NAMAHAGE Dahlia Selection – General Election 2021

Period: Sept 27th – Oct 1st

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Organizer:Akita prefecture

Akita prefecture cooperates with Akita Kokusai Dahlia Park to develop “NAMAHAGE Dahlia” which is the original variety of Akita prefecture. We exhibited the varieties developed by Akita Kokusai Dahlia Park at the central passageway and the wholesale street, which are not released (varieties that have not been commercialized). After the beauty contest voted by users and visitors of OTA market, 10th generation members has debuted in this 11th year.

✤10th generation members NAMAHAGE✤

Based on the election results of last year, these varieties, NAMAHAGE LOVE & NAMAHAGE PEACE, are debuted this year.

  • 2021debut_namahage
  • 210927namahage504NAMAHAGE
    LOVE
  • 210927namahage533NAMAHAGE
    LOVE
  • 210927namahage535NAMAHAGE
    PEACE
  • 210927namahage500NAMAHAGE
    PEACE

 

  • 210927namahage580
  • 210927namahage507
  • 210927namahage509
  • 210927namahage510
  • 210927namahage508

 

Thank you everyone who cooperated in voting at the venue and online!
★Here you can find the NAMAHAGE Dahlia candidates aiming to debut in 2023‼

  • 210927namahage1NO.1
  • 210927namahage3NO.2
  • 210927namahage5NO.3
  • 210927namahage7NO.4
  • 210927namahage9NO.5

 

  • 210927namahage11NO.6
  • 210927namahage13NO.7
  • 210927namahage15NO.8
  • 210927namahage17NO.9
  • 210927namahage19NO.10

 

  • 210927namahage21NO.11
  • 210927namahage23NO.12
  • 210927namahage25NO.13
  • 210927namahage27NO.14
  • 210927namahage29NO.15

 

  • 210927namahage31NO.16
  • 210927namahage33NO.17
  • 210927namahage35NO.18
  • 210927namahage37NO.19
  • 210927namahage39NO.20

 

  • 210927namahage41NO.21
  • 210927namahage45NO.22
  • 210927namahage47NO.23
  • 210927namahage49NO.24
  • 210927namahage51NO.25

 

  • 210927namahage53NO.26
  • 210927namahage55NO.27
  • NAMAHAGE21_1
  • NAMAHAGE21_2

 

✤1st9th generation members NAMAHAGE✤

These NAMAHAGE series are already available at our market!!
All generation members from the 1st got together as a group this time too♪

  • 210927namahage517NAMAHAGE
    Magic
    1st generation
  • 210927namahage543NAMAHAGE
    Noir
    1st gerenation
  • 210927namahage555NAMAHAGE
    Cute
    2nd generation
  • 210927namahage525NAMAHAGE
    Beauty
    3rd generation
  • 210927namahage547NAMAHAGE
    Soleil
    3rd generation

 

  • 210927namahage545NAMAHAGE
    Nuance
    4th generation
  • 210927namahage537NAMAHAGE
    Aube
    5th generation
  • 210927namahage539NAMAHAGE
    Cheek
    5th generation
  • 210927namahage551NAMAHAGE
    Crimson
    5th generation
  • 210927namahage523NAMAHAGE
    Miyabi
    6th generation

 

  • 210927namahage553NAMAHAGE
    Pearl
    6th generation
  • 210927namahage549NAMAHAGE
    Epoch
    7th generation
  • 210927namahage519NAMAHAGE
    Macaron
    8th generation
  • 210927namahage527NAMAHAGE
    MASARU
    8th generation
  • 210927namahage531NAMAHAGE
    Kosei
    8th generation

 

  • 210927namahage521NAMAHAGE
    Pretty
    9th generation
  • 210927namahage529NAMAHAGE
    REIWA
    9th generation
  • 210927namahage541NAMAHAGE
    Non-chan
    9th generation

 
Thanks to the basket arrangement in the center, the venue was transformed with gorgeous atmosphere‼
The basket arrangement in the center was again made by Maison de Blanc Ms Shiraishi Yoriko, alongside Ms Yasui Naomi who is chairing the flower and food salon “Blanche”, this year.

     

  • 210927namahage581
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  • 210927namahage584
  • 210927namahage585
  • 210927namahage586

 
The candidates for the 12th generation, will be chosen from specially selected varieties undergoing a one year growing trial. Please look forward to it♩♬♪

 

Belated Congratulation and send wishes with flowers

The Japan Flower Promotion Council, an association of all flower supply-chain partners, has proposed a new flower gift promotion project to consumers. We are one of the members and our CEO plays the presidential role.

“Okulete gommen”, meaning “Sorry, I am late”, is a promotion project to celebrate belated birthday, marriage, baby-birth, graduation, school-admission and more!

If you missed the opportunity to celebrate someone, we suggest you to create an opportunity to convey your feeling of celebration by making an excuse of presenting a gift of flowers.

◆Okuléte gommen Offical site:
https://nippon-fc.jp/hajimetehanaya/okuletegommen

This time, the Council has released “Okuléte gommen short film” with the theme of “Belated Congratulation and send wishes with flowers”.

The comedy trio “Hanako” as an ambassador of the Okuléte gommen project appears on the film and talks about the story of delivering a bouquet of “Belated Congratulation” to their loved ones. It is a heartwarming documentary film where presentees make smile with unexpected flower gifts, and presenters also make smile when seeing presentees’ smile.

◆Okuléte gommen short film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vD0t_qvnQg

We, as the flower industry, would like to propose to consumers that “it is not too late even if the days have passed”, “everyone will be happy when receiving flowers”, and “let’s convey your feelings with flowers”.

We try to create an opportunity to let consumers feel closer to flowers for the younger generation who doesn’t have needs to go to a flower shop or who has no experience of giving flowers to others.

Translated by Y. Fuchu

Enjoy Japanese sweet pea

Sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus, one of the legume family is a tendrils-climbing plant. Growers make it bloom beautifully and vertically straight. They make a lot of effort for the work, because it is an annual plants and naturally blooms in spring with twisting vines. This time, we will tell you about the cultivation of sweet pea.

Sweet pea has been cultivate in Japan for a long time since Meiji era(1868-1912) originally as an ornamental plant. Then, commercial cultivation of cut flowers began in the middle of the Taisho era(1912-1926). Around this time, Mr. Ishijiro Araki established the foundation of cultivation technique for sweet pea at Tamagawa glasshouse floriculture complex in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo.

How to grow sweet pea

Cultivation of sweet pea starts from raising seedlings. Seeds are taken care at low temperatures after soaked in warm water to promote germination. By adjusting this storage period, it is possible to shift the harvesting period from the beginning of winter. Planting will be carried out from late August to early September.

After planting, flower buds appear from the 10th nodes, but it is necessary to make the stock strong for long-term harvesting. By picking those early flower buds until it grows with the 14th nodes or more. It becomes possible to harvest about 20 stems from one strong stock.

Under the summer sun, the vine grows quickly to a height out of our reach with stems bent and vines twisted, when growers do not take enough care. To avoid that, growers lower each stem to a height of easy work for them and fix it to a net or pole. (Therefore, you couldn’t find slightly bent stems when this work is just done.)

In addition, the cultivation of sweet pea needs careful control of the amount of solar radiation and temperature. Since it is native to Sicily, Italy, the optimum temperature for growth is 15 degrees C, and the limit temperature of wilting is -3 degrees C. And it needs more than a few hours of sunshine consecutively a day. So, if the amount of solar radiation is insufficient or the temperature is too low, all buds could fall at once, and that could cause a sharp decrease in yield.

Furthermore, the stem shape changes depending on the amount of water absorbed. If growers supply too much water to the stock, the stem would grow faster, but it would become thinner and softer, and that could lead to a weak stem which can be bent easily, the internodes could be expanded, and flowers could be scattered on sight.

Thus, sweet pea id cultivated with a lot of work and careful management. So what is evaluated as “good quality”? Please let me tell you the tips to distinguish it.

  1. The stem is solid
  2. The internodes are clogged
  3. Large flowers and strong scent

To keep the vase life
Sweet pea is vulnerable to high temperatures and high humidity. Please note that in a hot and humid environment, Botrytis may increase and flowers may have dark spots or may fall off easily.

Edited by Y.Fuchu

Keio Sakura from Yamagata Prefecture


Keio Sakura.  the Japanese cherry blossom tree fascinates people with a lot of pale pink flowers and a dignified presence. From Yamagata prefecture where it still snows quietly, KeioSakura is announcing the beginning of spring.

“The winter-blooming flower”
KeioSakura is a same variety of SomeiYoshino, the typical cherry blossom tree you can find in early spring all over Japan. You can enjoy KeioSakura even putting cut branches into a flower vase because it splinters into a number of twigs with many beautiful pale pink flowers. Inaturally blooms in spring like SomeiYoshino, but prominent technique of growers in Yamagata prefecture enables Keio-Sakura to bloom even in winter. “Winter-blooming cherry blossom tree, ahead of early signs of spring, gains popularity in Japan coloring New Year’s Day and other winter events.

 

“Mechanism to bloom flowers in winter”
KeioSakura starts to bloom by misunderstanding that spring has come when it is exposed to heat in the greenhouse after harvested from the field. Growers take advantage of this natural characteristic and can uninterruptedly continue shipping out from late December till Aprilby adjusting timings of harvests and treatments in the greenhouse. It gives a surprise to people all over Japan by the fact that blooming Keio-Sakura brings spring earlier from the snowy country like Yamagata prefecture.

“Tip of decoration”
Please pay attention to the following pointsWhen you take good care of KeioSakura, the flowers will not wither easily and can last long.

  1. When you put it in a vase, you should split the cut end of the branch verticallyThe surface area contacting with water increasesand that facilitates easy water uptake.
  2. When you use the flower food – the post-harvest preservative, you can enjoy blooming flowers more because flowers open wider than usual. It can also have an effect of making the pink color more vivid.
  3. You can enjoy Keio-Sakura longer when it is decorated at the indoor entrance, where the temperature is lower than in other rooms with heaters.

Source:
Oishi Yamagata Suisin Kiko(Yamagata Specialty products Promoting Organization)
http://www.yamagata.nmai.org/perorinshun/vol112_keiou04.html
http://www.yamagata.nmai.org/perorinshun/index.html

Translated by Fuchu

 

FLOWER OF THE YEAR OTA 2020 Award

Ota Floriculture Auction Co., Ltd holds the award ceremony of “FLOWER OF THE YEAR OTA” which annually aims to praise outstanding flower growers who created trends in Japan’s flower industry. From the approximately 200,000 varieties of flowers supplied to our company in 2020, four varieties (and producers) have got awards.

Award-winning varieties are selected by independent experts in Japan’s flower industry among  the flowers nominated by OTA Floriculture Research Institute LTD (a subsidiary company of Ota Floriculture Auction Co., Ltd.) based on data analyzed from many aspects. This award is unique in the point that winners are selected from the viewpoint of “trends”, not only from the one of “quality”.

The signature color of this year in Japan is pink, especially with blueish and grayish tones. Dried flowers continue to gather popularity, and it extends to the trend of dry texture and shabby-chic color even for fresh flowers

Let’s take a look at all prize winners!

◆Grand Prize◆

Grower:JA Kagawa Prefecture Mitoyo Kakibukai
Family:Aster
Species:Mash lavender

flower_2020_038_01

While overall flower trend is moving towards small flowers, Mash lavender has got attention unusually as a large-blooming flower. This flower is a super-large-blooming aster with a diameter of about 7 cm, which broke the old image of aster together with a surprise. It has much of presence even with one stem, and that makes its beauty stands out more. In addition, it has an advantage of long vase life. Although the number of flowers produced in Japan is generally declining, the number of asters has been increasing in recent years. Its grayish color creates a unique atmosphere in line with the recent trend. Taking advantage of its comfortable and warm climate all through the year, Kagawa Prefecture is expected by the Japanese flower industry to play an important role of flower production in winter. Incidentally, this is the first time for a grower in Kagawa Prefecture to have got the highest award.

 

 

◆Outstanding performance award◆

Grower:Yagi Rose Breeding Farm
Family:Rose
Species:Vase

flower_2020_015_01

The excellence award has been given to the original variety of the Yagi Rose Breeding Farm bred by Mr. Hayato Yagi. Bluish dry-textured petals and classic shabby- chic leaves give unique impression we have never had. You cannot forget it once you have a glance. Mr. Yagi got a clue about a future trend of roses during his stay in the Netherlands for his study. When he saw Vase at his first sight on his farm, he intuitively found out that it would become popular, but his mentor – his father – objected saying, “This is no good.” Even so, he continued to improve the variety with belief in his mind that he wanted to develop a new rose variety which stands out even with one stem inserted in a vase. The variety name of Vase is named after from the flower vase. The Vase has been a blockbuster rose getting on the bandwagon of the recent trend. Shizuoka Prefecture is a famous flower producing area, and the yield of cut flower roses is the second largest in Japan.

◆New Flower Encouragement Award◆

Grower:JA Kisyu
Family:Limonium
Species:Sinzii Silver

flower_2020_036_01

Limonium Sinzii Silver is an elegant and pretty variety with lots of dry-textured blueish-pink florets. The part that looks like a petal is a calyx, and then it can last long, and can be also used for swags after dried. The color of calyx matches the recent color trend. The annual yield of Limonium in Wakayama Prefecture is the second largest in Japan, but it most contributes to supply of Limonium to the market in winter, taking advantage of its warm climate. Limonium ranks fourth in the domestic flower production, after Chrysanthemums, Carnations, and Roses. It is obvious that Limonium is a required item among all flowers. Recently, new and lovely varieties have been developed which can be used to flower bouquets. This is the first time that growers in Wakayama Prefecture has won the award.

 

◆New Flower Encouragement Award◆

Grower:YMS Co., Ltd.
Family:Grevillea
Species:Grevillea gold

flower_2020_059_01

Leaves of Grevillea gold are fascinating. The color of the leaf surface is fresh green, and the back is velvet-textured copper gold. It is a beautiful plant with two contrasting expressions in one leaf exported from Israel. It can be used for various purposes such as bouquets, swags, and wreaths in both dried and fresh. It has got popularity from florists because adding one leaf of Grevillea to the flower arrangement increases sense of design. Just bundling several leaves of Grevillea also gets attention as an interior decoration.
The award winner, YMS Co., Ltd. is one of the leading flower import companies in Japan, importing flowers from more than 20 countries. They always try to develop market-oriented strategy and consulted with Israeli growers from an early stage requesting for larger production. And the Israeli growers responded to their request. Such effort from both sides has led to this award. Prior to the Christmas season, it will definitely get more attention.

 

Translated and edited by Y. Fuchu