Equiflor is excited to introduce our eighth breeder, Plantec. Plantec represents five breeders: KordesRozen, Interplant Roses, Delbard, Grandiflora, and Fazari.

History:

Plantec started off as an idea, a response to a question that many growers had thirty years ago: Why are the rose varieties grown in South America being selected in Europe? In response, the founders of Plantec began what at the time was considered a “totally insane” business model, but today is considered common sense: They started a company that would select varieties grown in Latin America, for Latin American growers.

For nearly 30 years, Plantec has continued a proud tradition as innovators in the rose market, with continuous improvements to the variety of roses grown in Latin America. The determing factor for Plantec on whether or not to produce a variety is that the new rose has to be a significant improvement on what is currently available.

Breeding:

Plantec receives nearly 6,000 new varieties every year. These varieties are cultivated for years, with their growth, productivity, vase life, and production cycle recorded. Each variety is compared with the top varieties currently available, and any variety that is not a notable improvement is discarded. Often, after five to six years only one or two varieties remain, which then become commercial and are propagated using exclusively hydroponic systems. Plantec’s large-scale hydroponics are based on Mapal technology, which guarantees that their new varieties will have never come in contact with soil.

Criteria Used to Assess the Best Varieties

Plantec supplies varieties for a large and diverse market; they supply most Latin American Countries, from Mexico to Argentina, with a focus in the growing markets in Ecuador and Colombia. They know that their clients cater to many different tastes across the world: Some growers focus on smaller buds with shorter production cycles, while other growers focus on the larger buds which are popular in Russia and some European Markets. Based on this, Plantec reviews every variety to determine how it will behave in each market. In general, they look for a bud size of 6cm, stem length between 60-80cm, thick and vibrant foliage, a pure, clearly-defined color, and hardiness (the plant’s natural resistance to disease and its longevity in a vase).

As Plantec has grown over the decades, they have seen that the most important factor in the rose market is ensuring the final customer is happy with their purchase, which in turn makes them a repeat customer. This is why Plantec works to constantly improve their standards, particularly in terms of vase life and a full opening. They want their roses to make a lasting impression, not only for the growers, but their customers as well!

We would like to hear your opinion on the selected varieties provided by Plantec. Please send us an email to marketing@equiflor.com and share your feedback!

To learn more about Plantec,visit www.plantecuador.com