Early season white varieties Waxflower Morning Delight and Waxflower Dawn Pearl always kick off the season, and these two hybrids will run until mid-July.
Both southern hemisphere production zones have received adequate summer rains, which have ensured strong yield and excellent 60-80cm stem lengths.
Waxflower Dawn Pearl
Following the early waxflower hybrids will be the popular megapetalum varieties Moonlight Delight, Sarah’s Delight, Ruby’s Delight, and Dee’s Delight.
The megapetalum waxflower hybrids from Helix Australia typically display larger buds/bloom size and 6-8 week harvest seasons.
Arnelia Farms, Flora United Protea Farms, and Philadelphia Farming represent Helix Australia’s three licensed growers in the Western Cape region in South Africa, and their production will focus primarily on supply to the EU, the Middle East, and the east coast USA.
WAFEX is Helix Australia’s main grower in Australia, and their core target waxflower markets are the local domestic market, Middle East, South East Asia, and the west coast USA.
Morning Delight
Craig Musson, WAFEX Managing Director, said increasing freight rates are making the export of waxflower and other Australian native flowers very challenging. While there were Australian Federal government freight subsidies provided to exporters during Covid in 2020 and 2021, this assistance program has now ceased, so WAFEX is investing in stronger domestic waxflower sales programs this season.
Following the successful launch of the enviro bunch tag in 2021, all Helix Australia waxflower bunches sold domestically will feature a branded bunch tag. This innovation has saved over 150,000 branded flower sleeves that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.
Adrian Parsons, Helix Australia Managing Director, is excited and looking forward to increased harvest volumes from some of Helix’s new waxflower hybrids.
Wax label
“Our South African growers have embraced many of our new hybrids, and this season buyers will begin to see increased volumes of new waxflower hybrids Giselle, Pirouette, Purple Rain, and Grace.”
To help increase the profile and awareness for its waxflower, Helix Australia is this season investing in a structured media and advertising campaign. This promotional campaign will include print trade media, banner advertising on leading floral trade web platforms, and regular social media updates about using waxflower in floral design, as well as crop /variety information over the 6-month season.
Parsons continued, "we are looking forward to working closely with John Elstgeest from Flower Circus, whose floral expertise and European design influence will help educate the global florist networks with new and creative ways to incorporate Helix Australia waxflower into their floral designs and bouquets."
For more information:
Helix Australia
www.helixaustralia.com.au