docalstroemeria - Super Floral Retailing
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alstroemeria - Super Floral Retailing
cut flower of the month Photo: Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology alstroemeria Alstroemeria Peruvian lily, Lily-of-the-Incas vase-life extenders PREPARATION Unpack Alstroemerias immediately upon their arrival, and check flower quality. Remove all stem bindings, and strip foliage from the lower portions of the stems—only the portions that will be under water in storage containers (removing too much foliage can reduce vase life). Leave plastic sleeves on while the flowers initially hydrate, to reduce damage to blooms. HYDRATION AND NUTRITION Recut stems on an angle with a clean, sharp blade, removing at least 1 inch of stem. Cut off any whitish, or “blanched,” portion, if present, to enhance solution uptake. Immediately after cutting, dip or place the stems into a hydration solution to help the flowers take up water more quickly, then place them into a sterilized storage container partially filled with either properly prepared bulb-flower-food solution or low-dose (low sugar) flower food (holding solution) — made with nonfluoridated water, if possible (some Alstroemeria varieties are sensitive to fluoride, which most tap water contains). REFRIGERATION Immediately after processing, place Alstroemerias into a floral cooler at 33 F to 35 F for at least two hours before 16 super floral retailing november ’11 BOTANICAL NAME Alstroemeria (al-stro-MEE-ree-uh) COMMON NAMES Peruvian lily, Lily-of-the-Incas DESCRIPTION Alstroemerias’ six-“petaled” trumpetshaped blooms resemble miniature lilies and appear individually on lateral branchlets clustered atop smooth stems that bear scattered thin twisted leaves. COLORS These flowers are available in virtually every color except blue, and many varieties are spotted, striped, dappled or tinged with yellow. arranging or selling them. Unless you need blooms to open quickly, keep these flowers refrigerated until they’re arranged or sold. ETHYLENE SENSITIVITY The effects of ethylene gas vary greatly by cultivar. Symptoms of exposure include wilted flowers, petal or leaf drop, and transparent petals, so ensure all your purchases are treated with an ethylene inhibitor at the grower or during shipping. In addition, keep them away from sources of ethylene in your facility such as fruit and other produce, decaying flowers and foliage, automobile exhaust, and tobacco smoke. CARE EXTRA If any young secondary buds at the bases of the primary buds (or open flowers) were not pinched off at the grower level, remove them to promote the development of the other flowers and increase vase life. CONSUMER ACTION Advise customers to cut off individual blooms as they die and recut stem ends and change flower-food solution every two or three days. Super Floral Retailing has created this page for the education of store-level employees. To download a reprintable PDF, please go to www.superfloralretailing.com and select “Current Issue.” VASE LIFE Stems of Alstroemerias typically provide consumers six to 14 days of enjoyment, depending on care, environmental conditions and variety (vase life varies greatly by cultivar). Individual blooms, however, have shorter vase lives. AVAILABILITY Alstroemerias are available year-round from both domestic and foreign growers—although, according to USDA figures, approximately 93 percent of the Alstroemerias available for sale in the U.S. are grown in Colombia while only 4 percent are produced in the States. fun facts NAME AND NATIONALITY The genus name Alstroemeria was given in honor of Swedish baron Clas Alströmer, who brought seeds of this plant to Europe from South America in 1754. The common names, Peruvian lilies and lilies-of-the-Incas, were derived from the lilylike form of the blooms and the flowers’ nativity to Peru (home of the Incan empire) and parts of Chile and Brazil. FAMILY MATTERS The genus Alstroemeria was originally classified in the Liliaceae (lily) family and later in the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis) family. Modern botanists, however, have created a new family, Alstroemeriaceae, which comprises only Alstroemeria and Bomarea (climbing Alstroemeria). purchasing advice Select bunches that have strong, straight stems; dark green leaves; one or two open flowers per stem; and most buds showing color. Watch for bruised florets and crushed, yellow or moldy foliage. challenges PREMATURE LEAF YELLOWING Alstroemerias experience hormone imbalances when they are cut from their bulbs, which can cause premature leaf yellowing. Hormone-replenishing pretreatments formulated specifically for Alstroemerias (generally administered at www.superfloralretailing.com the grower or wholesaler) can reduce leaf yellowing, as can bulb-flower foods, which contain naturally occurring plant hormones. Leaf yellowing also results from too much sugar in flower-food solution. Both bulb-flower foods and low-dose flower foods (holding solutions) have less sugar than standard flower foods, and the use of either is recommended for Alstroemeria storage. TOXICITY ALERT Frequent handling of these flowers can cause contact dermatitis — a sometimes severe inflammation of the skin — in some people. They also can cause gastrointestinal discomfort if any parts are ingested. ‘White Forest’ ‘Avalange’ ‘Fuji’ Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Royal Van Zanten B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. ‘Virginia’ ‘Himalaya’ ‘Symphony White’ Royal Van Zanten B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology ‘Symphony Baby’ ‘Symphony Baby Pink’ ‘Sylvan’ ‘Mayfair’ ‘Santorini’ Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Royal Van Zanten B.V. Royal Van Zanten B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. ‘Symphony Amethyst’ ‘Symphony Purple’ ‘Platina’ ‘Rembrandt’ ‘Symphony Magenta’ Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Royal Van Zanten B.V. Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology ‘Onyx’ ‘Napoli’ ‘Chicago’ ‘Magic Red’ ‘Amelie’ Royal Van Zanten B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Royal Van Zanten B.V. Association of Colombian Flower Exporters, Asocolflores Royal Van Zanten B.V. ‘Fuego’ ‘Natalya’ ‘Angelina’ ‘Merci’ ‘Hot Pepper’ Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Royal Van Zanten B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. www.superfloralretailing.com super november ’11 floral retailing 17 ‘Nadya’ ‘Symphony Red Passion’ ‘Symphony Fire Red’ ‘Tampa’ ‘Kodiak’ Royal Van Zanten B.V. Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. ‘Symphony Peaches and Cream’ ‘Symphony Strawberries and Cream’ Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology ‘Pumori’ ‘Switch’ ‘Roselyn’ Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Royal Van Zanten B.V. ‘Stratus’ ‘Bordeaux’ ‘Twister’ ‘Orange Flame’ ‘Orange Queen’ Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Royal Van Zanten B.V. ‘Symphony Pumpkin’ ‘Firenze’ ‘Senna’ ‘Tiger’ ‘Isola’ Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Royal Van Zanten B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. ‘Greenday’ ‘Eleanor’ ‘Lemon’ ‘Shakira’ ‘Symphony Bella Star’ Association of Colombian Flower Exporters, Asocolflores Royal Van Zanten B.V. Könst Alstroemeria B.V. Esmeralda Breeding and Biotechnology Do you need a quick and easy reference for information about other cut flowers? 18 super floral retailing november ’11 Designed to fit on your countertop, desk or design bench, Flower Flip — A Guide to 50 Favorite Flowers provides information on care, vase life, availability, pronunciation and more in a handy 5.5” x 6.5” flip-chart format. Order Online FRFB1010 $12.95 To order, visit www.superfloralretailing.com and click on “Bookstore,” or call (800) 355-8086 (to discuss quantity purchases and pricing, ask for Mary Lou Clark, ext. 12.) Könst Alstroemeria B.V. sfr Some information provided by: Botanica, by R.G. Turner Jr. and Ernie Wasson Chain of Life Network® , www.chainoflife.org Cut Flowers, by C. Gelein Cut Flowers of the World by Johannes Maree and Ben-Erik van Wyk Hortus Third by Liberty Hyde Bailey and Ethel Zoe Bailey SAF Flower & Plant Care, by Terril A. Nell, Ph.D. and Michael S. Reid, Ph.D. Stearn’s Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners by William T. Stearn www.superfloralretailing.com
