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Cut Foliage (Florists' "Greens", Florists' Botanicals) Production in Florida
Robert H. Stamps, Ph.D., Professor, Cut Foliage Specialist
Uuniversity of Florida/IFAS, Mid-Florida Research and Education Center-Apopka
2725 S. Binion Road, Apopka, FL 32703-8504
Cut foliage (florists' greens) production In Florida has been increasing rapidly in recent years and has more than doubled in the last 6 years. Estimates place the wholesale crop value at $86 million for the 1984-1985 season. Domestic North American shipments, which accounted for about 84% of all shipments during the 1984 1985 season, have increased an average of about 17% per year for the last 7 years. Shipments to Europe account for the remaining 16% and increased at a rate of about 10% per year over that same period, but have actually declined slightly in recent years due in part to the strength of the U.S. dollar and to increasing competition from other countries.
The cut foliage industry in Florida was started at the beginning of this century, and Asparagus setaceus (Kunth) Jessop [ A. plumosus Bak.], asparagus fern, was the main cut foliage crop produced for the first half of the century. Plumosus fern is still grown today, but demand is limited because it is not as long-lasting as some other products and is difficult to harvest because of thorns.
Rapid growth of the cut foliage industry in Florida during the 1950s was due to the introduction of leatherleaf fern, Rumohra adiantiformis (Forst.) Ching [ Polystichum adiantiforme (G. Forst.) John Sm.]. Leatherleaf fern is used year-round by florists due to its ready availability, durability, high consumer acceptance, and low cost. In 1983, leatherleaf fern accounted for about 42% of cut foliage use nationally and was the most important Florida cut foliage crop with a wholesale value of about $64 million. Most leatherleaf fern is grown under 73% shade on mineral soils very low in organic matter. Site preparation is simple: the land is cleared and the soil is rototilled. Ten- to 15-cm-long terminal rhizome pieces are planted in 3 or 4 rows in a 1.2-m-wide bed. Fertilization rates are around 840 kg N/ha/year, because of leaching losses due mainly to sandy soils and high precipitation rates. Leatherleaf femeries are irrigated using overhead sprinklers. Fronds are harvested by hand and shipped at around 4°C. The major fungal problems of this crop are foliar diseases caused by Cylindrocladium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani Kuehn.
Leatherleaf fern has few insect problems; however, Callopistria floridensis (Guenee), Florida fern caterpillar; Undulambia polystichalis Capps, leatherleaf fern borer; and Eupteryx spp., leafhoppers; do have the potential to damage this crop severely.
Cut foliage crops are produced on an estimated 2900 ha in Florida. As with leatherleaf fern, most of the other cut foliage crops grown in Florida require shade during production. About 35% of production occurs under oak tree hammocks (Fig. 1), and 65% occurs under polypropylene or polyethylene shade-fabric-covered structures (Fig. 2). Most new plantings are planted under artificial shade because availability of oak tree hammocks is limited and yields are considerably higher under artificial shade structures.
Today, the cut foliage industry in Florida produces a variety of crops in addition to leatherleaf and plumosus fern. Several asparagus species and cultivars, A. densiflorus Jessop 'Myers', foxtail fern; A. densiflorus 'Sprengeri' , sprengeri fern; A. macowanii Bak., ming fern; and A. virgatus Bak., tree fern; are becoming popular as specialty products. Some of the woody ornamentals that are grown for their cut foliage include Callistemon spp., bottlebrush; Cocculus laurifolius (Roxb.) DC, snailseed; Eucalyptus spp., silver-dollar plant; Euonymus spp., Japanese spindle-tree; Hedera helix , English ivies; Ligustrum spp., Japanese privet; Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack, chalcus; Pittosporum tobira (Thumb. ) Ait., Japanese pittosporum; Podocarpus macrophyllus (Thunb.) D. Don, Southern yew; and Serenoa repens (Bartr.) Small, saw palmetto. Numerous herbaceous plants, for example Aspidistra elatior Blume, cast-iron plant; Cordyline spp.; and Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott., Boston fern; are grown as cut foliage crops.
Cut foliage production could not have been so successful in Florida were it not for the use of irrigation water to protect plants during cold weather. This practice was pioneered in Florida in the 1960s by University of Florida scientists. Since the early 1970s, research in support of the Florida cut foliage industry has been conducted primarily at the Agricultural Research and Education Center-Apopka, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Two permanent full-time faculty positions now support the cut foliage industry in the areas of production and postharvest physiology. Additional research has been conducted by University. of Florida personnel in Gainesville and USDA personnel at various locations.
Research has determined optimum production light levels and fertilization regimes for many of the cut foliage crops produced in Florida. Management programs for fungal, insect, nematode, and weed pests have been and are being studied. Improved methods of stock bed renovation are being developed. Methods to reduce the amounts of irrigation water necessary for cold protection have been tested, and studies on the effects of and controls for ice nucleation-active bacteria are continuing. Effects of reduced water applications during production have been shown to be beneficial to some crops, and methods of scheduling irrigation applications are being investigated. Environmental factors affect the development, anatomy, and physiology of these crops, and these effects have been shown to affect their postharvest longevity. Methods to modify production environments economically to produce crops with improved durability are being evaluated Research identified storage temperatures and postharvest treatments that prolong vase life and reduce postharvest losses due to disease. Many plants are being screened and developed in breeding and selection programs for use as cut foliages.
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