At Waterdrinker’s Cash & Carry, in the past couple of weeks the spotlight has been on several growers that contribute to a sustainable and healthy world in one way or the other. This resulted in a series of stories including this (last) one: an interview with Arthur Zwinkels of Fikona. Fikona is a nursery of green plants in Koningshooikt in Belgium.
What do you specialize in?
We specialize in Ficus on stems, and in Chamaedorea, Boxwood and Musa. We offer all of them in various pot sizes. Ficus Regina represents our wide ficus range with many different stem shapes and pot sizes. So we grow different botanical species of which the Ficus Benjamina is the most common. The Ficus Benjamina is originally from the tropics and is known for its winding roots and stems.
The ‘Belgian Quality’ label represents our pursuit of perfection. We do this by regularly pruning the crown (the top part) of the plant to allow for a compact and highly branched crown. The regular pruning ensures a graceful overall appearance. In addition, we let the crown form at a lower temperature than usual. Because of this colder cultivation growth is delayed, which benefits the quality of the plant. This improved shelf life reduces leaf fall, making our Ficus highly appreciated.
Do you give great importance to sustainable development?
Sustainability is certainly high on our agenda! You can see that in the maximum achievable certification. But joining Benefits of Nature is a good example of this as well. As one of the founding fathers we want to improve the footprint of our company and our products. A footprint shows the impact of something on the environment. This way the environmental impact is clear to everyone and together we represent healthy and sustainable plants!
How do you contribute to a healthier environment?
Without green plants we can’t live on this earth. So we sometimes also call our plants the lungs of Mother Nature. Several studies show that the indoor climate is improved by having green plants. Our Ficus stands out when it comes to filtering air. It takes all harmful substances from the air, filters it and provides enough oxygen. And in addition to their air purifying function green plants also have a big effect on your mood. With green plants you get a bit of nature in your home and create your own healthy living environment.
Why should everyone get a ficus in the house especially now?
The ficus and certainly the ficus on a stem in large pot sizes can be seen as a piece of furniture. This plant really makes a statement in any interior. Especially now in January, when the Christmas tree leaves a gap, the ficus can nicely fill this void.
Your Meet & Greet is now behind you, how did that go?
The Meet & Greet was great! It's very nice to provide customers with information, but it’s also nice to get instant feedback. We got a lot of positive feedback and heard several times that customers return especially for our Ficus. You can’t get a better compliment that that, right?! Also, the special stem forms were reflected well in the presentation and this has certainly inspired customers to do something special with the presentation in their own shop.