring so prompt action can be taken, including removing any weeds. Pine (Pinus sylvestris) bark mini-nugget mulch helps to control weeds successfully.

Another labour-intensive job is the potting, repotting, and transplanting in trays, plugs and pots of the approximately one million softwood cuttings harvested in June and July by Easycut.

Half of the plants are grown in P9 pots using a growing medium containing less peat. Finding tailormade recipes for peat alternatives is a work in progress, with the company currently using a medium comprised of 35-40 per cent wood and coir.

Commenting on the current market demand, Dimitri recalls how, during COVID-19, practically any plant nursery did very well, and Peers is no different. We were running out of supply in Buddleias, Deutzias and Philadelphus, but there’s currently more market equilibrium. Prunus lusitanica angustifolia and Buxus ‘substitutes’ such as Ilex crenata, Taxus (seed-raised and sourced from speciality growers in Zundert) and Ligustrum are among the company’s strongest sellers.

Zundert in the Netherlands is also an important export destination, with Peers attributing 50 per cent of its turnover to income from exports to Zundert, a market which is served daily.

DE BRUYN BOOMKWEKERIJ A one-stop shop for quality nursery stock, the 150ha tree nursery De Bruyn at Begijnendijk, halfway Heist op den Berg and Aarschot, offers landscapers, garden designers and local authorities an extensive range of deciduous trees, evergreens, conifers, shrubs, hedging plants, perennials, and grasses in over 1,000 different genera, species, cultivars, and types of plants.

The company is owned by Thierry De Bruyn, whose grandfather began growing fruit trees and conifers in the 1920s. After an interval in the 1970s when the land and buildings were sold, the company re-emerged in a different location spanning 3ha.

CO U N T R Y P R O F I L E

Initially, De Bruyn also included a landscaping section, which was discontinued in 2006.

From there, the focus has been on nursery stock production only, with the company growing by leaps and bounds. Today, the nursery is one of the largest in Belgium, covering 150 ha of land.

A team of 26 employees takes care of replanting, staking, pruning, grubbing, selling, and delivering plant material of the highest quality, produced, and handled with respect for the plant and its environment. Perennials and shrubs are still sold so that both green professionals and private customers can find everything they need for their green projects from start to finish.

De Bruyn Tree Nursery offers green solutions for projects of all sizes in public and private gardens. Their trees and plants can be found in public spaces, streets, landscapes, parks, and gardens. They regularly receive groups of professionals or students at the nursery, thus contributing to lifelong learning about trees in both the public and private domain.

At De Bruyn, diversity and biodiversity go hand in hand.

So, the range is cultivated with respect for the plant and its environment. For ten years, the nursery has no longer used insecticides and fungicides.

The grass strips between the trees are sown with flowers to stimulate

Planting of trees with the help of GPS.

biodiversity. Butterflies, bees, and other insects have a food source and ensure pollination.

De Bruyn Tree Nursery is MPS-A certified.

In the future, they will stay focused on cultivating sustainably.

They contribute by participating in events to support greening goals, for example, by supporting the Climate Pact, a joint venture between Flanders and the VVSG (Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities). In this way, they also try to inform public authorities of the possibilities and mobilise them to put biodiversity on the agenda.

De Bruyn Tree Nursery will promote known species and new varieties that fit this vision.

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But why choose a coco substrate like Washed & Buffered Cocos? The advantages are that it has excellent water retention, providing your plants with the right amount of hydration they need. At the same time, it offers an aerated structure that provides a constant supply of oxygen to develop a strong and healthy root system - a very powerful combination!

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A tale of two cities: the transformation of Utrecht before and after the city completed its regeneration project Singel/CU2030/Catherijnesingel.

Green City Post

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FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

UTRECHT IS CROWNED

THE NETHERLANDS' GREENEST CITY AND QUALIFIES AS A CONTENDER FOR THE GREEN CITIES EUROPE AWARD The Singel/CU2030 project in Utrecht is a massive regeneration initiative that has involved restoring a medieval canal to its former glory after it was buried in 1968 beneath a 'hellish' concrete highway.

This remarkable project has won first place in the Dutch finale of the EU’s Green Cities Europe Award, and now, with the accolade of Netherlands Greenest City, Utrecht’s place is guaranteed in the

AUTHORS: RON VAN DER PLOEG AND DR AU DR EY TIMM

competition’s Grand Finale in Brussels, on 7 November 2023.

O

n 12 October, Alkmaar hosted the award ceremony for the 2023 Dutch nominations for the Green Cities Europe Award. The city welcomed around 200 green professionals, including local councillors, landscapers, urban planners, and (a few) growers, to its landmark 505-year-old Brabantian Gothic-style church, Grote Sint Laurenskerk. Alkmaar was crowned the greenest city in the Netherlands and Europe in 2022, which made it a fitting location for this ceremony.

HOW OUR CLIMATE BECAME A WHEEL OF FORTUNE To kickstart the day, the no-nonsense host, Helga van Leur, a former television weather presenter and climate scientist, introduced the causes and consequences of global warming, highlighting the daunting challenge that climate change presents to our planet and its inhabitants.

Van Leur used a set of vertical-coloured bars, known as climate stripes, to illustrate the gradual warming of the world and the Netherlands. The stripes show that the average global temperature on Earth has increased by 0.9-1.1°C (1.9°F) since 1880, and a significant portion of this warming has occurred since 1975, at a rate of approximately 0.15-0.20°C per decade.

She demonstrated that the Netherlands is warming much faster than the rest of the world, with its annual mean temperature increasing by 1.7°C since 1906. That is more than twice the increase in global average temperature over the same period. And, since

measurements began in 1901, the annual temperature has increased by more than 2 °C. Van Leur said, “The bottom line is that since the start of the new millennium, we have had the hottest years on record, and I can predict the same pattern for the next 40 years.”

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions from industrialised economies have led to a weather type which Van Leur calls “a wheel of fortune marked by extreme weather events” happening more frequently and severely. Climate-related events include drought, global sea level rise, heat waves, more sun, higher UVR levels, stronger wind, and wind blasts.

Van Leur candidly admitted that her testimony on climate change and many others sadly haven’t done much to influence government, corporations, and individuals. She said, “Climate crisis requires decisive action from all of us. But that’s a complex debate as it prompts us to make the necessary sacrifices and give up, for example, unsustainable luxuries.”

Van Leur ended by focusing on the health risks of climate change. “It’s about the vulnerability of populations and the natural environment, protecting each other and future generations. Heatwaves impact our physical and mental health. Ultimately, we all like to feel good and healthy.”

With the long-term, large-scale effects of climate change on the environment and people so extensively discussed, Van Leur remembered how climate change can also affect daily life. “Imagine a heatwave causing a nationwide power grid blackout, cutting cell service,

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Green City Post Left to right: Ivo Heijenrath (Okra/ Hengelo), Wim Voogt (Okra/ Utrecht), host and former TV weatherwoman Helga van Leur, and Ton Haakman (Alkmaar).

and the amount of super stress it will cause.”

ENJOYABLE CONTEST FORMAT The contest format included two rounds, inviting each of the 12 nominated cities alternately on stage to make the audience and jury understand their project and secure their buy-in.

The panel of expert judges consisted of John Koomen, chairman of the Dutch Landscapers’ Association VHG and chairman of the jury, WUR researcher Joyce Zwartkruis-Alferink, and Dennis de Heer, green spaces officer at Hoorn City Council. The jury also included Tom Bosschaert from Except Integrated Sustainability, an agency focused on integrating the environment in urban planning and management.

Bosschaert has developed a design tool kit for what he calls ‘massive societal transformation’ by building climate-adaptive, affordable, investable, and financially profitable cities.

URBAN GREENERY SAFARI THROUGH ALKMAAR’S STREETS Between the two sessions, attendees embarked on an urban greenery safari through the streets of last year’s Green Cities Europe award winner, Alkmaar.

In 2020, the city, internationally known for its cheese market, made an impressive green pledge, committing itself to add 50,000m2 of urban green space, increasing biodiversity and fighting the effects of climate change. Three years later, the city is on track with an extra 30,000m2 green area.

There are approximately 45,000 trees across the city, with Fraxinus and Aesculus hippocastanum overly represented. Sadly, some of these had succumbed to ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus or Chalara

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FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

fraxinea and bleeding canker (Pseudomonas syringae).

So, planting and replacing an additional 6,000 trees was more than welcome. However, in July 2023, Storm Poly slammed into the Netherlands and wreaked havoc in Northern Holland, uprooting 1,000 trees in Alkmaar alone.

Alkmaar’s deputy mayor, Anjo van de Ven and Paul Weidema, senior project manager at Stadswerk072 – Alkmaar’s privatised parks and recreation department – cited the Dutch poet, novelist, and journalist Gerrit Komrij (1944-2012), who once stated that “Wherever an urban planner goes, grass no longer grows”. They say

Amid the declining performance of Alkmaar’s high street Laat, Stadswerk072 and its shopkeeper association Bolwerk teamed up to transform the 300-metre stretch of the shopping street into a thriving place to work, visit, shop and live.

Alkmaar is keen to prove the opposite, primarily through pocket-size parks, a practical, affordable, and relatively quick way to introduce nature in urban areas.

Or, as Weidema puts it, “small parks with big impact”.

Amid the declining performance of Alkmaar’s high street Laat, Stadswerk072 and its shopkeeper association Bolwerk teamed up to transform part of the shopping street (about a 300-metre stretch) of it and turn it into a thriving place to work, visit, shop and live.

Together, they turned what was formerly a grey area of stark facades, concrete buildings and impermeable surfacing into a miniature green belt, giving each shop a colourful garden planted with trees and multistemmed trees, such as Tilia x flavescens ‘Glenleven’, Tilia cordata ‘Savaria’, Acer griseum, Davidia involucrata, Cercidiphyllum japonicum and Zelkova serrata ‘Urban Ruby’. The planting scheme also includes grasses (Carex morrowi ‘Irish Green’ and Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tales’) and perennials with Aster ericoides ‘Erlkonig’, ‘Golden Spray’, Aster ericoides ‘Lovely’), Geranium phaem ‘Album’ and Geranium phaem ‘Wendy’s Blush’, Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’), Astilbe arendsi ‘Washington’, Astilbe japonica ‘Avalanche’, Astilbe japonica ‘Deutschland’, Astilbe x arendsi ‘Brautschleier’, Astilbe chinensis ‘Vision in White’), Anemone (good old x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima’, ‘September Charme’, hybrida ‘Koningin Charlotte’), Hemerocallis (‘Burning Daylight’), ‘Cool it’, ‘Corky’, ‘Crimson Pirate’, ‘Golden Scepter’) occupying pride of place. The regeneration of the high street reduces the risk of flash flooding by intercepting and slowing down the flow of rainfall to sewers and waterways.

INNOVATION Several of Alkmaar’s projects are innovative. In some places, for example, garden constructors use olivine mineral rock with the unique property of extracting CO2 from the atmosphere. When rainwater falls on Olivine, the rock mineral helps with water deacidification and creates a natural reaction in which CO2 is turned into other substances that serve as plant nutrition. “Olivine removes as much as one time its own weight of CO2 from the air. So, 1 kg of Olivine extracts 1 kg CO2,” elaborated Weidema.

Elsewhere in the city, aquaParkers (see side panel) emerge as parking spaces. Expert Rob van Asperen explained that the makeup of aquaParker is the brainchild of NL Noviteit, a consortium of entrepreneurs based in the Netherlands’ northeastern Twente region comprising landscape experts, plantsmen, building solutions companies, and suppliers of concrete, paving and landscape materials.

They tout their parking solution for existing and new parking spaces as ‘climate-adaptive’ as it absorbs and buffers water during heavy downpours.

The open structures of the concrete slabs ensure proper water infiltration, its holes providing planting space for biodiverse plants such as Thymus, Sedum, Camomille, Aceana, Pilosella or Argentina.

The parking space can be planted with various types of greenery.

AQUAPARKER: QUICK FACTS aquaParker is a climate-adaptive parking solution for creating water storage and soil infiltration in existing and new parking spaces. The product consists of three layers.

1 Parking slab and plants The top layer consists of a stable concrete slab to park vehicles. The size of the slab is aligned to standard concrete paving slabs in the Netherlands, that is 158 x 400 cm and 20cm thick. It contains holes which allow water to penetrate the subsoil quickly. The parking space can be planted with various types of greenery.

Standard paving stones enclose slabs to ensure vehicles can easily access and exit the parking space. All plant options resist drought, extreme precipitation and gritting salt and can be driven over. A careful selection of plants, mainly comprising herbs, means the greenery requires zero maintenance.

2. Substrate The substrate is placed under the concrete slab. This substrate has a good water permeability function while providing a good plant breeding ground. In addition to its porous properties, the substrate purifies rainwater before infiltrating the soil.

3. Water-buffering sub-package The sub-package provides the water buffering capacity, which makes aquaParker unique. The aquaParker concept is based on two cubic metres of water per parking space (20 mm static storage per 100 m² of paved surface) and can consist of rock wool, plastic crates, gravel, (tree) granulate or coarse rock.

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NATURAL EVOLUTION Growing with the most innovative professional trade fair for horticulture, garden and landscape in Italy.

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Green City Post Second runner-up winner Hengelo uses lush greenery as an antidote against emptying high streets.

Other innovative city greening includes instant Pyracantha hedges blocking the ugly view of a parking lot and a trial with a new circular product: Excellent Garden Soil is made of green compost to which DCM added a mix of fertilisers to offer some buffering capacity to the expected high conductivity levels.

GREEN CITIES EUROPE: CAMPAIGN AND AWARD Mark Jan Terwindt, the newly appointed CEO of the industry body for the Dutch bulb and perennials industry, Anthos, congratulated Alkmaar on its double win in last year’s Green Cities Europe Award, which he said was a ‘fantastic result’.

Terwindt explained that the Award is an initiative of the European Nurserystock Association (ENA) in association with nursery organisations in 13 European countries united in the EU co-funded Green Cities Europe campaigns.

The first ‘Green Cities for a Sustainable Europe’ themed campaign ran between 2018-2020, and the second one – ‘More Green Cities for Europe’ is currently underway and ends this year. The latter has €3.4 million available for the generic promotion of urban greenery over three years in 13 countries. In 2020, the Belgian city of Beringen won the inaugural Green Cities Europe Award, followed by Nantes (France) in 2021 and Alkmaar in 2022.

The Campaign and Award highlight the added value of green space in the urban environment. Each European country in this campaign can enter a national project.

A delegated jury member judges the projects from each participating country in this Award.

Participating projects must be located in the participating countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark,

France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, The Netherlands and Sweden.

GREEN CITIES DENMARK Representing the Danish branch of Green Cities Europe was Susanne Renee Grunkin, former President of the Danish Association of Landscape Architects (DL) and professional for the Scandinavian architecture firm Arkitema. Green Cities Denmark members include five green industry bodies: Danske Anlægsgartnere (garden constructors), Danske Landskabsarkitekter (DL), Danske Planteskoler (nursery stock growers), Landskabsrådet (Landscape Councillors) and Park- og Naturforvalterne (maintenance of parks and nature conservation).

Together, they are brave enough to challenge Danish politicians, civil servants, green professionals, and urban planners to adopt a so-called Green Norm by law. Green Norm provides a set of concrete and scientific-based guidelines and tools for Danish municipalities wanting more and better urban nature.

Or, as Grunkin puts it, “We want more climate resilient, attractive, inclusive, economically productive and healthy cities, where people thrive and are keen to live.”

In their work, Green Cities Denmark collects data from 29 Danish municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants to gain better insights into their current green urban greenery strategies and plans. Only three of the interviewed municipalities have an urban green space policy, a strategy or a plan in place. In other cities, urban nature is mostly included in other policies and processes – such as municipal development plans, municipal policies for nature development, strategies

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Green City Post

for climate proofing or long-term visions for the city's development.

Without a clear definition of green square metres or urban green area, the challenge was to find out how many green square metres per inhabitant are available. Municipalities calculated their green spaces very differently; some added private areas while others excluded these. The conclusion is that it is tough to compare numbers across cities, municipalities, and countries.

A possible solution could be to first look into publicly accessible green areas – as Berlin does. Such an evaluation would pinpoint how many green square metres the city offers its inhabitants – no matter whether people own a garden or are apartment residents.

However, 2016 research found that an objective for increasing green square metres should not stand alone as green square metres say nothing about the quality of urban nature. A tree-free cityscape surrounded by many well-trimmed lawns would score high on the ‘green ladder’ if only the number of square metres were counted. So Grukin suggests this method be used together with other quality parameters.

Regarding the necessity of a uniform definition of

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green square metres, she put forward the following: “Green square metres in cities equal publicly accessible green areas, which are not reserved for individuals or groups, such as parks, roadsides, paths, flower beds, city trees, school areas, playgrounds, gardens of public institutions, cemeteries, outdoor sports facilities, green spaces, urban forests, natural resorts, green areas close to industry and production, green roofs, roof gardens and vegetative walls.”

THE 3-30-300 RULE In commenting on a remark from the audience, Grunkin said that the 3-30-300 rule of Cecil Konijnendijk, co-director of the Nature Based Solutions Institute, has been gaining traction worldwide since its launch in 2021. In the view of Konijnendijk, the number 3 refers to the minimum number of trees everyone should be able to see from their home. A room with a tree view is suitable for people’s mental health and wellbeing.

The number 30 references the tree canopy percentage every neighbourhood should have. Urban forest canopy provides better microclimates and air quality, reduces noise, and positively impacts physical and mental health. With this in mind, 30 per cent represents the minimum threshold for a canopy cover to be effective.

Aerial view of Utrecht's Singel/ CU2030 project shows how a concrete hell turned into a green oasis.

The number 300 stands for the maximum number of metres from the nearest park or green space, and this is more or less in line with recommendations of the European Regional Office of the World Health Organisation, which advocates a maximum distance of 300 metres from the nearest green space, consisting of at least one hectare. Grunkin said the Green Cities Denmark also looked into this aspect and proposed that all inhabitants of Danish cities should live at the most 300 metres on foot from a green area of at least 2,000 square metres in size and with public access.

DAUNTING TASK After the second urban greenery safari in the late afternoon, guests were seated for the announcement of this year’s national winner.

Naturally, it sounds like a big cliche, but the jury truly faced a daunting task. On one side of the spectrum were the large-scale, big-budget projects in Utrecht, Hengelo and Danthumadiel. In contrast, on the other side, Rotterdam‘s more intimate smart roof and Amsterdam’s Urban Jungle roof garden deserve a spot in the limelight. Tucked away high in the sky, these initiatives provide a habitat for scratching hens and humming bees while smartly storing more than 14,000 litres of stormwater and building cooling.

Then, there is the issue of timelines; it took Utrecht more than 20 years to turn a former stretch of 1,500 metres of highway back into its original state, that is, a medieval ring canal.

Meanwhile, workers on the roof apartment bloc at one of Amsterdam’s most polluted areas, Wibautstraat, needed only one week to replace a massive load of gravel with 2,321 planted crates and seven trees. It was a quick win for the residents as they could call off installing an earlier-planned air conditioning system.

At the same time, there is also the pertinent question of how accessible roof gardens or vegetalised industrial areas are. Some projects incorporate nature into every cityscape; some are large-scale. In contrast, others have a far more localised impact – but all are innovative and inspirational, which undoubtedly would have complicated the jury’s task.

The same judges also need to act as a kind of AdWatchdog during the several project presentations.

While most nominated cities did not breach advertising codes, some entries cleverly spotted an opportunity to put their trees or products/services forward.

the city of Utrecht with a considerable rise in average temperature. The Urban Heat Island effect may be even more pronounced in Utrecht, a more densely populated city year over year.

Considering these demographic and environmental developments, Utrecht faces a challenge safeguarding its harmonious balance between living, working and recreation. To rise to the challenge, the city has committed itself to a ‘Healthy Urban Living for all’ approach, prioritising living environments that are simultaneously less polluted and inviting and stimulate healthy behaviour amongst its inhabitants. This is also reflected in the city’s ‘Green Grows Along’ perspective on urban planning, in which urban development must be accompanied by similar development of nearby green-blue spaces to prevent asymmetrical outcomes.

Greening the city is of major importance for Utrecht.

Measures can range from modification of city mobility structure in favour of green, nature-friendly buildings,

The awardwinning Singel/ CU2040 project, aka the Central Station Project, which restored a medieval canal to its former glory, is occupying pride of place in Utrecht's green strategy.

DRUMROLL, PLEASE… Finally, (drumroll please), Utrecht took home the highest accolade and most coveted award for their winning regeneration plan entitled Singel/CU2040.

It is expected that Utrecht’s population will grow from the current 360,000 inhabitants to 400,000 in 2028.

This booming population requires new living space, while the city cannot and does not want to expand its built-up area.

At the same time, climate change is already affecting

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Green City Post development of new parks and increase of vegetation in housing areas, both in public and private space (including roofs).

In the RSU 2040 (Spatial Strategy Utrecht), the task is to achieve a healthy balance between densification and greening: an expansion of the greenery in the city by 440 hectares (approximately 900 football fields) and with 60,000 trees. In addition, there is another 250-hectare assignment around the city. This means that the available amount of green space per household (performance indicator 2.2.2, PGB 2022) remains stable in a growing Utrecht.

Utrecht lies in the heart of the Netherlands and has the busiest train station in the country. A lot of people travel through the area daily. The area needed transformation to commodify all these people and is required to improve liveability.

Occupying pride of place in Utrecht’s green strategy is the award-winning Singel/CU2040 project, aka the Central Station Project, which restored a medieval canal to its former glory. Landscape architect and one of the project leaders, Wim Voogt from the architecture firm Okra, explained how a visionless city council in 1968 voted to close the medieval canal adjacent to the city’s central station and to replace it with what for years was called ‘the Netherlands shortest highway’.

In the following decades, the project met with fierce antagonism, and in 1981, protesters unveiled the first regeneration plans for the central station zone.

Eventually, the inhabitants of Utrecht voted in 2002 for the restoration of the area by demolishing the highway and returning the canal and its surrounding monumental park, once designed by the famed landscape architect Zocher.

Voogt thinks that apart from the enthusiasm by which the canal’s restoration was greeted, there is an important lesson to be drawn from this project.

Large-scale groundworks and garden design, he said, are two opposite worlds, each with their own needs, expectations and working methods.

Hengelo and Alkmaar took the next two spots on the list. Hengelo stood out for its all-hands-on, fastforward approach.

Utrecht goes through to the grand finale in Brussels on 7 November, when 13 countries will compete with their winning cities for the top prize.  Utrecht’s success as an innovative and passionate green city was also recognised internationally by its award as a Finalist in the category of Living Green for Health and Wellbeing in the AIPH World Green City Awards 2022. The case study describing their entry in detail is part of the AIPH Study Case Collection. Utrecht was featured in the July 2023 session of the AIPH Green City Briefings, which can be viewed here.

Looking to the future, the city is hosting the Future Green City World Congress from 23 until 26 September 2024.

PL ANT PROFILE

PEROVSKIA (RUSSIAN SAGE) Martin Deasy is a UK-based horticulturist and landscape designer.

Native to arid areas of Central Asia, Perovskia is a woody perennial or sub-shrub to 100-120cm, now recognised as a subgenus of Salvia, though still mostly marketed under its original name.

Just two of the ±8 species are grown commercially—toothleaved P. atriplicifolia (syn. Salvia yangii), and dissected-leaved P. abrotanoides—but there are a number of useful cultivars apparently of hybrid origin Perovskia’s value in urban situations derives from its rapid growth, long flowering, and low demands in a variety of soil types. Upright stems of grey-green foliage support dense sprays of intense lavender- to violet-blue flowers on distinctive velvety white stems from July well into autumn. Always a striking sight in flower, when lit by low sun, Perovskia takes on a hazy, luminescent effect that can be unforgettable.

A position in full sun minimises its tendency to flop open (the species’ only real defect). In recent years, a number of cultivars have been introduced that are dwarfed and neater in habit (e.g. the 60cm ‘Little Spire’), though these, too, still tend to fall open if not propped. However, the self-supporting American varieties ‘Rocketman’ and the denser ‘Prime Time’ (both bred by Walters Gardens) have been selected for stiffer stems and a tighter habit.

Drought-tolerant and tough, Perovskia is not fussy about soil type: like other sub-shrubby Caucasian sages, it thrives in poor soils but tolerates even heavy clay as long as there is no waterlogging.

Given appropriate drainage, frost hardiness is excellent.

Plants are best cut back hard once growth recommences in spring. This late pruning minimises the risk of rot in the tender new shoots, which then grow rapidly to produce good foliage volume by mid-season (useful for an informal seasonal hedge).

Sun-loving Perovskia dislikes being crowded but combines well with fine-textured grasses such as Stipa and Sporobolus in mixed plantings.

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S U M M ER F LO W E R S

AUTHOR: RON VAN DER PLOEG PHOTOS: TAKII

How Takii’s sunflowers g

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T

he early history of commercial sunflower production for cutting is somewhat hazy. Ask five of the Netherlands’ most influential cut sunflower growers, and each of them will tell you that in 1985 they were the first to auction off sunflowers.

Fortunately, all agree that they found the then-new kid on the block by pure serendipity. They sew some sunflower seed collected from bird feed on a free patch of land, which resulted in three metres of sunflowers that yielded more than one Dutch guilder (0,45 euro cents) per stem.

More than forty years ago, Japanese flower and vegetable seed breeder

FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

Becoming a market leader in F1 sunflower (Helianthus annuus) breeding for cutting doesn’t happen overnight. It is a complex and multi-faceted endeavour which takes extensive trialling, visionary entrepreneurship, constant monitoring of market volatility, efficient inventory management, and timely product adaptation. Ultimately, it is about bringing a trustworthy, disease-resistant product to the market that gives growers and retailers a competitive advantage and which will never fail to raise a smile among consumers.

Takii (see side panel) was one of the first companies to believe in ornamental sunflower breeding.

Their specialised business activity quickly gained a place in the sun

with a series of good sunflowers that work exceptionally well as a cut flower; hassle-free in production, profitable, reliable, and with drop-dead gorgeous looks.

S U M M ER F LO W E R S

gained a place in the sun

With Takii’s sunflowers, there’s always something new under the sun.

HOW IT ALL STARTED AT TAKII In 1990, Takii created quite a steer in the cut flower market with the launch of Sunrich Orange.

“It was arguably one of the first ornamental Helianthus that suited large-scale production, making for an excellent break crop on arable farms. In light of the then ruling product requirements, the two metres Sunrich had an acceptable height and featured sturdy stems - avoiding the plant from falling over,“ remembers Sander van der Meer, account and product manager Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Takii Europe, one of the many international subsidiaries of the global acting company.

During a 90-minute conversation, Van der Meer demonstrated his deep understanding of the ornamental sunflower industry and his passion for the job, and the crop is as fiery as the sunflower’s petals. Perhaps, as an ornamental sunflower grower, you couldn’t wish for a better product manager.

While Takii sold millions of the very first Sunrich cultivar, the company’s dedicated breeding team in Japan did not rest on its laurels and prepared for an even better one. In growers' jargon, this translates as ‘faster and shorter’.

The first Sunrich Orange’s successor was Sunrich Orange Summer, flowering two weeks earlier and featuring a 20cm

shorter stem. A few years later came Premier Orange. Once again, each features 20cm shorter stems and two weeks shorter crop time.

With a stem length ranging between 1.50-1.60 metres, Premier Orange has reached a ‘critical height’. Van der Meer explains, “In talking with Dutch consumers, it turns out they are often unaware of a cut sunflower production in the country spanning 600ha. It goes largely unnoticed in the field because, contrary to the tulip fields, which explode with colour in spring, ornamental sunflowers are harvested when they are just starting to lift the first petal from their face. So, ideally, all sunflowers should be at ‘worktop

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Sunflower R U B R I EK

TAKII HELIANTHUS ASSORTMENT

Sunrich Gold

HELIANTHUS annuus Sunrich F1 Gold Orange

Sunrich Orange DMR

HELIANTHUS annuus Sunrich F1 Orange DMR Orange

130-190 cm

Marley

HELIANTHUS annuus F1 Marley Bi-colour

150-180 cm

Premier Alpha

HELIANTHUS annuus Premier F1 Alpha Orange

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80-160 cm

130-190 cm

Orange Summer

Sunrich Lemon

HELIANTHUS annuus Sunrich

Sunrich F1 Lemon

F1 Limoncello Summer

Yellow

Yellow

130-190 cm

Orange Summer DMR

HELIANTHUS annuus Sunrich

HELIANTHUS annuus Sunrich

F1 Orange Summer

F1 Orange Summer DMR

Orange

130-180 cm

Tiffany

HELIANTHUS annuus F1 Tiffany Orange

150-190 cm

Premier Lemon

HELIANTHUS annuus Premier F1 Lemon Yellow

80-160 cm

FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL JANUARY 2023

Limoncello Summer

HELIANTHUS annuus

Orange

130-180 cm

Ziggy

HELIANTHUS annuus F1 Ziggy Bi-colour

150-180 cm

Premier Orange

130-180 cm

Summer Provence

HELIANTHUS annuus Sunrich F1 Summer Provence Orange

130-180 cm

Double SunKing

HELIANTHUS annuus Double SunKing Yellow

160-200 cm

Premier UP Gold

HELIANTHUS annuus Premier F1 Orange HELIANTHUS annuus Premier F1 UP Gold Orange

80-160 cm

Yellow

80-130 cm

Sunrich Orange

HELIANTHUS annuus Sunrich F1 Orange Orange

130-190 cm

Premier UP Orange

HELIANTHUS annuus Premier F1 Orange Orange

80-130 cm

More info on the Takii website!

S U M M ER F LO W E R S

TAKII OVERVIEW Established in 1835 as a modest seed store in Kyoto, Takii ranks among the world’s oldest and family-owned seed companies.

The business conglomerate is still predominantly focused on seed; in ornamentals, it is the market leader in ornamental sunflowers and Brassica and Canna. In vegetable breeding, Takii is a major global player in onion, rootstock, and cabbage.

Takii holds about 70 per cent of the European sunflower market.

The company subcontracts seed production worldwide, including Chile and the United States (California).

height’, allowing harvesters to ‘look them into the face’. At the same time, you do not want work that requires bending. Stem length is also crucial because you need a few extra inches when cutting and packing five stems in the bunch.”

Sunrich Orange, Sunrich Orange Summer and Premier Orange laid the foundation of a new era in sunflower breeding. “Finishing times of all new varieties that come out of our breeding programme are benchmarked against these three varieties: Sunrich Orange 70/75 days, Sunrich Orange Summer 60 days, and Premier Orange 50 days,” says Van der Meer.

DOWNY MILDEW RESISTANCE (DMR) Within the Takii company, there’s a tireless search for new ornamental sunflower varieties to improve yield, looks and agronomic performance over current varieties. All Helianthus cultivars with the Takii name are built on the same quality level that made the first Sunrich successful.

However, evolution, especially

in the field of downy mildew resistance, remains constant.

Downy mildew is a leaf disease caused by a fungus-like (Oomycete) organism and has long been the arch nemesis of sunflowers. It spreads from plant to plant by airborne spores, and infection is favoured by prolonged leaf wetness. The disease stunts plant growth early and plays an important role in yield decline.

Crop rotation of a minimum of two years between sunflower crops is a way to minimise downy mildew risk. But even then, there’s the risk of windblown oomycetes spores. Another option is to improve soil and crops by applying non-pathogenic fungi and mycorrhizal fungi.

Yet, the cultivation of genetically resistant hybrids is currently the most effective control method for managing downy mildew. Van der Meer elaborates, “In 2018, Takii launched the world’s first downy mildew highly resistant variety for ornamental Helianthus, Sunrich Orange DMR. This is a challenging task, considering

Sander van der Meer, account and product manager Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at Takii Europe.

that approximately 12 pathogen variants are currently present.

We integrated resistance against the five variants which are most present in Europe. 2020 saw the arrival of Sunrich Orange Summer DMR. Next year, the first seed batches of a retooled Premier Orange DMR will become available for trialling by growers.”

DMR sales to Dutch growers, currently accounting for 15 per cent of total sunflower seed sales, is all or nothing. Van der Meer notes, “DMR’s launch coincided with scorching and dry weather and hardly any downy mildew issues during two consecutive growing seasons. Growers approached it pragmatically, sustaining that there is no need for chemical spraying in the absence of downy mildew, leading to a cost saving of €200 per ha.

They questioned why, in such a situation, they should use the higher-priced DMR varieties.

However, severe downy mildew outbreaks the year after caused demand for DMR to exceed the offer.”

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The story illustrates that seed inventory management is anything but simple. Van der Meer comments, “It is challenging to get sales forecasting right each year. Sunflower seed production takes around 18 months, after which the harvest goes through the processing stage, including drying, threshing, cleaning, size grading, quality testing, and packing.

Our Japanese colleagues need predictions about the sales volume the company will experience. Not only over the next year but the year after and over five years. So, we always order more than enough inventory to weather unforeseen shortages.”

WHITE RUST At times, creating new sunflower varieties with a set of desired characteristics can shift between feeling you have it all figured out and feeling like you know nothing at all.

Van der Meer recalls how at a farming event held in ornamental sunflower heartland Bommelerwaard, a grower grabbed the microphone after having watched his presentation on DMR built-in resistance, complaining that his newly purchased DMR sunflower crop was showing alarming signs of downy mildew.

Van der Meer continues, “As Takii is a strong advocate for open and frank discussion, we invited all sunflower growers present to inspect the crop in situ. At first sight, it looked as if he was right, but when taking a closer look, we saw a chlorotic, crater-like lesion on the upper surface of the leaf and white sporulation on its underside.

These symptoms typically belong to white rust (albugo). White rust had probably never surfaced because growers always used broadspectrum fungicides surpressing also white rust. Now that DMR varieties no longer require spraying, white rust becomes more visible. The next big step is white rust built-in resistance, a work in progress.”

Featured is a vase filled with Sunrich provence, slightly heavierpetalled than Sunrich Orange (Summer) and darker leaves.

CHALLENGES IN SEED PRODUCTION Until recently, import regulations for sunflower seeds sourced from outside the EU stipulated that all seeds entering the EU required treatment with a fungicide seed coating against all known pathotypes of P. halstedii, the causal agent of sunflower downy mildew.

At the same time, under the EU’s Farm to Fork and Green Deal strategies, and with mandatory Integrated Pest Management (IPM) anchored in EU legislation,

Two-toned Ziggy (left) and Marley (centre).

sunflower professionals saw their pesticide cabinets empty rapidly.

In 2020, for example, the EU banned Apron XL (active ingredient mefenoxam), the last fungicide seed treatment protecting plants from early season downy mildew.

Catering to the demand of EU growers keen to grow their sunflowers more sustainably, that is, raised from untreated seeds, Takii set up isolated seed production sites in France and Italy. However, in February 2022, Russia began its war against Ukraine (the countries combined account for more than half of the world’s oil sunflower production), and sunflower oil prices quickly went stellar high. As such, the cut sunflower seed production business

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S U M M ER F LO W E R S

of downy mildew does not exceed the threshold (0%). Fields used for seed production are subject to at least two field inspections during the growing season. The new rules coincided with Takii’s decision to produce and market untreated seeds only, based on two field inspections.”

STATE OF THE TRADE

became suddenly obsolete, with seed producers massively switching to the much easier-toproduce oil sunflowers, which now enjoy high demand.

Van der Meer recalls, “Our head office in Japan halted seed production in France and Italy altogether. Chili was facing capacity constraints. So, we moved to California, where we now produce sunflower seeds in two large-scale locations, and we are delighted to see that operations are running smoothly. Meanwhile, intensive lobbying in Brussels led to amended EU regulation in 2021.

This determined that during seed production of sunflowers, field inspection by plant health officials should ensure that the presence

Asked about 2023 market conditions, Van der Meer notes that it was a good year but one with weather extremes. Trading volumes tell their own story: in 2022, Royal FloraHolland traded 27,788,819 stems through its auction clock, the trade of an additional 18,833,675 stems modelled on supply contracts between growers and retailers.

With an average price per stem (60-80cms) ranging between €0.33-€0.34, sunflowers enjoyed strong demand over 2023.

This year, the ornamental sunflower market was primarily driven by a shortage due to the extremely wet and cold spring impeding early sowing, even on the sandiest soils.

Van der Meer elaborates, “The first sunflowers are usually sown (using a maize planter) as of 1 April once the threat of frost has passed.

However, the first colourful sunflowers are always a welcome sight at the flower market and higher priced. So, growers eager to get a head start to choose to sow as soon as 1 March, which this year, due to the adverse weather, was virtually impossible. Roughly speaking, there are five months to sow, but this year, we missed out on most of March and 20 per cent of production. Sunflower production crept up on demand the remaining four months, but eventually, growers sold 10 per cent less through the auction clock, which naturally benefited pricing.”

At the same time, massive EU legislation, further impacts of climate change, labour shortages and soaring input prices are all key influences within agriculture.

(Flower) farmers are affected by the same problems, even if the impact of the energy crisis for

those in the outdoor world of arable farming and horticulture was felt to a lesser extent.

For growers, the holy grail is to find easy, programmable and disease-resistant plants, and that’s precisely what growers find in Sunrich.

Despite the challenging economic environment, it is remarkable to see how recession-proof ornamental sunflowers are. This stable ranking may have to do with the product’s immaculate and symbolic image. Sunflowers are undoubtedly one of the cheeriest flowers, reminding consumers how important it is to stay positive in a gloomy world. Also, the sunflower is a form of inexpensive escapism offering a cost-friendly alternative to other more expensive flowers.

While the sunflower still is quintessentially a ‘field flower’ the global oil sunflower acreage is believed to be over 24 million ha (2022. Source: Europe Seed World) - in little than three decades, it has made furore as a focal flower in mix bouquets and arrangements.

Five-, four-, three-, and two-stem sunflower bunches are popular with supermarket buyers. The sunflower is a highly versatile flower; it can be used for any occasion, from birthdays and graduation parties to weddings and funerals; sunflowers dominated the sea of blooms in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II in the summer of 2022.

GROWING GLOBALLY Aside from the temporary boom in sales during the pandemic, Van der Meer would describe the current market as in a state of equilibrium with a balanced supply and demand.

Over the past decade, the production areas within Europe have remained pretty consistent, with the Netherlands (600ha), the UK/Ireland (400ha), and Germany/ Switzerland (400ha) being the major epicentres of production.

Southern Europe has between 150200 ha in production.

“In Europe, the season’s first sunflowers arrive from Israel, followed by blooms from Spain

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S U M M ER F LO W E R S

and Italy between March-May and Portugal and France from April to May. The traditional start to the Dutch season is in June and marks the end of imported sunflowers. The last Dutch sunflowers trade until the middle of October, followed by what is essentially a market gap between October and March,” says Van der Meer, who sees potential for growing off-season sunflowers in Kenya. “There are signs that by the autumn of 2024, two-toned sunflowers from Kenya will debut at the Dutch auction clock.”

Europe’s second-largest producer of ornamental sunflowers is the UK, which currently has 400ha in the open dedicated to the flower.

“More recently, economies of scale characterise British ornamental sunflower production with five growers supplying 80 per cent of the blooms to the country’s ten supermarket chains (with packhouses serving as logistics hubs),” explains Van der Meer while sharing footage of seemingly endless, uniform sunflower fields in the flat and marshy land of South Holland, a local government

district of Lincolnshire.

Mapping the German and Swiss sunflower industry is more challenging, says Van der Meer.

“The growing landscape is dotted with many small to mediumsized growers serving farmer markets and running PYOs, a Pick Your Own farm. German-grown sunflowers come in various forms, colours and styles, with growers easily sowing eight varieties with slow, standard, or quick finishing times to cater for a wide assortment throughout the season.

While a Dutch grower can order 12 million seeds of a single variety at once, their German counterpart usually opts for 100,000 seeds of a few varieties.”

Van der Meer sees an untapped market for supermarket sunflowers in Germany, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe.

There, the product is still persistently absent on retail shelves. “Germany, for example, is the largest consumer market in the EU, but apart from wellfunctioning flower hubs as Landgard and Veiling Rhein concentrated in Nord Rhein

A field planted with the artisan sunflower Double Sun King in Switzerland.

Westfalen, logistics hubs for ornamentals never really got off the ground. In the long term, it will happen, but this will require vision and stamina.”

TRADITIONAL WHOLESALE OR RETAIL? While retailing sunflowers offers increased order volume, more consistent income, and increased product exposure, whether mass-market floral is the best business approach is ultimately an individual decision. Van der Meer stresses, “Mass floral means mass production and high crop density.

The Dutch Bommelerwaard is one of the regions known for its quality sunflowers with a seeding intensity of 100,000 seeds/ha.

By contrast, retail flowers tend to stick to a 160,000-sowing intensity, which, of course, will lead to longer stems and smaller flower heads (the minimum accepted by retail purchasers is 5-7cm) Within Takii sunflower genetics, there is no such thing as the perfect sunflower for retail sales, and all varieties perfectly serve the

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needs of traditional wholesale and retail.

Van der Meer adds, “Fortunately, our sunflower genetics are extremely versatile, thriving well on sandy and clayish soil. Smaller or bigger seed intensity per ha naturally defines the flower’s size and the stem’s length and circumference. But overall, good quality is always attainable, even in high-density production. Whether you like to deal with the pressure retailers apply to their suppliers to bring them everyday low prices is a completely different debate.”

MECHANISED HARVESTING: REALITY OR UTOPIA? Harvesting ornamental sunflowers is 100 per cent hand work and one of the most labour-intensive agricultural jobs. Van der Meer estimates harvest costs are 35 per cent of the total production cost.

In his opinion, the seasonal workers from Eastern Europe will continue to be part and parcel of the ornamental sunflower fields.

However, he also believes that mechanisation is the way to solve labour shortages in ‘sun floriculture’.

He references a UK-based sunflower grower who supplies sunflowers and Dianthus barbatus to major supermarket chains.

This British grower designed a bespoke harvester for his sweet William and adjusted it to pick ornamental sunflowers.

Meanwhile, there are two Dutch growers busy with developing a machine. Another machine is also in its development stage in Austria.

No sunflower harvester is near a commercial stage, but the largescale cut sunflower growers in the Netherlands tell me it’s a question of time.”

If mechanised harvesting or perhaps robotised picking is coming, is Takii ready? Van der Meer responds, “Our sunflower genetics currently includes several cultivars which are uniformer than our number 1 and 2, Sunrich Orange Summer and Premier Orange. They all do the job they are hired for, no matter the weather and soil. Overall, there’s a relentless search for more speed

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and uniformity. At this year’s sunflower trials – coinciding with Sahin’s annual Summer Trials held in August, visitors could spot a remarkable uncoded offspring of Premier flowering ten days earlier and 20cm shorter than Premier Orange. So, yes, we are prepared for a mechanised future, not omitting that making a variety of mechanised proof would take an additional three years.”

PLENTY OF GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES With the Takii sunflower range, there is always something new under the sun. Regarding flower shape, Van der Meer references fluffy, fully double flowerheads that look like pompoms.

“Arguably the most beautiful one is ‘Teddy Bear’, but it’s an OP variety highly sensitive to pests and diseases. Plus, it is extremely slow growing. In comparison, a grower can finish his Sunrich Orange crop in two months but will need three months for ‘Teddy Bear’.

Van der Meer can easily enumerate ten different varieties which are sold under the Teddy Bear name.

“It is not a Takii variety,” he stresses. “But I must agree it has been aptly named as Teddy Bear continues to resonate through the supply chain.”

Takii, in turn, has its own fully Double Sun King, which is not easy to grow but very beautiful. It's a variety serving artisan florists.

“The market is always asking for something new, and Takii’s answer is the two-toned Marly and Ziggy offering a blend between cream and terracotta, perfectly fitting autumn demand,” enthuses Van der Meer.

MARKET-DRIVEN INNOVATION Market research plays a crucial role in driving successful innovation.

“To understand and meet the needs and wants of the market, we reached out to growers and traders.

At the growers’ level, it was about quick crop times and shorter varieties, as seen in Summer Orange and Premier Orange.

Then, we spoke to the floral wholesalers, who would be happy to see an impact-resistant sunflower with more vigorous leaves that can withstand handling

FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

and transportation. They also preferred deep yellow to yelloworange petals to contrast nicely with the dark centre.”

With this feedback in mind, Takii’s team of breeders in Japan created what Van der Meer thinks is ‘the best sunflower in years’, ‘Sunrich Provence’.

He says, “The biggest challenge is to get sellers and buyers on the same page. Promoting a new variety among traders which afterwards is not available only creates frustration. In turn, a grower will not create demand if he launches a new variety, and the buyers have no idea it exists.

Meanwhile, our Sunrich Provence is doing very well. We sold 15 million seeds in 2022 and will surpass the 20 million mark this year.”

UPWARDLY BREEDING STRATEGY Even in sunflower breeding, there is always something to desire.

“White and red petalled sunflowers are much sought after. Attempts have been made, but they are genetically inferior to Sunrich Orange. The problem is that there are no good parent lines. There’s a white sunflower in the USA, but it has an extremely short shelf life.”

While Takii has not yet succeeded in creating a white or red Helianthus, it certainly does not lack technical prowess in breeding, focusing on the orientation of flower heads. More recently, the company added a spectacular line of Premier Up, with an upwards growing form. Van der Meer concludes, “The buds of sunflowers are heliotropic (their flower heads follow the sun) until the end of the bud stage, and finally face east. With their perpendicular orientation, sunflowers can remain hidden amid the mixed bouquet’s other flowers.

Being an offspring of Premier Orange, Premier Up features short stems and a quick crop cycle, which is also ideal for growing indoors.

More importantly, Premier Orange is the only variety in the market without top foliage. So, even if you have to give your crop an extra dose of fertilisers just before flowering, you’ll get to see flowers instead of leaves."

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Quintessentially Dutch; Helianthus Sunrich Orange Summer plus windmill.

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AIPH President Leonardo Capitanio opening the International Horticultural Expo Conference.

Expo organisers of AIPH-approved International Horticultural Expos presented progress reports on their forthcoming expositions at the International Horticultural Expo Conference as part of the AIPH 75th Annual Congress.

AUTHORS: R ACHEL WAKEFIELD

AIPH INTERNATIONAL HORTICULTURAL EXPO CONFERENCE

E X P O -S U R E

T

he Conference was held at the Suncheon Bay Natural Ecology Centre, where future horticultural Expo organisers from around the world gathered. This venue was created for ecological studies as part of the successful Suncheon Bay Garden Expo 2013 legacy, in the Republic of Korea. Attendees took the opportunity to draw inspiration from the success of this past mega-event. They also had the chance to view the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo in Suncheon, which will close on 31 October.

AIPH President Leonardo Capitanio opened the Conference. He enthused: “It is amazing to think that AIPH has been approving International Horticultural Expos for 63 of the 75 years since our association has been in existence.”

International Horticultural Expos significantly impact the development of entire city areas, not just during the Expo period but also after.

During the Conference, AIPH launched the 2nd Edition of its publication – Blooming Economies & Cities to Inspire the World, which includes updated statistics, such as economic impact and international reputation, from recent AIPHapproved Horticultural Expos that took place in Asia and Europe.

AIPH is proud to have approved and supported

FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

more than 50 International Horticultural Exhibitions since 1960. Until 2028, there are International Horticultural Expos in P. R. China, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand, and Türkiye. Representatives provided their updates at the Conference.

AIPH Secretary General emphasised the importance of International Horticultural Exhibitions: “The importance of greening cities with plants and making our cities liveable is what the whole world is talking about now – something we’ve been talking about for years.

“As the International Horticultural Expos, you are the ones who share that message, and you take forward what the horticulture industry can bring.”

Representatives of Expo applicants for AIPH approval also had the opportunity to present their cities. Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat, Thailand) presented its application to host a Category A1 World Horticultural Expos, and there were also presentations from other cities looking to host future Expos, including Minnesota (USA), Ulsan (Korea) and Chungchungnamdo (Korea).

Recordings of the Expo Conference progress reports are available to watch on this page of the AIPH website: www.aiph.org/event/75thannual-congress

E X P O -S U R E

AUTHOR: ELENA TEREKHOVA

Oasis of Life – Uncovering the Power of Plants

E

xpo 2023 Doha is the first Horticultural Expo in the desert. It opened on Monday, 2 October 2023, and for six months it will demonstrate the urgency to address climate change and provide solutions to the desertification of the Earth with its four topics: Modern Agriculture, Technology and Innovation, Environmental Awareness, and Sustainability.

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) is the approving body of International Horticultural Expos, such as Expo Doha Qatar 2023. We are also a global organisation uniting thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants.

As the world’s champion for the power of plants, our common goal is to promote the importance of plants in our lives. The AIPH Garden and Pavilion at Expo Doha Qatar 2023 is the perfect place for visitors to discover the fascinating world of horticulture and the transformative impact of plants on our lives and the planet’s wellbeing.

It is a geometric, asymmetrical structure combining the game of shade and light, ready to unfold the discovery of Horticulture for Everyone.

The pavilion structure was designed to create microclimates and plants were selected to respond to these.

Different plants thrive in different conditions!

The Garden and Pavilion feature six main storylines: • Ornamental Horticulture: The trail provides an explanation of what ornamental horticulture is and how it differs from agriculture.

• Journey to Market: This track features the plants’ journey to market, from breeding to young plants, production and trading.

It also showcases how flower and plant producers promote sustainable horticulture practices that prioritise the environment.

These involve using eco-friendly

methods, reducing waste, and conserving resources.

• The Power of Plants: Highlights the significant impact of horticulture on our lives and the environment. Through plants as exhibits, video displays and explanatory notes, the pavilion educates visitors about the vital role of plants in providing healthy environments, promoting biodiversity, and providing solutions to climate-related city challenges.

• Plant Collection: The gallery hosts over 300 plant pots featuring over 50 plant varieties. They showcase plant groups according to their characteristics and function: Edible plants Lush tropical plants Desert plants Night flowering plants AIPH plant collections are there to highlight the importance of plants in revitalising desert environments, conserving water resources, and reducing and reversing desertification. Plants are vital for a healthy environment, purifying air, conserving water, and reducing erosion.

Made of wooden slats reaching up to 12.9 metres, the gallery has an unusual shape combining slope and curve, vertical and horizontal lines – in a natural setting of wood and green plants, contrasted by black marble and white stones.

• History of AIPH: The Association was founded in 1948 and thrives today with growing membership and initiatives! One of those is the AIPH Green City Programme, which encourages policymakers to actively use plants for their functional benefits while designing cities of tomorrow.

• Expo Movement: Building on the global success of World Expos, Horticultural Expos started in 1960, and their main goal is education of the public. In the case of Horticultural Expos, it’s the education of the public on the many benefits of living green.

Visitors can discover how ornamental horticulture can positively impact the economy, health and wellbeing, ecology, and climate. The garden and pavilion have a special trail for children to learn about the practical uses of ornamental plants.

Learn more about AIPH Garden and Pavilion and take a virtual tour, at www.aiph.org/expos/ aiphpavilion2023.

For further information email, elena.terekhova@aiph.org.

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Patrizio Giacomo La Pietra, Under Secretary of State for Agriculture (seated with a red tie), attended Flormart’s opening ceremony. Speaking is Antonio Bressa Padua’s city council member of Trade. Next to La Pietra is Brunella Saccone of ICE.

Plans to create a bustling Innovation Hub and ultra-modern congress venue, a campus, and an engineering school on the grounds of Fiera di Padova prompts the question of whether future editions of Flormart will stay true to where it began in 1975 or relocate to Parma, the hometown of the new organiser.

AUTHORS: ALDO COLOMBO AND RON VAN DER PLOEG

FROM FIERA DI PADOVA TO ‘PADONOVATION’

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n Tuesday, 26 September, one of Europe’s oldest floriculture trade shows marked a new milestone with the Padua city council, the university and Chamber of Commerce of Padua and trade show organiser Padova Hall signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will see the city’s eastern Quadrante Est district undergoing a major overhaul.

INNOVATION HUB For decades, Fiera di Padova has been one of the landmark buildings in the area, but it will now gradually transform into an Innovation Hub and campus with

FLOR ACULTURE INTERNATIONAL NOVEMBER 2023

an ultra-modern congress venue and engineering school occupying pride of place.

Within their own sphere of competence, the signatories seek to deepen the relationship between their consecutive research and innovation communities. Their final goal is to enhance educational activities and those of the so-called 'third mission' focusing on the economic development of the entire city.

Commenting on the MOU, Padua’s Mayor Sergio Giordani told news outlet PadovaOggi, “Padua’s convention centre is an important public asset of the entire city and our territory. With this agreement, Padua's institutional actors take a

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significant step towards a future Fiera di Padova that creates synergy and serves public interest underpinned by shared strategic planning.”

Giordani says the world is changing and thinks the fairgrounds “should evolve into a bustling pole located in the heart of the city.”

The ‘Padonovation’ revamp will help academics, entrepreneurs, researchers, and students transform their creative ideas into viable commercial ventures. The whole project will also merge the old with the new.

For example, the old, that is, Flormart, has been occurring annually at Fiera di Padova for many decades. However, the signatories did not clearly state the future trade show activities within Fiera di Padova.

Nicola Rossi, president of the trade show and event organiser at Padova Hall, did not clarify further. He declared, “The agreement marks a further step of the city’s development with the exhibition centre transforming into an Innovation Hub at the city’s disposal. The MOU will allow Padova Hall to enhance its activities and its wealth of knowledge sharing, benefiting the territory.

The Congress Centre and the University already co-organised large-scale scientific events attracting tens of thousands of congress participants each year, which generate a significant induced activity for Padua.”

‘FLORMART’S HOME FOR DECADES IS TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO AN INNOVATION HUB, CAMPUS, AND ENGINEERING SCHOOL’

Bird’s eye view of Hall 7.

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FLORMART 2023 This year’s “The Green Italy’themed event, held at Fiera di Padova between 20-22 September 2023, attracted 4,000 visitors and 200 exhibitors from home and abroad. The show spanned two adjoining halls (7&8) on the fairgrounds of Fiera di Padova/ PadovaFiere.

Once again, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) delivered excellent work by bringing 300 pre-screened national and international buyers from the MENASA region (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia) and the Balkans. Exhibitors said that the international buyer programme allowed them to contact prospective international partners and that the outcome was beyond expectations.

The 2023 Flormart show welcomed back Italy’s major Italian tree and plant nurseries, such as Vivai Vannucci and Piante Faro, which, after a few years of absence, decided to return to Padua.

At the same time, other important industry players, including Giorgio Tesi, showcased their products and services in ANVE’s collective pavilion. ANVE (Associazione Nazionale Vivaisti Esportatori) is Italy’s National Association of Nursery Stock Exporters.

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The underlying message of show organiser Fiera di Parma and the more than 20 well-attended Flormart side events – workshops and conferences – was that planting trees, shrubs, and perennials is important in the fight against climate change.

Many local authorities – states, regions, provinces, and municipalities – have vowed to plant billions of plants, and for that, crucial assistance is needed from the green supply chain.

Nine exhibitors took home the ‘Flormart – The Green Italy Award, recognising the ecological benefits of the products that were entered.

PEAKS AND TROUGHS Market uncertainty stood out the most in speaking with exhibitors, with peaks and troughs. This business volatility is partially due to adverse weather in different parts of the country. The northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna is one of the most important markets for plants. In May, heavy storms caused deadly flooding and landslides. In Lombardy, heavy storms uprooted many centuryold trees, forcing parks and other public spaces to close for an extended period. There have even been reports of widespread damage

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Vannino Vannucci (right) with the Dutch landscape architect Paul Weidema.

to greenhouse structures in the region.

Meanwhile, it turns out that the market buoyancy, as seen in Covid-19 times, is fragile. Interest rates, inflation, staff shortages, and Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine significantly impact holding positiveness in the future.

WILL FLORMART RELOCATE TO PARMA? As Fiera di Padova gradually transforms into an Innovation and Academic Centre, the question on everyone’s lips is what all this will mean for the 73rd edition of Flormart in 2024.

Since 2021, Flormart has been owned by Fiera di Parma. So, it is not unlikely that Flormart will relocate to Parma in the longer term. The contract between Fiera di Padova and Fiera di Parma stipulating that Flormat is held annually in Padua expires in 2025.

Meanwhile, competition in horticultural trade shows in Italy was fierce last month as the Greenscape show for green contractors and landscapers opened at Fiera di Rimini between 11-13 October. This new trade show coincided with TTG Travel Experience, one of Italy’s leading travel and tourism events.

S AV E T H E D AT E

NOV EMBER 2023

OPEN UNTIL 28 MARCH 2024. QATAR AIPH-approved A1 Category World Horticultural Expo 2023 in Doha Qatar. www.dohaexpo2023.gov.qa

OPEN UNTIL 14 JANUARY 2024.TÜRKIYE AIPH-approved B Category International Horticultural Expo 2023 in Kahramanmaraş. www.expo2023.org

7-9. NETHERLANDS Trade Fair Aalsmeer at Royal FloraHolland Aalsmeer. www.tradefairaalsmeer. royalfloraholland.com

8-10. NETHERLANDS International Floriculture Trade Fair (IFTF) at Expo Greater Amsterdam in Vijfhuizen. www.hppexhibitions.com/iftf

TÜRKIYE

LIF 2023 to host major World Urban Parks Symposium

16-18. TÜRKIYE Landscape Istanbul Fair (LIF) at the Istanbul Fair Centre. www.peyzajistanbulfuari.com

17. PORTUGAL ‘More Green Cities for Europe’ themed conference in Santarém’s CNEMA convention centre. www.apppfn.pt

23-25. POLAND ‘Gardenia an international trade exhibition for the gardening, landscaping, nursery stock and flower and houseplant industry. www.targigardenia.pl DECEMBER 2023

5-7. FRANCE Paysalia, landscape, garden and sports exhibition at Eurexpo Lyon. www.paysalia.com

Landscape Istanbul Fair (LIF) will host key players for a symposium on urban green spaces.

Anticipation is building for Türkiye’s trade show for the professional landscaping sector, Landscape Istanbul Fair (LIF), which will happen between 16-18 November in Istanbul.

The international event will coincide with a major World Parks Symposium, with organiser Athena Trade Fairs Inc. announcing an impressive line-up of keynote speakers.

The organiser anticipates that this year’s event will welcome some 120 exhibitors occupying nearly 7,000 net sqm, representing a 40 per cent increase in the space booked compared to last year.

Also reflecting this growth trend, LIF2023 has attracted 45 new suppliers to the show who are looking to take advantage of this annual opportunity to meet with and sell to domestic and international landscaping and horticultural professionals from both the public and private sectors.

Commenting on these results, industry veteran Mustafa Gültekin Gökgül, CEO of Athena Fairs, said: “We are delighted by this record level of interest from manufacturers and suppliers,

which highlights their confidence in LIF 2023 as an effective sales and marketing platform.”

Gökgül went on to say, “Such high levels of industry support confirm LIF as one of the World’s Tier 1 events dedicated to the professional landscaping and horticultural industries and the only one taking place in Turkey and this region.”

Emphasising this status, LIF 2023 will host the inaugural World Urban Parks Symposium, which will take place over two days from 16-17 November 2023 and is free to attend for preregistered delegates.

Boasting a line-up of international speakers who are undoubtedly some of the most knowledgeable and influential experts in their field, attendees will be treated to presentations detailing case studies and the latest thought leadership on key issues for planning and maintenance of parks and urban green spaces.

For more information, visit www.

LandscapeistanbulFair.com or the WUP website at www.WorldUrbanParks.org

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16-18. FRANCE

17-19. USA

19-28. GERMANY

23-26. GERMANY

36th edition of SIVAL, France’s iconic agricultural trade show at the Parc des Expositions in Angers. www.sival-angers.com

TPIE, the Tropical Plant International Expo at the Broward County Convention Centre in Ft. Lauderdale. www.tpie.org

Grüne Woche, international green week Berlin. Consumer and trade fair for food, agriculture and horticulture. www.gruenewoche.de

The 40th edition of IPM Essen at Messe Essen. www.ipm-essen.de

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Proflora award winners featuring Pablo Bazzanni in front showing the grand champion prize his company (Plazoleta Bazzani) received.

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Proflora 2023 was, in the words of many attendees, ‘the best edition ever’. The buzz around the show was positive, vibrant, and enthusiastic. Despite challenges, the Colombian flower industry is in good standing: exports are increasing yearly, hitting the U$ 2 billion mark in 2022.

AUTHOR: MARTA PIZ ANO

PROFLORA MAKES A COLOURFUL COMEBACK

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olombian flowers currently reach nearly 100 destinations around the world. But perhaps more evident at the show was the happy feeling of meeting in person again after four years. In 2021 – strictly speaking the 30th anniversary - the show had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and as one exporter expressed, “doing business virtually or in small gatherings is just never the same”.

Over three hundred exhibitors, 6,500+ buyers and visitors from 60 countries attended the four-day show at Bogotá’s Corferias convention centre between 4-7 October 2023.

INAUGURATION AND AWARDS The Proflora 2023 opening ceremony was less formal, happening right in the beating

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heart of the fair’s grounds instead of the usual auditorium.

Asocolflores president Augusto Solano delivered a short speech welcoming exhibitors and visitors.

After he had referenced the show’s 30th anniversary, a group of local drummers/ dancers got everyone into the right mood.

The main exhibition hall was packed with a dazzling array of flowers, ranging from doubleflowered Alstroemerias and pollen-free double lilies to fragrant Lathyrus, to giant Ranunculus, to an incredible range of filler flowers and cut foliage.

Traditional flowers such as roses, carnations, and Chrysanthemums did not lag behind, with every imaginable shape, hue and presentation. The variety seemed endless, and clearly, Colombia has come a long way concerning diversification.

Gigantic ranunculus in soft pink.

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An award-filled ceremony also took place on day one, recognising the best flowers, people, and practices behind them.

In the cut flowers category, the jury handed out awards to producers and breeders, and these, in turn, were split according to flower type (standard and spray roses, standard and spray carnations, Alstroemerias, fillers, foliage, and others).

Plazoleta Bazzani was the top awardee, winning the Champion Producer award (“category fillers”) and the Proflora Grand Champion Award; Guaqueta Trading took home the Grand Champion breeder award (category “others”).

In the particular flower types, SB Talee received the Champion Breeder award for a wide range of carnation varieties; Flores La Gaitana received wide recognition as a producer of high-quality carnations. Flores El Capiro and Flores de Oriente won many distinctions for their Chrysanthemums. Other noted winners were Alexandra Farms with their scented Englishstyle garden roses, Flores Funza distinguished on several flower types and Ball SB for their summer flowers and fillers.

RECOGNISING THE PEOPLE BEHIND COLOMBIAN FLORICULTURE Sustainability prizes were also awarded, mainly recognising efforts made by flower companies to foster social and working welfare and encourage best management practices with respect to occupational health and protection of the environment, not just at their farms but in townships and communities with whom they interact.

In addition, several members of the Colombian flower sector were acknowledged, for example, Lucie de Velez, the late wife of Ernesto Velez from Flores Suasuque, who devoted her life to improving employees' social and life conditions. Her programme “Cultivating Peace in the Family”, launched in the 1990s, was adopted by the whole industry. It has benefited thousands of workers and their families by providing, among

BOOK LAUNCH – 50 YEARS OF COLOMBIAN FLORICULTURE

others, tools for managing conflict.

Cristina Uricoechea, the driving force behind every edition of Proflora since 1991, and her colleague Mónica Herrera were recognised for their sterling work.

The Next-Gen/ Young Grower of the Year award went to Elkin Farfán, planning director of Phytotec SAS, a family business producing fillers, summer flowers and foliage. Elkin automatically qualifies for the 2024 AIPH Young International Grower of the Year competition.

EXHIBITORS – CONSOLIDATION AND DIVERSIFICATION Variety and diversification are a continuing trend in Colombian floriculture. Not only was innovation palpable in every booth – double flowers, short, medium, long, and very long stems, natural colour variations unimaginable some years ago – but the sheer number of flower species offered was very impressive.

Marigolds, larkspurs, Tweedia, Lathyrus, and an extensive array of greens and fillers. Even “Inirida flowers” (two species, Guacamaya suberba and Schoenocephalium teretifolium) are unusual, everlasting flowers that come straight from the Amazon basin, where they are grown expertly by indigenous communities.

The same can be said for flower use and presentation: the most comprehensive array of consumerready bouquets, painstakingly designed and arranged; immortalised flowers, especially roses, to last for years; and flowers tinted to taste, in particular colours for special occasions, glitter, speckles or whatever the customer asks for.

For exhibitors, huge booths from very large companies formed in Colombia over the past decade, such as Elite Flower or Sunshine Bouquet, which now consolidate thousands of hectares in production, seemed to occupy a large proportion of the floor. But at the other end, there was the presence of the small producers' directorate, growers on the most part located along the coffee growing region who specialise in tropical flowers and foliage.

Double, pollenfree lilies in various colours were among the show’s attentiongrabbers.

Proflora ’23 also set the stage for a book launch, ‘Blooming Colombia – Fifty Years of Colombian Floriculture’, edited by Rodolfo La Rota of Propagar Plantas. Asocolflores was founded 50 years ago. The year 1973 also marks La Rota's first cut rose harvest and export shipments.

“Colombian floriculture is a success story that deserves to be told,” he said, as an active Asocolflores member since 1981. “I have witnessed an important part of the history of the association, hand in hand with that of Colombian floriculture. I thus decided to write this book as a homage to a sector that has allowed me to live so many vital and fertile years”. The book provides a detailed overview of how the flower industry developed in Colombia and the many hurdles flower exporters have faced and achievements. The narrative is framed within a historical, sociopolitical perspective and highlights the main protagonists of the industry.

La Rota concluded, “The success of floriculture would not have been possible if flower entrepreneurs – overwhelmed by ever constantly arising urgent matters— had not come together to jointly consider the best options to spur the longterm development of this sector.

This book also pays homage to that collective.”

The original has been published in Spanish, and the English version, currently in the final preparation stage, will be available before the end of the year. More information: info@propagarplantas.com

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