Local growers’ creations expand Colombian hydrangea range

Nowadays, hydrangeas in several different colors are grown in Colombia. However, they entered the market just recently. Over the last 20 years, Colombian growers mainly grew white and blue hydrangeas as these were the only two colors that were growing well in the Colombian weather and soil conditions. But with the improvement of breeding techniques of professional breeders and the breeding 'luck' of local small producers, new varieties entered the market. This is explained by Catalina Arango, Commercial Director of Flores Del Este. Six years ago, this Colombian hydrangea farm started to produce other colors and they mainly buy the cuttings from these local producers.

Catalina Arango (right) with her brother Andres Arango, the company's General Manager.

Only blue and white
"For several years, we have tried to grow many different varieties that we bought from New Zealand, California, The Netherlands and more countries. However, due to the weather and soil conditions in Colombia, they did not grow as expected; they changed color and did not grow over 30 cm. We, and many other growers, could not find breeders that would be able to sell us hydrangeas for our tropical weather, except blue and white. That's why Colombia has always only produced these two colors in the past 20 years."

Local producers
However, one can find more colors nowadays, and according to Arango, most have been created coincidentally by small producers in Colombia. "You can find small country men that can get by accident on their small land hydrangeas with new colors and what they do is that they start reproducing these cuttings secretly for 1-2 years until they go out to the hydrangea producers and sell these new colors to all the farms."

The first color that Flores del Este bought from a small local producer was the Light Green 'Mojito', in 2011. "After buying cuttings, they started to reproduce this variety at their own farm in Medellin - Antioquia. "We now have 6 hectares of this Lime Green variety."

Afterwards, they started adding more varieties from local small producers. "In 2012 we started the dark color blue 'Curacao'. About two years ago we found another locally grown dark green colored hydrangea that we are currently producing. This variety is called 'Matcha' like the tea. And last year, we started reproducing some cuttings of a local tropical hydrangea that is purple in color and a fuchsia and we call them: Beauty and Berry (beauty the fuchsia and berry the purple) and one Lavender Hydrangea that we call 'Vervain'."

Flores del Este is pleased with the varieties of these local growers. "The fun part of all of these new varieties is that finally you can buy different and exciting new colors in Colombia for half the price you can buy them in Holland."

Markets
The increase in diversity of colors in the assortment enables Flores del Este to supply more markets. "In China, Taiwan and Korea, they like the lighter hydrangea colors. In the US, Canada, Europe and Japan, they prefer the stronger color. All in all, the most demanded color still is the white hydrangea, but is followed by the pink ones."

This year, they are expecting to export 5 million stems from their 23 ha farm in Flores del Este.

Flores Del Este
Catalina Arango
Email: carango@floresdeleste.com
www.floresdeleste.com