Getting Cyperus to consumers intact

It may not be part of your local florist's standard selection, but with some luck you'll find it in most garden centers. This niche product, the cyperus, is therefore not grown very much, but Martin Keijzer from Nieuwveen (Netherlands) is the exception. He has lots of experience with the decorative plant. "My father started it, maybe 40 years ago. It has really become a family thing."

Jos Buskermolen, Jobu

In 1992 Keijzer moved from Aalsmeer to Nieuwveen, where they had built a new 6000 m² greenhouse. The current assortment consists of Cyperus Glabor, Cyperus Alternifolius (also called umbrella plant, and according to Wikipedia an irresistible delicacy for cats), the Cyperus Haspan (also called dwarf papyrus) and the Cyperus Jela and Gracilis. These are the better known species from the approximately 700 subspecies of the Cyperus family. They are tropical plants, suitable for humid soils (shore plants) or, usually in our regions, as a houseplant. The cultivation continues year-round, which means that lighting is necessary, an energy demand that Martin hopes to fill in for a significant part with the installation of 660 solar panels.

The plant, beautiful and versatile as it is, is vulnerable to transport. In collaboration with horticultural supplier Jobu, a long-time supplier of clips and rings, a good solution has been found.

For years, the so-called hydrangea ring has been used to keep the stalks - grass blades that are actually washed out of the clump - together. This ring offers a solution, but is in fact a loan product tailored to other crops. "The standard model has a stick holder in the middle, but Martin does not like that", says Jos Buskermolen of Jobu. "That stick holder was always cut out. We went looking for a more practical solution, which resulted in a new kind of hydrangea ring. This differs in two respects from the old model: the stick holders are located on the outside of the ring and the lock is much more convenient and more reliable."

Martin largely supplies directly and tries to do as little as possible via the auction clock. The plants find their way to the consumer through wholesalers such as Waterdrinker and Plantimex, and garden centers such as Intratuin. "Of course, these customers appreciate the fact that the plant is less damaged during transport", Martin concludes, "and the plant is also simply presented nicer".

For more information: