Report of Business Trip to Holland

Nakamura-Noen Co.,Ltd.

Mitsuteru Nakamura

 Now a big lily event called “Dutch Lily Days” is being held in Holland involving 14 breeding and export companies.  This is a very interesting event as we can see many brand-new varieties at this time and check the recent / future trends.

I visited Holland from May30 to June2 just before Dutch Lily Days, and here I report the trip below.

 

Recently many breeding companies finished development of Oriental varieties, and now emphasize OT development.  The factors of this trend are that OT’s demand is becoming bigger in the world, and many Dutch bulb growers changing their production from Orientals to OT’s which are more productive.

On the other hand, I also heard some people saying “There have not yet been any OT varieties which are more beautiful than Orientals.”  In Holland, especially for cut flower forcers, beauty is the most important point when they choose varieties.  The convenience of transportation and the duration of flower quality follow after, and the market also has the similar demands.

Such Dutch people who don’t get puzzled by temporary fashion easily and searching suitable varieties are good competitors and also reliable partners for us.

Now I introduce the recent news of each breeding companies with some photos.

Vletter

Vletter announces new white OT’s almost every year, and recently they are showing progress in details too like shape of leaves and balance.

For pink OT, many new deep pink varieties and Robina-pinks had been released being led by demands of the world, but light pinks seemed gradually increasing when I visited this time.  They were not “pale pink” like before but “vivid” light pink.  It seemed that there will be more pink varieties which Japanese people prefer after development in future.

LEFT: Number variety (white OT)    RIGHT: Acierto (pink OT)

 

MAK Breeding

MAK has some unique OT varieties; for example, Devola (white) whose pollens degenerated, and Corvette (red) which grows so quick like LA’s that I couldn’t take photos in blooming time.

In addition to such varieties, white OT “Astana” is MAK’s new variety whose pollens don’t fall easily so petals don’t get stained.  Breeding companies are now making double-flowered or pollen-free varieties to solve pollen problems.  MAK approaches this matter from different point of view and we are looking forward to their next ideas.

 

LEFT: Devora(white OT)    RIGHT: Astana(white OT)

 

Van Zanten

Van Zanten has made white Oriental varieties which have stable demands in worldwide since before.  There are some varieties which are already well-known in Japan.  Silentia, for example, grows very quick and the flowers last for a long time.  The stem length is not so long but it is promising variety for SH use.

A deep pink Oriental “Mundana” spreads the upper roots strongly so the cultivation is easy, and also water raising of cut flowers is good.

Such varieties which we can enjoy the flowers for a long time are useful for business use.

LEFT: Silentia (white OR)      RIGHT: Mundana (pink OR)

 

World Breeding

Many World Breeding varieties are becoming popular in Japan.  Catone (pink OR) whose production quantity is increasing gradually, Mistero (pink OR) and Sisto (white OR) which are both expected to succeed, have long stems and the bud counts are also good.

These varieties have good bud counts even if the bulbs are small size, so they can be used in various seasons and areas and enable continuous shipping.

LEFT: Catone (pink OR)      MIDDLE: Mistero (pink OR)      RIGHT: Sisto (white OR)

 

 

De Jong Lelies

De Jong Lelies is making new Orientals recently, and now have varieties which are good bud counts and long stems.  For LA and Asiatics, they have pollen-free double varieties of various colors, and these varieties have longer stems by 10cm and more volume compared to existing varieties.  In addition, they are trying to make the double flowers more beautiful.

LEFT: Scoubidou (orange LA)      MIDDLE: Bentley (pink LA)      RIGHT: number variety (red LA)

 

 

Verdegaar + Mark Lily

Verdegaar has some unique pot varieties.  “Easy Life” series are 3 varieties of double flower and pollen free.  It is “easy” to enjoy the flowers for a long time because even when you grow them outside, rain doesn’t stain the petals (because they’re pollen free), and petals don’t turn to brown soon after they fall off.

Mark Lily has “Brush” series which are LA’s and they are better in stem lengths and volumes than Asiatic’s Tango type.  The only I saw flowering in this trip was Pink Brush, but Yellow Brush was also bigger than existing LA’s.

LEFT: Delicate Joy (Pot Asiatics, Verdegaar)　　　RIGHT: Pink Brush (LA, Mark Lily

 

In Conclusion

We are doing growing trial of the very new varieties which I saw in this trip at our test greenhouse thanks to breeding and export companies’ cooperation of arranging sample bulbs.

It enables us to know and explain how the new varieties are in Japan’s climate to our customers when we start sales even though these varieties have not started production for sales bulbs at this moment.

 

We show many sales varieties in our Lily Festa 2016 which starts from tomorrow.  You can see all the varieties blooming at same time in this event, and check and compare various varieties which have different speed of growing.  We hope we can see many of you at our Lily Festa.