Fresh focus

摘要

WHERE WOULD FLORAL DESIGNERS be without tropical foliage? When it's time to line a clear glass vase, collar a hand-tied bouquet, enfold or shelter precious blooms, or add intriguing accents in all kinds of rolled and gently curving shapes, the broad,hardy leaves of exotic jDjants serve as a mainstay. Most species and varieties are available year-round from a wide range of sources, from South America to the Far East. Some are grown in Florida. Nearly all the major tropical foliages can be sourced from Hawaii, where the volcanic mountains offer a range of microclimates. "Most of the tropical plants we harvest for cut foliage like it cool, 70 to 80 degrees, with lots of rainfall, and good sunshine but not high UV," says Eric Tanouye of Green Point Nurseries in Hilo, Hawaii. "Here in Hawaii we have the sunlight and the cloud cover to protect against it. Foliage flourishes in this type of environment. If necessary, in summer or at elevations where the sunlight is more intense, we'll shade the crop."