" Chamelaucium - or wax flower – is n’t part of the standard flower market where you ’d find things like Dianthus caryophyllus , gerberas , and hyacinth , " begins Nitzan Nir , film director of the Israel - found Nir Nursery when FloralDaily visited their facility earlier this month . " It ’s a ecological niche ware that we created ourselves . It ’s wonderful to use in bouquets and floral arrangement , as well as in pot and horticulture . "
Nir Nursery primarily breeds wax flowers and also broadcast them but does not grow these flowers . " Our client are the agriculturalist ; they commercialize the flowers . That ’s not our finish . We ’re a small family business sector and require to keep it that way . We do , however , help prepare the market by participate in fairs in different countries , such as the IPM Essen . We present the flowers and enjoin interested purchaser from which growers they can source their volumes . There are growers in both hemisphere , so a year - beat supply is potential , " says Nitzan .
Nitzan and Asaf Nir ( father and son ) in the fields with " Early Nir "
Air freight exportThis Israeli breeder / disseminator ’s business manikin is not to betray seeds . It pilot flora material to agriculturalist in region like South Africa and South America . " Sea freight is n’t an alternative ; it has to be fast . The woodworking plane unremarkably have boxes of 500 plants per corner in their cargo deck . You ca n’t propagate and grow these blossom everywhere . In the southerly hemisphere , the best growing conditions are on the line running from Peru across South Africa to Australia . In the northern cerebral hemisphere , those are in North Africa , southern Europe , and Israel , " Nitzan adds .
First from California , then AustraliaNir Nursery ’s story start in 1965 when Nitzan ’s don decided to arise carnation . " Later , he added baby’s - breathe and wax blossom . The latter come from California , brought in by professor Halevi , but its genetic cloth came from Australia , the works ’s native realm . Later , I joined the business enterprise , and we soon became aware of several companies already working on propagating the plants we had in mind . Often in liveliness , you do n’t prefer your path ; it choose you . So we decided to modify direction and rivet on breed rather than pass around existing varieties . That need less manual labor and more high - technical school oeuvre . And , 40 years later , that ’s still how we do thing . "
In the other sidereal day , Nir chew the fat Australia several fourth dimension , establishing partnerships with local breeders . They bought genetical material right away from the germ . They would then supply their partner with mixed bag they developed . " We ’ve been a facts of life and propagation fellowship for 40 years , and for many years , we ’ve not import any genetic material . In the first tenner , we exchanged varieties , but we ’ve since mastered the breeding process . "
mental picture of miscellany ' Rey '
Tricky to breedThe fabric is engender in every possible manner . It takes about seven twelvemonth to breed a fresh wax flower variety . " you may reckon on 15 to 20 year for more ' sophisticated ' intergeneric mark , such as ' Rey ' " , he suppose . " And that , of course , cost stack of money . Australian genetic science are tricky to breed as well as propagate . It ’s challenging , but that ’s exactly what we want . We do n’t require to contend with the big company ; we focus on a niche product . We ’ve had good penetration in unexampled grocery store , for lesson , the Far East and Russian markets . "
Nitzan point " New Ever - flower "
Nir , Ofir , and JupiterThe company ’s first proprietary Clusia insignis salmagundi was - quite astonishingly - named Nir . " Its theme caliber is especially unspoiled . Our 2d variety is telephone Ofir , after my daughter . This efflorescence is doing very well on the market , but Nir is also still betray well , " continues Nitzan .
In 2016 , Nir Nursery insert its first Jupiter variety . It is singular in that , unlike other wax flower form , its unfolding pattern is concentrated around the stem tip rather than around the radical . This new pattern creates a plentiful , full - looking branch . " We ’re also work out on multiply more motley for the Color Wax line . These are currently available in reddened , yellow , orange , and green , and we want to offer them more colouring soon . To stay on relevant , we have to constantly develop new , revolutionary products . In our business , you ca n’t ride out on one good product . People want something new all the time . We ’ve even continued developing the Nir variety , improve it over the age to keep it relevant . "
Before , when most of the wax bloom were bred in Australia , they were only exported to Japan , and the west coast of the U.S. " Other continents ' markets were thus ' empty , ' so we developed those . We provide good product , which increased need . Our efflorescence are not only available at florist shop , but at supermarkets too . These twenty-four hour period , the retail sector is all-important , also for floriculture , " Nitzan explains .
At the test field
Both hemispheresThe end products of Nir Nursery ’s plants are now available year - round , as grower in both the northern and southerly cerebral hemisphere cultivate the same varieties . " In the northerly hemisphere , mainly in Israel , south of the equator , it ’s South Africa and Peru . There have also been some projects in Morocco - its clime is first-class and the soil very suitable - but due to various gene , those have since been discontinued . Egypt would be an choice too , but Turkey not , because of the frost . With our years of experience , we jazz that Kenya , Ethiopia , Ecuador , and Colombia are some of the proficient places in the world to grow prime . And we now breed varieties that thrive there too . "
A peep inside the nursery with Wax and Kangaroo Paw commode trial . ( Clickherefor the exaggerated exposure )
open up DaysFor the first time , Nir Nursery is organizing a enlistment of their deftness in Israel for concerned sector spouse . " In February 2023 , just after theIPM Essentrade show in Germany ( where we will also be present in Hall 2 , Stand 2D43 ) , we invite dealer , growers , and buyers from across the world to our Open Days . We will show them what we have and what ’s in the pipeline . to get feedback and discover which steering we should take and share agrotechnics ideas . After all , the marketplace ’s constantly changing . Twenty twelvemonth ago , people wanted modest bloom , and now larger ones were popular . Since breed takes time , we desire a timely sense of what the future mart will take care like . That time gap makes market - oriented breeding hard , but we do our full , " Nir say .
During the receptive days , he will also show and explicate to the visitant that Nir has been get the same crop on the same soil for 30 years with zero disinfection . " That ’s one of our strong point . To rest the soil in the winter , we expend constitutional crop like mustard or rapeseed . They fecundate the soil anew and act as natural germicide . We do n’t even have to irrigate these either . The winter rainfall provides them with enough water . In the springtime , we add compost to the soil and plant again . "
Good demand , but volatile exchange rateBecause of European gas prices , there is less floriculture in the Netherlands , but it seems to Nitzan that that market still desire bloom . " We get plenty of orders , which we can fill . The rally rate is an issue , though . The shekel is deserving almost double what it was a decade ago . That hampers export , and I can only raise my prices a small . That central rate has eroded our caller ’s profitability in recent years , " he concedes .
Wages in Israel are high too , and there are not many migratory laborers . " Even Thai workers - we utilise two - earn what they consider incredibly in high spirits wages . Then again , it ’s not a labor - intensive crop . One or two workers per hectare are enough . So far , robots - for , say , spraying or weeding - are far too expensive for us compared to the manual labor movement take . Though I distrust , in the future , the equipoise will tumble toward robotics . We also do unfastened field culture , while robots are more easily deploy in nursery . "
Unlike the exchange rate , in Israel , water does not perplex a trouble for wax flower cultivation ; it is a comparatively drought - resistant plant . " Our intergeneric loan-blend require even less water . The market place where our efflorescence are sold are more and more confront water shortage , so these flowers not postulate a fortune of water is an advantage . "
Nitzan says the plants are rarely propagate lawlessly . " Those who do that are very often find ; the market ’s not that bragging , after all . They ’re shooting themselves in the foot because they will not get the newer variety from us . As I said , the grocery always desire young products , " he concludes .
Propagation country .
Production : Between 500,000 and a million rooted cuttings a yearGideon and Nitzan Nir started Nir Nursery in 1983 , and Asaf , Nitzan ’s son , join in 2010 . It is located in Kfar Hess , about 30 km northeast of Tel Aviv . The adroitness has a combined quarantine system , tissue culture testing ground , advanced generation methods , test W. C. Fields for newfangled varieties , and greenhouses for plant life and potted plants . " The industrial plant supplied are of high quality and disease and pesterer - spare . If need be , each new motley has relevant instructions and further advice . " Nir Nursery employs eight people , include agronomical engineers . Annually , it grow between 500,000 and a million root film editing of mainly wax flower varieties .
The next caller claver for interested raiser is in February 2023 . That admit sojourn to , among others , the cultivation site and publicity facilities in the Negev desert . All are welcome . To register , please contact Nitzan . See his details below .
For more information : Nir NurseryNitzan NirKfar Hess , IsraelTel : +972 544 353 922Email:[email protected]www.nir.co.il
© FloralDaily.com/Elita Vellekoop
