Per Christensen at the Nordic Flower Expo in Malmö in Sweden. He is holding one of the Pelargonium varieties in the Green interior concept called the Sweet Pink.
Successful re-introduction
The Danish breeder of greens successfully re-introduced the Pilea Peperomiodies last year after a unsuccessful introduction three years ago. "My father bred and produced the Pilea Peperomiodies in the 70's. Three years ago we put it on the market again, but it did not fit the trend at that time. Therefore, we stopped producing it. Last year. we recognized a demand for this plant and re-introduced it. This time, the timing was perfect and it is highly popular at the moment," says Per Christensen owner of Gartneriet Tingdal. According to him, the main reason for this success is the popularity of this plant on social media. "On Instagram and Facebook, for example, people are talking about this product. Besides that, this plant, along with many other greens, is often featured in interior magazines."
Pilea Peperomiodies in the greenhouse.
Green interior concept
The Pilea Peperomiodies is part of the Green interior concept of Gartneriet Tingdal. This concept was created fourteen years ago. "At that time, the prices for greens were quite low. So, by investing in quality and larger plants, we were able to stand out and to create a red line for customers to recognize our products," he says. Currently, the green interior concept for indoor plants consists of 26 different varieties of which 16 Peperomia varieties, which is their main crop. The Green interior assortment is constantly changing along with the trends. Just like the Pilea Peperomiodies, existing varieties are being introduced or re-introduced when it fits the trend. This also counts for the outdoor varieties that are only produced in spring. This assortment consists of the Pretty Much Picasso Petunia, the Senorita Rosalita Cleome, the Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sonata', the Cosmos Chocamocha and different Pelargonium varieties.
Greenhouse Tingdal.
Better market position
Over the years, there is a constant increase in demand for greens. "Especially over the last five to six years, the popularity of greens was in a positive trend," says Per. However, according to Christensen, the prices did not increase significantly, in spite of this increase in demand. "The prices did not go up as fast as the demand. However, it is easier now to keep the price at a desired level than five to ten years ago," he says.
For more information
Gartneriet Tingdal
Per Christensen
Email: per@tingdal.dk
www.tingdal.dk