Little do we know about Limoniums. Some call them Statice, and some may not even smell nice, but the truth is that there are over 186 accepted botanical species in this genus from which at least 6 species are used as cut flowers, each one of them with distinctive characteristics that make this plant unique and when used in an arrangement, it can enhance its appearance beautifully by giving an elegant look.
This is explained by Carmen L. Márquez, Marketing Manager with Ball SB, a breeding company that specializes in four types of limoniums: Sinuatum/Statice, Sinzii, Sinensis, and Altaic/ Hybrids. They have mastered the art of developing new crosses to improve traits like the smell and new colors and developed desirable characteristics such as higher yield and longer useful life of the plants. "Our efforts and research done throughout the years have given us the advantage to stay up to date with the latest trends."
Let's begin by explaining each limonium type briefly. Statice Limonium is very popular for both fresh and dried flower stems. Its big calix and broad/showy panicle make it very popular and present in any flower shop. Flower calix can be from virtually any color except true blue and true red, contrasting with white or yellow corollas.
Limonium Sinzii Deep Blue, Limonium Sinensis Ever Snow, and Limonium Altaica Silver Pink
The L. sinense, also known as Sinensis, has a more delicate round stem with a floral architecture different from Statice. Calix from this limoniums will expand when flowers dry, making them have what we call a "beautiful death," a trait also very popular for both dried and fresh flowers. One setback from this species is the off-smell that it generates during hot temperatures. This species is also available in many colors, including white, yellow, hot pink, light pink, and orange.
The L. Sinzii is a hybrid of a result of crossing Limonium Sinuatum with Limonium Perezii to combine the virtues of both varieties - sharp, solid colors and big panicles. “Stems grow completely flat, making them easy to pack but giving great volume when crisscrossed. Plants are hardy and productive, producing high quality strong stems and many flushes. And they are Botrytis resistant.”
The last Limonium type has been named by breeders as Limonium Altaica. Altaica is not a botanical taxon but more a floral stem type. Colors for this type of limoniums range through different tones of purple and lavender, with the exception of Silver Pink, a Ball SB Altaica Limonium with lovely pink flowers. "Altaica flower stems are distinguished as being the most elegant floral stems amongst the Limonium cut flowers. Some varieties may present a more moderate smell in comparison to Sinensis, depending on the genetic origin of the hybrid. Ball SB's Altaic Sky Light is the only Altaic Limonium that does not have an off smell."
Sky light, Silver Pink, Shooting Star, and Limonium Sky Light.
"Our breeding programs are orchestrated at the Ball SB Research and Development station in Colombia, where the main Altaica type crossing is held, and all selections for all the programs are first evaluated and selected."
Shooting Star, Sky light, and Silver Pink.
What makes Ball SB a forefront company of this genus? "Basically, its innovation and formidable allies worldwide with other experts. Very little was new for this genus for a long time, basically, we have seen the same colors for years and some mild changes in productivity, but now Ball SB, using top technology, has embarked on a quest to make Limonium new and existing again. We have produced new exhilarating hybrids that have proven to be less susceptible to viruses and disease than conventional Statice (making them more sustainable for our planet and for our growers), we have innovated in new colors, no smell, and long-lasting plants for the Altaica types and we have produced new colors and multi-flush Sinensis varieties with longer stems and hardier plants."
And they are excited to say that they will have a new arrangement of Sinensis, Sinuatum, and Altaica/hydrid varieties available coming soon.
For more information:
BallSB
[email protected]
www.ballsb.com
Instagram: Ballsbcutflowers/