Cut Croton Leaves

[Borgy230]

Just figured I would share some photos of some cut croton leaves I recieved today from Peru. beautiful stuff!

[Jeff Searle]

The first one looks just like Rheedi( middle pic.)and the last one(?). Not too sure.

Jeff

[Crazy for Crotons]

A well grown Rheedii is hard to top. It is notorious for almost never setting seed. If it did more often, we'd get unusual stuff like its well known seedling Candy Cane.

The other plant looks nice too.

When does the next shipment (with root-able sticks) come from Peru?

[Dypsisdean]

OK,

Dumb question - I'm never afraid to display my ignorance. :)

What's the purpose of sending cut leaves from Peru?

[Jeff Searle]

OK,

Dumb question - I'm never afraid to display my ignorance. :)

What's the purpose of sending cut leaves from Peru?


Dean,

Not a dumb question at all. I'll answer for Borgy because he just left town for a few days. He works for an event company that would include putting together very lavish and extreamly expensive flower arraingemnts for corporate dinners, golf tournaments, etc. And Rob's job is to locate (buyer) different flowers and cut foliage for these arraingements. And croton leaves are sometimes used in flower arraingements. Rob knows the flower and cut foliage business as good as the best of them. He's well traveled and has made numerous oversea trips to other countries to visit these farms.



Jeff

[Dypsisdean]

Thanks Jeff,

That almost answers my question. In SoCal, Phil Bergman buys Howea leaves from me for a florist that uses them in wedding arrangements, etc.

You mean to tell me there aren't enough croton leaves in Florida? And you have to send out to Peru for foliage?

[TikiRick]

Good questions, Dean.
Another one folks....my mom said she took a croton leaf from my garden and rooted it in water....in Kentucky no less!

Is this possible, or is she taking dad's medication as well as hers?

[Borgy230]

I may be out of town, relaxing on the beach in Santa Barbara, but I still have to visit the Croton forum ;)

There are plenty of croton leaves in FL Dean, but no one producing them for cut foliage, also, to have each one of those leaves here in Miami from Peru costs me only $0.14 a leaf!!! cant beat that, also the quantity and quality.


Ray, I did tell the farm to send me a assorted box of croton tips this weekend :)



Rick, I remember reading somewhere that crotons can root from the leaf, but they never develop trunk since there is no woody cells in that leaf, and if you were to plant it, the plant would just eventually die since it cant really develop!

Rob

[Borgy230]

I will be getting a box Tuesday morning of 30 assorted croton tips :) hopefully there is something good in there!

Rob

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

How much cut leaves are there in the industry? Could a "Leaf Plantation" be viable in SoFla?

[Borgy230]

i doubt it, I bring in a box of about 200 leaves maybe once, twice a week. you have to remember that in those climates, the product grows sooo much faster and better, labor is cheaper, chemicals are cheaper, ect ect.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Lrt me see now...

14 cents times 200 is $28. $28 twice a week is $56. $56 times 52 (weeks) is $2912 a year.

In a hundred years I would be rich!

[Dypsisdean]

How 'bout a hundred customers, and get rich in one year. Sounds like a better business plan. :)

[Crazy for Crotons]

On the side, it's $2912 more than I've got now.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

If you accept that you can harvest 20 leaves per plant per month you could knock down $290K (gross) with 4 acres of plants. If you could find a market.

[Borgy230]

in order to get 20 leaves per plant, those need to be some mature plants of decent size! and dont forget, these leaves need to be flawless. and also, 20 leaves per plant, that means 10 plants to fill 1 box!

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Yeah, I was figuring something like 9,000 plants on 4 acres. That means you might need extra room for a packing house/barn. The plants would need to be a few years old and you need irrigation and shade, either a shadehouse or lots of tree canopy. If you interplant Royals or some other desirable palm you will have a secondary crop to boot.

[Dypsisdean]

You forgot the workers needed at 25 cents an hour. Or is that you?