"Stay at home and go outside as little as possible." This is what we in the Netherlands have been told to do for several weeks now. Not only in the Netherlands do we have to deal with these ‘lockdown rules’; people in many other countries hardly get out anymore. So, if we still have to stay home, we'd better cozy up our houses! Fortunately, florists can deliver to your home in many countries! The FloraPodium therefore continues to show you a selection of beautiful products to inspire you. We spoke to Edwin Plaisier, from Vireõ nursery, who told us all about the Alocasia Cucullata and Alocasia Zebrina.

Vireõ

Vireõ is the umbrella name for a number of nurseries. These nurseries have joined forces in the areas of purchasing and sales activities, concepts and order processing. The nurseries are located in the immediate vicinity of the FloraHolland Aalsmeer flower auction and together cover more than 30 hectares.

Green is ...

To create consumer recognition and inspiration, Vireõ has introduced the consumer brand "Green is ...". With "Green is ..." Vireõ tells the story of the grower and uses this label to emphasize the benefits of their plants.
Green is ... Easy care
Green is ... Relaxing
Green is ... Fresh air
Green is ... Furniture

Green is… Urban Jungle

The advantage of these labels is that Vireõ can change them quickly and easily. A number of labels such as "Easy Care" or "Fresh Air" are timeless. But "Urban Jungle" is a typical fashion label. The green plant varieties remain the same over the years, but by using these labels Vireo can actively respond to current trends.

In the spotlights

Originally, the Alocasia grows in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. In the Netherlands the Alocasia is also called "elephant ear". This name is of course easily explained because of its large leaves.
The Alocasia is traded by Vireõ under "Green is ... Urban Jungle" label. Urban Jungle is characteristic of plants where the ornamental value lies in its leaves. Large, separate and special leaves can therefore be found on coffee mugs, shower curtains, wallpaper, pillows and all kinds of home decorations.
The Alocasia Cucullata and the Alocasia Zebrina fit very well into this trend with their large, beautifully drawn leaves. In addition, the Zebrina also has a beautiful motif on the petiole.

The Alocasia is a tropical plant and prefers being in a bright spot, but not full in the sun because the leaf would be very likely to burn. A temperature of 17-22 degrees Celsius is the ideal temperature;  the Alocasia really hates the cold. Once they have had a cold stroke, they often don’t recover. They like a moist environment, it is important that they are sprayed every now and then. Do not let the root ball dry out, therefore water regularly. The plant likes to have some extra plant food twice a month. In the winter months, once a month is enough.
Bad leaves can be easily removed without damaging the plant. Cut the leaf slightly above the trunk. The remainder will dry out, which can be easily removed afterwards. Although it does not happen often, the plant can give flowers. It is best to remove them immediately, these flowers cost the plant a lot of energy, while the flower has little ornamental value. Once the flower has been removed, the plant will put its energy back into the leaf.
The Alocasia belongs to the poisonous plant species; the juice can irritate skin and mucous membranes.
The Alocasia sometimes secretes excess moisture through the leaves. This is called "guttation". It is absolutely not harmful, but it can cause stains to the furniture which can be difficult to remove.

One of the branches of Vireõ is Hedera Plant. In 1981 they started cultivating Hedera on an area of ​​10,000 m2 of greenhouse space in Mijdrecht. At that time it was still unique that only one product was grown on such a surface. In 2012, Hedera Plant now had six locations with a total area of ​​190,000 m2 of greenhouse space. The range of Hedera Plant has also expanded over the years. For example, they now grow the Alocasia Cucullata and Alocasia Zebrina.

From cutting to plant

The Alocasia species arrive as a cutting at Vireõ. These are immediately repotted in the end pot. They are placed on rolling tables where they stand for 10 to 11 weeks. In this phase, the plant mainly invests a lot of energy in the production of the roots.

When the plant is large enough and the root base is well formed, the plants are moved to another part of the greenhouse, where the climate is different from the first phase. It is slightly cooler and the humidity is slightly lower. It is important that the plant grows slowly, so that a nice compact plant with a nice plant structure is created. If the temperature is too high at this stage, the plant will grow too fast and it will not be well balanced.

From cuttings to salable plants take about 18 to 23 weeks.

From mass to niche trade

Vireõ strives for high-quality plants that are grown in the most organic way possible. They are therefore in possession of various MPS certificates.
Due to their wide range, they are well set to serve all segments; from retail to high-segment customization, from mass production to niche products. They have their own cash and carry, so that day traders  can also be supplied.
Every year, a part of the range is renewed, so that the range for their customers remains surprising, innovative and inspiring.

FloraPodium,  11 May 2020