The plant gives a bouquet a longer shelf life

Guwahati, March 5: The days of flowers “bending over backwards” in bouquets will soon be over. Thanks to leatherleaf fern, the most sought after fern for flower arrangements in the world.

Each bouquet will also look much more elegant and also last longer if leatherleaf fern is used. Leatherleaf fern (Rumohra adiantiformis) has been planted in India for the first time, in Mizoram.

Leatherleaf fern is deep green and leathery textured, stiff and straight with a deep and shiny finish. This makes it attractive and an ideal support and background for flowers in a bouquet.

The ferns available at present are weaker and tend to bend over backwards under the weight of flowers. “Leatherleaf fern also has a long vase life and can outlive the rest of the flowers in the bouquet,” explained Rajesh Prasad, managing director of Zopar Exports Private Limited, the floriculture firm which is growing the fern in Mizoram.

He added that quarantine officials have carried out a pest-risk analysis for importing this fern into the country.

The fern has been planted under the technology mission for the Northeast, which looks for innovation in horticulture in which new crops can be grown on a cluster basis with assured marketability. “The climate in Mizoram is salubrious and ideal for this fern. I checked out the literature and confirmed that our high humid conditions, coupled with moderate to cool temperatures, would be ideal,” Prasad explained, adding that exports can be achieved but high volumes are required.

“The initial plans for exporting the fern is to West Asia,” he added. The dark green, versatile, long-lasting fronds of leatherleaf fern have made it indispensable in most floral designs across the markets in North America, Europe and the East Asia where bouquets are sold in large quantities.

Ferns are a very ancient family of plants and they are older than land animals and far older than the dinosaurs. They were thriving on Earth for 200 million years, much before flowering plants evolved.

Costa Rica is the highest supplier of leatherleaf fern worldwide. “With its ideal climate, the Northeast can compete with Costa Rica and Malaysia in growing international quality cut-greens,” Prasad added.

The floriculture sector in the Northeast is looking up as a number of states are taking initiatives in growing flowers in huge quantities that would get global acceptance. In fact, the first consignment of freshly cut roses and carnations was recently sent from Nagaland to the United Arab Emirates.