The Kenyan nursery Flora Delight Ltd. is shifting its focus in the coming years to hydrangea and delphinium, says Frans Ederveen. Last year, the grower introduced delphinium at the IFTEX trade fair in Nairobi, and again this past month, Flora Delight was present at the Kenyan show—this time with a stand full of cut hydrangeas, delphinium, and other summer flowers.
Despite their presence at the show, Flora Delight plans to phase out summer flower production over the next two years.
"We've seen a huge increase in summer flower cultivation in recent years," explains Frans. "Many growers have been looking for alternatives to their main crops—chrysanthemums being a good example of that trend."
Specialization
That's why Flora Delight is making a conscious choice to focus on more specialized crops—particularly well-suited to Kenya's specific growing conditions. As part of this strategy, the delphinium acreage will be expanded to 5 to 6 hectares over the coming years. The hydrangea cultivation area will remain stable, at 6 to 8 hectares.
Own lab
A major development at Flora Delight is the establishment of an in-house laboratory for plant propagation. On the nursery site in Limuru, climate-controlled chambers have been installed and a dedicated lab has been set up to enable more specialized work on new cuttings.
"This setup allows us to move forward with much cleaner, higher-quality propagation," Frans explains. "Of course, it's a learning process that will take some time, but it's our main goal for the next two years."
To support this initiative, the company has hired two new specialists focused specifically on propagation. The lab and climate chambers are primarily intended for Flora Delight's own internal propagation needs.
Broader trend
According to Frans, this development aligns with a broader trend in Kenyan floriculture. "We're seeing significant expansion in various crops, such as chrysanthemums and summer flowers. That growth will no doubt extend to other varieties as well," he says.
"That's exactly why we're choosing a more focused approach—crops that are more challenging and require greater investment, but that we can make successful through specialization and dedicated focus."
For more information:
Frans Ederveen
Flora Delight
[email protected]
www.floradelight.com