Quite often you hear people say: “These Fuchsias are quite nice, but they are more for the elderly”. Or: “These Plantc are lovely, but they are out of style”.
Is that correct? Are Fuchsias today neglegible at the plant market?
Looking at it objectively it has to be seen different:
(German market survey!)
Market share and turnover of bed- and balcony Plants 2011 |
|||
| Total turnover year 2011 |
1.940 |
Mio€ | |
| Market-share in % | |||
| Geraniae (Pelargonias) |
11 |
213 |
Mio€ |
| Summer-Heather |
9 |
175 |
Mio€ |
| Pansies |
7 |
136 |
Mio€ |
| Chrysanthemum |
5 |
97 |
Mio€ |
| Spring Primel |
4 |
78 |
Mio€ |
| Petunias |
4 |
78 |
Mio€ |
| Bed-Begonias |
3,5 |
68 |
Mio€ |
| Brush-Marguerite |
3 |
58 |
Mio€ |
| Fuchsias |
2,5 |
49 |
Mio€ |
| Impatiens |
2 |
39 |
Mio€ |
The stars among the bed- and balcony-plants are- “of course”(?)- the Pelargonias. And the passionate Fuchsia-Enthusiast might be annoyed, that some plant species, which one subjectively rates as less important, is placed above the Fuchsias.
It can be stated objectively:
Fuchsias are among the successfull plants in Germany. That is no plant of a niche-market-share, but a small, robust part of a veritable segment of the plant market.
Pelargonias were brought to the UK about 1600 a.d., and are therefore- referring to Europe- by far more ancient then the Fuchsias-Species discovered in the beginning of the 19th century, who are supposed to be the lineage of the Fuchsia-Hybrids of today und who were as well imported first to GB. This would state that the Fuchsias are more “modern”, at last younger tham the Pelargonias. But i never heard anybody telling that the Pelargonias are old-fashioned. Are bed- and balcony-plants are all old-fashioned at last?
That can be disproved quite clearly. 2008 was a total turnover with 8,98 illion€ with plants in Germany, of that solely 3,18 billion€ with cut-flowers. Scince that year the plant-market is suffering from stagnation and the total turnover is slightly decreasing. That at most on cost of the cut-flowers, themarket shareof the bed- and balcony flowers is ever increasing since 2004 (as found in the www by myself).
So it is the contrary. Bed- and Balcony-Plants are relatively a more and more important part of the plant-market, and therefore completely up-to-date!
Looked at it differently,by bending the numbers a bit (to far), the item becomes more evident: as the statistic states every German inhabitant buys 0,65 Fuchsias a year (80Mio Inhabitants, 50Mio€ turnover, prce per plant 2,50€).
Is that negligible? But that does not sound right, my wife alone owns about 300 Fuchsias, therefore taking it for 192 citizens a year? but she does not buy 300 plants a year (nonono, at all!!!), because she is overwintering them. But she propagates them through cuttings. Difficult to trap it with numbers.
Or another way. Roses are very popular, not old-fashioned (are they not, these modern English Roses are so wonderful old fashioned, i also like them very much!); if Roses would be bought the same numbers than Fuchsias, it would be quite impossible. I do love Roses, but 300 of them in our garden? I would have to give up the whole lawn, and that would be by far inadequate. So better look for a more spacy real estate, possibly a castle with park and rosarium? But these plants are by far more expensive, so one would by less.
The share of plants sold in large marked-gardens is rapidly increasing throughout the last years. And within that, the bed- and balcony-plants. But bushes as well, as roses. And in contrast to that the count of dedicated nurseries and small plant-shops is fast decreasing.
This trend is characteristic for the large market-segment of one-way and throw-away-plants. Fuchsias are in this segment clearly one-year-plants, the same as pelargonias etc. This market segment is growing. Names of cultivates and species are of no matter in this segment, its only color, appearance and fashion. Today hip, tomorrow out. This are fashion-driven plants. Everything is ever-changing, acording to advertisement and marketing strategies.
And than there is the segment of the collector- and enthusiast market. This has been changed rapidly by the www. I can still recall buying a special, old Rose before that time. Reading plant-catalogues, calling via telephone and wating for back-calls, quite some work. Almost none of the that time well renown Nurseries is still present nowadays. But everything can be found in the www without to much wate of time. But this is a narrow market-segment; a few passionate collectors are served by a few specialized nurseries, international shipment the common.
And this is the even so with the Fuchsias. And Pelargonias. And fashion should be absent in this market. Or not?
To the contrary. There is a Mega-Retro-Trend today. The things are called “vintage” and “retro”, the companies are called “manufactures” and the like and all that is Hip and a large hype, to be in terms. And in this scene of the modern urban individualist or the country-cottage-fan there is lot of money to be made. Look at the magazine market and you will know what i am talking about. And- with self-irony- i have of course to admit that i am right among that, loving my stylish products, but knowing al the way to which scene i do belong. Therfore:
To us the mass-market is out, being to common. Everybody has to live a spleen! All that has to be done is to convince as many as possible to change from the common-mass-market to the serios plant enthusiasts. And, we have to admit, the most of us just stated that way.
And ist easier to cultivate 300 Fuchsias in the garden than 300 Roses. The Fuchsias are mure handy, at last the most of them than Roses. And the blossoms are as beautifully, shown by the pictures in this blog. And thats the core of the thing!
Fuchsia Lady Boothby, 3m high
This is my personal oppinion, maybe a bit provoking. Feel free to use the commentary field below.
Recent Comments