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(Sandersonia aurantiaca)
Introduction
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 Sandersonia is a tuberous plant bearing delicate, orange, bell-shaped flowers on a wiry stem. It makes an excellent specimen for the home garden and also an ideal Christmas decoration, as its leafy stems produce golden flowers in December. Up to 20 flowers will develop on each stem.
The straight thin stems grow up to a metre tall in Northern regions (but this is unlikely in more Southern areas), making protection from the wind essential. The flower has a vase life of 2–3 weeks. Growers in Southland are best to concentrate on tuber production. Getting adequate stem length for export cut flowers is difficult and transport is an additional cost.
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Growing Sandersonia
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Propagation:
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Sandersonia can be propagated from seed or by dividing daughter tubers. Flower grade tubers need to weigh at least 3–5g for sale.
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Plant Density:
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Depends on size but can range from 150–200tubers/m2
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First harvest:
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Flowers: harvested December–February.
Tubers: harvested/lifted April–June.
Storage temperature and tubers should be monitored between April and September.
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Full production:
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If producing flowers the crop requires 2–3 layers of florinet. Tuber production also benefits from at least 1 layer of florinet to keep stems upright.
Glasshouses will be required to produce quality flowers. Tuber production is possible outside if protected from the wind.
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Soil type:
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Soils must have good drainage and fertility level. The optimum soil temperature for Sandersonia is 18–20ºC. Soil should be sterilised before planting tubers. A special Sandersonia soil mix works best for tuber production. This is available from the local garden centres. pH6–6.5
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Fertilisers:
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A liquid feed fertiliser programme can be used to provide a continuous nutrient supply over the life of the crop. NPK fertilisers are also used.
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Pest/Diseases:
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Rhizoctonia, Botrytis
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Harvesting:
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Tubers must be lifted carefully to avoid damage to the delicate growing tips. Tubers should be placed under damp newspaper or cloth and held in a cool shaded area until washing and transfer to a coolstore.
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Marketing:
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Sandersonia tubers are marketed primarily to Japan, Taiwan and Korea. Smaller amounts are marketed to America, Canada and parts of Europe.
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Further Info:
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Related Topics
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