Few flowers come in as many shapes and colours as orchids. Their versatility is an asset for plant lovers who are seeking a floral eye-catcher to add the perfect finishing touch to their interior. But the broader the range, the more trend-sensitive it is. Do today's consumers like the orchids you are growing? Or is it time for something new? To find out the answer, Microflor spoke to Manuel Rucar (Chlorosphère) and Antoine Alvarez (Sévéa).
Antoine Alvarez, product manager for Sévéa, the purchasing body for French garden centres Villaverde and Baobab since 2015 : “The orchid is and remains the queen of flowering houseplants. Not only do they flower for a very long time compared to other houseplants, they also need little water and are resistant to diseases. If you neglect an orchid for a while, it doesn’t tend to do much harm. What’s more, you can get the plant to flower every year: a do-it-yourself challenge that many plant lovers like to tackle. Orchids, therefore, make a popular gift. Sales figures shoot up around Christmas and Mother's Day in particular.”
Flourishing market
“The market has exploded over the past 10 years,” confirms Manuel Rucar, Managing Director at Chlorosphère, a French trend agency that focuses on the world of plants, gardens and landscapes. “The fact that orchids still manage to capture the hearts of the general public is something that we notice every day at trade fairs and in showrooms. This popularity also has a downside, however. Prices have fallen considerably in recent years, making the orchid a commodity in the minds of consumers. For growers and distributors, it is more important than ever to stand out from the basic range.”
You can read the interview here