Agriculture Business Week

Foreigners are going crazy over our rare Philippine Hoyas. In fact, thesetropical gems are sold in the internet for as high as US$75/cutting. AreFilipinos getting hooked on Hoyas, too?

In pictures, our endemic and indigenous Philippine Hoyas look deceptive. They appear as large as the vandas and cattleyas. In reality, they’re even smaller than rose buds. But that is all part of the whole Hoya allure. Like rare, expensive gems or stars in the sky, they shine and upstage even the most colorful and gigantic flowers.

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Posted on September 15th, 2008 under Ornamental. Tags: Flowers, Hoyas, Ornamental. Comments: 3

Not many people are familiar with Hoyas and what they actually look like. Some may have seen or chance upon them growing between and among shrubs and trees or along ridge tops or trail gaps, but would be often ignored due to the lack of a better knowledge about this plant. Yes, Hoya is no chocolate (in reference to the famous Goya sweets manufacturer); it is rather a juicy, porcelain-looking flowering plant.

Hoya is colloquially known as wax plant, wax vine, porcelain flower or gap plants and is considered as one of the most horticulturally interesting plants because of its profuse number of species (discovered and undiscovered). Also, due to its unique form, size, texture, and wide variety of its multi-colored blooms.

It belongs to the Apocynaceae family of tropical plants and was discovered by the Scotland-born botanist, Robert Brown (widely known for his Brown Movement). He named the plant after his friend, Thomas Hoy, an English botanist who worked as head gardener for the Duke of Northumberland in England. The word Hoya is the Latinization of Mr. Hoy’s surname.

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Posted on July 23rd, 2008 under Ornamental. Tags: Hoyas, Ornamental. Comments: None

The Philippines is proud to have notable ladies who have considerably contributed to the task of nation building.  Among them are President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former President Corazon C. Aquino, First Ladies Amelita Ramos and Imelda R. Marcos.  Today, such names are not only synonymous with political prestige but are now Hybrid names for indigenous species, Mussaenda.

Collectively known as the Doñas, Philippine Mussaendas were named after the First Ladies of the Philippines.  This is considered as the country’s most important contribution to the ornamental industry.  They are likewise regarded as the “centennial” breakthrough in Philippine Horticulture.  In fact, they have became popular not only in the Philippines but are also now gaining recognition abroad.

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Posted on July 23rd, 2008 under Ornamental. Tags: Flowers, Ornamental. Comments: None

It was another ordinary day for Ms. Rebecca Bartolome of Pucay Village, Marcos Highway, Baguio City, when I visited her to write an article about her success story on anthurium production.  She was doing some chores and attending to her grandchildren.  On the lookout of their five lovely grandchildren — one girl and four boys — was Dada Doming who just arrived checking his roosters and chickens.  As I approached her, she welcomed me with a warm smile and a fully-gripped handshake.  As usual, she was happy to see me and showed interest in what we were about to do.

Nana Rebecca started growing anthuriums out of interest and love of flowers until it became a hobby which expanded to another family’s source of livelihood.  She first had a hand on the plant when her son-in-law from La Trinidad, Benguet, gave her daughter planting materials of three anthurium varieties (Nita, Hawaiian Red, and Kansaku).  Of course, the gift turned to be a manifestation of commitment and loyalty until it became part of a family story.  Her daughter, Lanie, became the wife of Bon, they are blessed with a bubbly son named Kiko.  The anthurium plants are equivalents of their life stories describing a very strong family relationship.  The production is now on its eight year and still gaining momentum because of a cultivated passion and dedication.  These made her continue to work and enjoy this simple hobby complete with stories and memories, including the fruits of gratifying labor.

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Posted on July 23rd, 2008 under Entrepreneurs, Ornamental. Tags: Anthuriums, Flowers, Ornamental. Comments: None

Have you ever wondered how flowers are arranged together to form a symmetric layers of full colors and variety?  Or are preserved to look fresh and look real for a period of time in a vase?  Well, this kind of activity is based on the skill, artistry, and creativity of the flower arranger and sculptor to show his or her aesthetic creations and well-coordinated hand maneuvering.  The flowers are picked, arranged, and organized to show the colors or the blending of leaves, petals, other products, vases or even the containers used to illustrate life.  To do this, flowers are orderly packed, stocked, and tied in neatly arranged manner exuding their beauty.  As soon as these are organized and blended, the flowers express a feeling of warmth and harmony that magnify the inner soul of the individual making the arrangement or sculpture.  In the end, it is the person receiving that manifest gratitude and appreciation, be it as a symbol of love, peace, harmony, or simply care.  Most often, it is the interpretation of the person preparing and combining the flowers or plants that makes the difference with the right combination and selection of colors, flowers, leaves, and accents.

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Posted on July 23rd, 2008 under Ornamental. Tags: Bonsai, Flowers, Ornamental. Comments: None

The Philippine ornamental industry continues to gain popularity and recognition in the country and more so abroad.  The increasing demand for ornamentals has been one of the pressing issues faced by the ornamental sector today, making it self-sufficient, sustainable and diversified.

Encouragingly, there are private sectors, entrepreneurs, government institutions, and state colleges and universities that have the same goal to bring about a sustainable development in agriculture for the country.

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Posted on July 22nd, 2008 under Ornamental. Tags: Ornamental. Comments: 5

Orchids are among the popular cutflowers in the world.  It has become the object of attention of many cutflower growers as it captures an element of beauty through its complexities and elegantly formed sepals.  Different species of orchids are used widely in flower arrangements, corsage making, and as collection specimens for the hobbyists.  One orchid genus, Vanilla, is commercially important as it is used as the source of the vanilla food flavoring.  Through the years, with the development of new orchid species, the world-wide demand for orchids has rocketed giving the cutflower a high market value.

As a high-value crop, orchids are seen as good source of profit in the world-wide market.  In the country, during the 1970′s, several commercial nurseries were established to meet to growing demand of the domestic and international market.  Key production area for orchids expanded in Laguna, Batangas, Cebu, Negros Occidnetal, Davao city, and South Cotabato.

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Posted on July 22nd, 2008 under Ornamental. Tags: Flowers, Orchids, Ornamental. Comments: 3