A special auction for “Senryo”(Sarcandra glabra), ”Kokematsu(pine with moss)” and  ”Kokeume(prunus with moss)” of this year was held on December 17 Sunday at 7:00 am. Those items are indispensible for decorations of celebrating the New Year in Japan.

Regarding “Senryo” this year, the condition of fruit and the volume is better than in past years. But, like a cut pine tree, it has been influenced by 2 consecutive typhoons in the end of October. So, leaves of Senryo from some farms have got salt damage, and each grower had a hard time for cultivation and carefully selected good quality Senryo for shipment.

 

 

Regarding “Kokematsu”, damaged from insects on leaves, the number of items in good volume is decreasing recently but we could collect easy-to-use “Sanko-harigoke” from Mr. Hasegawa, Mr. Sunouchi and Mr. Shioiri, who are excellent pine growers.

Regarding “Kokeume”, Mr. Hiroyuki Suzuki and Green Tec Corporation carefully selected and shipped good items with blooming prunus.

Cut pine tree auction of this year was held on December 10 Sunday at 7: 00 am. Cut pine tree is an important item for the Japanese people to celebrate the New Year’s Day, praying for health and long life.

Regarding “Sujimono” (literally, string item varieties) this year, long items such as “Kadomatsu” (pines decorated at gate) and small objects such as “Karagematsu” (pines served for Buddha) decreased due to high-temperature injury.

In addition, long-rain floods in autumn and repeated typhoons prevented growers from working in the fields. So, growers could cut less pine than in past years, and shortage of workers made the matter worse.

“Nebikimatsu” (pines with roots) and “Goyomatsu” (five-leaf pines) caused damping-off but producers carefully selected and shipped same quantity as last year.

“Daiomatsu” (long-leaf pine) was shipped at the same quantity as last year due to increasing new producers.

Next week on Sunday, December 17 we will hold a special auction for “Senryo (Sarcandra glabra), Kokematsu (pine with moss), Kokeume (Prunus with moss)”.

 

On December 8, we held the award ceremony at our auction room. Awarded growers were given prizes and trophies from our CEO Nobuo Isomura.

◆ About “FLOWER OF THE YEAR OTA”

Every year, we award the title of “FLOWER OF THE YEAR OTA” to highly-valued flower varieties and their growers, among flowers shipped to our market throughout the year. They are selected based on sales data and buyers’ votes.

With high objectivity of screening process, it can be regarded as the latest trend in the field of flower market. We believe this award will be useful for promotion activities of growers.

The following five varieties were selected from about 200,000 flower varieties, including imported flowers.

■ Highest Award
Peony “Etched Salmon”
Grower: Mr. Moichiro Nojima

■ Award for Excellence
Oxypetalum “Marble Happiness”
Grower: Sasaoka flower farm Inc.

■ Special Award
Tulip “Mysterious Parrot”
Grower: Floriculture Department, ZEN-NOH Niitsu Satsuki

■ New varieties Award
Rose “Crystal Dress+”
Grower: Hamada Baraen

■ China aster “Macaron”
Grower: ZEN-NOH Tagawa

 

◆ Flower trends analysis: Keywords are “TIME” and “HARMONY”

Keywords in the flower trends this year are “TIME” and “HARMONY”.

The highest award goes to the peony Etched Salmon, because it has enjoyed high popularity from buyers for a long “TIME”. A special award winning tulip, Mysterious Parrot blooms with the passage of “TIME”, and becoming a mysterious shape.

And other winners: oxypetalum Marble Happiness, rose Crystal Dress+, and China aster Macaron can show good “HARMONY” with other flowers because of their colors and sizes. That is why they can get appreciation from buyers.

Marufuku Seikaen is a grower who offers cut tree branches  grown outdoors. They have a belief to supply seasonal products in its best season, and grow trees in line with Japanese traditions.

Unryubai – Theaceae Camellia – literally means “Plum of ascending dragon over cloud”. It has a  distinctive shape of twisting and bending like a dragon.

It is suitable to decorate “New Year’s Day” with Unryubai which blooms ahead of any other flowers with great aroma, and symbolizes “success” and “luck”.

On Friday November 17, we held a special auction for Christmas trees.