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Gene Milstein -
Applewood Seed Company |
December 2002 |
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How does the
wildflower seed sector differ from the flower seed sector,
which deals with F1 hybrids and bedding plants? Is wildflower
seed sold the same way and through the same channels of
distribution as flower seed? |
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The wildflower sector is a much smaller
industry than the bedding plant/F-1 hybrid sector. The seed
is, in general, much less expensive and all of it is
open-pollinated annual, biennial and perennial species. The
wildflower industry seeks the original native species wherever
they can be found. The goal is to produce them at the lowest
cost with the highest quality possible. It takes 5 to 10 years
to go from initial seed stock to having a commercial crop. This
is similar to plant breeding and developing an F-1 hybrid.
Finding the right climate to produce good seed can be a major
challenge. Just because a crop is native in a certain climate
is no guarantee that it will produce good seed or a high yield
in that location.
The wildflower seed industry is made
up of many small markets, whereas the bedding plant business
is made up of fewer but larger markets. Because the markets
are different, the channels of distribution are also different
for the most part. Most wildflower seed is sold for direct
seeding on the site. Therefore, very little of it goes to
bedding plant growers. Highway department, re-vegetation and
reclamation project contract directly with seed companies or
their distributors which are different companies than those
that sell bedding plant seed. Each industry has separate
channels of distribution.
(to Jack Bodger's answer) |
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