"Larger blooms might turn gypsophila market"

"It is not easy to introduce a new gypsophila to the market", says Javier Mantilla of Much Flowers, an Ecuadorian flower grower. "The market is always looking for new things, but the experience we have had in gypsophila is that once the customer likes something he does not change easily", he adds.

However, Mantilla has good hopes that the new Cosmic variety of the Israeli breeder Danziger, might turn the market. "We are growing this variety for five months now and we are pleased with the demand."

Javier Mantilla showcasing the Cosmic at the IFTF in Vijfhuizen, the Netherlands.

Large blooms
But what makes the Cosmic such a demanded variety? According to Mantilla, the secret lies in the large blooms. "The market for large bloomed gypsophilas is expanding. And besides that, it has more characteristics that are being valued by our customers; like the pure white color of the flower, long vase life, and user-friendliness; it does not tangle or break. The consumers are starting to realize the benefits and therefore, this variety might turn the market."

On the left: Planting of gypsophilla's. On the right: Cosmic variety.

Exclusivity
Muchflowers has the exclusivity of growing this variety in Ecuador. "After working with Danziger for a long time, we received the exclusivity of Cosmic to introduce the variety correctly on the market", says Mantilla. They are growing this variety for almost a half a year and will be the exclusive grower for this variety for two years.

At the moment, Muchflowers is growing this variety on 4 hectares and is planning to have 10 ha planted by the end of the year. "The characteristics of the variety gives us the idea of a 'winner' variety, but we still have to learn to managed it at farm level."

The farm.

Muchflowers
Muchflowers is a group of five farms in Ecuador including Flodecol, Macaji, Exportcalas, Algomaflor that grows cut flowers on a total acreage of 75 ha. Muchflowers grows a wide variety of products such as alstroemerias, roses, callas lily, ruscus, solidago, delphinium, bluperum and their main crop gypsophila. Next to cosmic, they also grow three other gypsophila varieties, namely; Xlence, Mirabella, Million Star and the exclusive variety Cosmic. Muchflowers' main export countries are Europe, Unites States, China and Russia.

For more information
Muchflowers
Javier Mantilla
Email: javier@muchflowers.com
www.muchflowers.com