Lane Talks Lisianthus

This week's Flower Talk is an excerpt from an article by our own Bill Prescott in a recent edition of the Produce News, it also includes a new video, featuring Lane DeVries.



We are experiencing the very beginning of a sea change in floral design.  Millennials and Generation Y designers are throwing out the preconceived notions of what a bouquet should be. They are reaching beyond the traditional palette of floral design by incorporating non-traditional plants, herbs, fruits and vegetables into designs. Lisianthus has the bandwidth to be part of this emerging style.

“I think lisianthus offers a soft accent and sometimes alternative to a more traditional flower such as a rose. As we see a comeback in heirloom flowers, lisianthus stands out as a variety that offers a bit of nostalgic romance to any bouquet with its lush and delicate bloom.” Says Katie McConahay, Program and Category Manager for Floral at Portland, Oregon based New Seasons Market, she continues,  “It is something we sell best when it is in season and we are able to see a good assortment of color and larger blooms.”

One leading-edge designer who uses lisianthus is Nicolette Owen of the Brooklyn, N.Y. based Nicolette Camille Floral Design. She says, “When in season, I source my lisianthus from local farms, but there are some insanely beautiful, huge, very ruffled lisianthus varieties from Japan that I love.”
In demand designers such as Ms. Owen are offering unique varieties to their customers, and this speaks to the versatility of the crop. Lisianthus is very unique in that it can be used in a very controlled fashion in a design, or you can “let its’ hair down” to capture the farmer market aesthetic.
 
It is important that mass market retailers incorporate trend forward flowers in their every day designs, as consumers are more exposed to new styles than ever before. Social media channels such Instagram let consumers easily see what innovative designers such as Ms. Owen are doing. Taking advantage of seasonal bloom such as lisianthus, is a great way to highlight the relevance of your floral department.

With the beginning of summer, we welcome Lisianthus back to floral departments across the nation. Lisianthus season traditionally starts in mid-spring, with harvest beginning in April, and then it gets very heavy from May through September, finishing off in October.