December 2021 - 18

MARKETING
increased, so has the desire for
more unique and colorful varieties.
Maria: It is my understanding
that breeding work is on the horizon
trying to achieve more colors, forms,
and more prominent variegation and
variegation colors.
GPN: How do you think growers
and retailers can capitalize on the
peperomia category?
Andrew: Promoting the fact that
they are houseplant of the year,
along with displaying the wide
variety of options will increase sales
in this category.
Maria: Peperomia are easy - easy
to produce wholesale and easy
and successful for the homeowner.
There are a wide range of shapes
and sizes and there are choices for
every light level.
'Ginny'
ForemostCo
Little Prince
of Oregon
customers can
choose from
over a dozen
varieties of
peperomia.
Diane: By planning ahead
Meet Your
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          
         
          
       
       
   
and starting now with production
planning, order extra plants, plan
events, then use our materials to
let customers and consumers know
about this program. Sometimes, all
you need to do is bring it up and
that's enough reason for someone
to purchase them. All the material
on the NGB website is free to use
so make it easy on yourself and add
this to your marketing program.
GPN: Does the production
or sale of peperomia present
any challenges for growers or
retailers?
Andrew: The recent surge
in demand has put a strain on
availability. Stock producers are
ramping up to fulfill this demand.
Maria: In talking with Mark, he
feels the biggest challenge may
be overproduction of the crop.
Because it is easy to grow it could
become a commodity, driving
down the price and making it
unprofitable to produce. He feels
some of the very largest nurseries
who sell primarily to big box stores
have mass produced this and
hundreds of other plants to the
point that it becomes commercially
unattractive for others to grow and
sell the plants.
For retailers, I think they need
gpn
GREENHOUSE
PRODUCT NEWS
Learn more about them at
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18 DECEMBER 2021 GPNMAG.COM
to be sure they have great signage
that includes facts and benefits.
Don't rely on generic " foliage " or
" succulent " tags. Group plants by
their name, give them specific facts
to the plant or plant group but then
more importantly match the
consumers' needs to what you are
'Leap Frog'
Dümmen
Orange
offering; i.e., your signage
should scream " low light lover " or 'I
may not look it but I'm a succulent'
as examples.
GPN: Why do you think peperomia
is especially appealing at the
consumer level?
Andrew: The variability in
appearance and the durability have
made peperomia a great category
to own!
Diane: Because of the decorative
value they bring to the home. There
are many different leaf shapes,
different color patterns and different
sizes to fit every need. And for a
collector, there are so many different
styles to create quite a collection.
Maria: 1. Easy to grow; 2. Some
can be billed as succulents; 3. There
are selections for both high and low
light situations; 4. Relatively pest
and insect free.
Houseplants and succulents
are winner, winner, chicken dinner
with consumers, and the National
Garden Bureau " Year of Peperomia "
in 2022 can only help drive sales
of this and other houseplants. Let's
feed the houseplant frenzy with
peperomia!

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December 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2021