Foliage plants are valued for there aesthetic and beautiful foliage rather than fruits, flowers besides some foliage plants bears elegant flowers also. They can sustain shade and are highly recommended for interiorscape; though in common sense the foliage plants are referred as houseplants. Nowadays they are acquired vast space in both public and private places. Foliage plants found there ways under trees, road dividers, buildings, window boxes, porches, at corner of office, hanging baskets moreover they are highly utilizable in newly described ‘sky or vertical gardens’ the concept of gardening which gives the immense importance in cities.
With there lush green foliage, attractive texture and stature; the foliage industry truly bloom in everyone’s home nowadays. From very long days flowers serves in the human service through private and social ceremonies, functions etc. The flowers have been always gaining the importance because of the aesthetic value they adorn and gain the various spectrum of happiness in the form of colours but its now foliage turn; gone are the days when the foliage were only considered green and monotonous, they are in the row of flowers and gaining much popularity day by day. When ask ‘what colour foliage plants have?’ one may need to think over before answer. This is the curse of the foliage plants and they are acquiring all colours of happiness and moods in different vistas of colour spectrum like dark green, silvery, violet, bluish and moreover the variegated fantastic colour scheme.
Nursery and tissue culture
The tissue culture is very valuable tool to augment the quality production and to increase the worth of the plants. A callus developed from any explants proliferating or gives rise to tens of the seedlings on maturation which can be separated and planted or sold individually and the chances of getting somaclonal variants are additional benefit.
Somaclonal variation is extensively exploited for foliage plants improvement as it is the case in Syngonium (22 somaclonal variants originated from ‘White Butterfly’), Anthurium, Agloenemma, and Diffenbachia.
Foliage business starts with nursery; a good planting material is base for green lush and eye catching plants. Maintaining disease and pest free planting material are work to do with great care. It would be more beneficial to categorize nursery especially export oriented, according to climatic condition of the area and production of cultivars in demand. The specialized chain production from micro-propagation or propagation to hardening unit and then finally to export unit of the foliage plants.
In India protected cultivation of foliage plants on large scale is not taking place till date, which would more beneficial to the Indian farmers. It limited to nurseries only.
Facts and realities
Most of the farmers are unaware by the foliage plants and there potential in local and world trade markets. Moreover there is no awareness did by the policy makers. In India hi-tech cultivation only comes up to the loose and cut flowers because of the market demand they posses but there are no provisions to broaden your horizons for the new potential plants. There is no need to wait for demands ones the needs are generated (moreover its time to impose the demands) by promoting the new concepts and awareness by campaigning, conducting farewells, shows and exhibitions, special foliage arrangement competitions, seminars and symposia regarding production and marketing of foliage plants.
There is high demand for foliage plants from private and public dwellers. The plants are cost from Rs. 25 to 5,000 each according to age, colours, forms, height and rarity of the plants. The plant enthusiast can hit the highest price point for the trained, rare and artistic plants made by nurserymen’s and one can look forward to there creative work.
Future in India
Mother Nature accolade very broad spectrum environment conditions to India, still we are lag behind in predicting our own potential in production of foliage plants. The plants can be grown in there natural niche with more or less modification in growing conditions. Compare to western countries we have tropical and subtropical climatic conditions suitable for foliage plants this adds more benefit to the production cost.
Once we are starting the production and get acquainted with cultivation of foliage plants the only next step to follow is marketing. It is integrated part of any production; using market analysis and feasible opportunities to set up for sale the product in various forms. The species, varieties and container size such demands should be kept in mind. Demand oriented production of foliage plants for florists, gardeners, landscape architects, supermarkets, municipalities and for home gardeners can be initiated.
The benefit to cost ratio can be premeditated. The search and prediction of local and distant market places plays very important role in getting appropriate price, bigheaded demands and ready to sale in advance.
Interior plantscape
There is very high demand for foliage plants in interiorscape and plantscape i.e. arrangement of the plants, giving plants appropriate shape, container or pot cultivation of the plants etc. An office with lush green foliage at corner, aside sitting sofas or on table gives soothing effect and depicts fertility and prosperity of one’s business. The house studded with foliage and splashes of flowering annuals or shrubs gives very soothing effect and arouse arrogance of happiness. The streets planted with greenery in there dividers are very effective in terms of reducing the air and noise pollution in high extent.
Nowadays Metro stations, Railway stations and bus stands gaining new look to the cities but without plantation they look very bare and unsightly. The foliage plants and there pot cultivation is only solution to make them beautiful.
The hotels, model towns, shopping complexes and tourist places are emerging very fast, moreover the embassy residents and luxurious bungalows are never getting there perfect location and look without greenery; such sites are ascending scope of foliage plants in very conservative and effective way.
Marketing
Some traditional flowers can’t fulfill the global market demands. The tool of ‘diversification needs to boost the flower- power in real sense.
In real sense it is destiny for Indian floriculturist. In next few years’ distribution or marketing of the ornamental plants will takes place through retail markets as by nowadays almost all products are sold through these markets and retail chains in India already running fast. Floriculture can be emerging as a fresh product market.
The legendary changes are already takes place in many of countries and they are getting huge success also; as in The Netherlands market oriented organizations ‘The Greenery’ and other service centers are already been exist. The foliage capital of world known to be Apopka, Florida found there existent and way from production of Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata). Comparatively India has all things. Then for what India waits?
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