flower x a W Product: Waxflower, Geraldton wax Botanical name: Chamelaucium uncinatum Cultivar: ‘Purple Pride’

Quality specifications for Australian wildflowers n early to mid-season cultivar, cultivar, mid-season to early n a

Flowering season: Flowering depending on locality. October, June to life: vase Typical Export reduce 7–12 days. can greatly heat especially if flowers the vase life, during transport, dries the product out or transport takes long. too Other productsthis which to specification can be generally applied: wax (Chamelaucium Geraldton and C. floriferum). uncinatum, C. axillare cultivars: Common Hybrids, of C. uncinatum × C. floriferum (or ‘Snowflake’ ‘Lady Stephanie’, including ‘Variegated Blush’ and White’) ‘Wanneroo Hybrids, of C. uncinatum × C. micranthum ‘Moonstar’, White’, ‘Plum including ‘White and Georgia’ ‘Sweet ‘Supernova’, Fire’ Intergeneric of Chamelaucium hybrids and ‘Eric John’ , such as × Verticordia ‘Southern Stars’ Most selections of waxflower will not tolerate tolerate not will waxflower of selections Most crop the render can which frost, severe both to damage to owing unmarketable plants the kill or tips, growing and flowers completely. Sources of ethylene include engine exhaust exhaust engine include ethylene of Sources stored vegetables and fruit ripening fumes, themselves, waxflowers and flowers, the with (e.g. diseased or stressed are they if especially botrytis). with infected postharvest during treatments Anti-ethylene loss. flower reducing at effective are processing Pride’, ‘Purple a is It waxflower. grown widely most the is flowers medium-sized with hybrid floriferous It ring. white central a with purple of shades in growth tip little and life vase reasonable a has ‘Violet’. as known is it Israel In flowers. the past similar. very looks ‘Eclipse’ Most waxflowers are sensitive to ethylene, ethylene, to sensitive are waxflowers Most rendering drop, flower causes which is Pride’ ‘Purple unsaleable. product the Stems damage. such to susceptible highly if flowers their of 85% to up lose can ethylene. to exposed ), other other ), Chamelaucium species and and species Typical bunches look like this like look bunches Typical

introduced into Israel in the 1970s 1970s the in Israel into introduced now is It 1980s. the in Australia and countries, many in grown widely and Chile Africa, South including Peru. the to endemic is Waxflower for areas best The WA. of south-west with those are waxflower growing free- and climate Mediterranean a requires it but soils, sandy draining irrigation. summer Chamelaucium uncinatum Chamelaucium The name waxflower encompasses Geraldton Geraldton encompasses waxflower name The ( wax Chamelaucium hybrids. the is waxflower of feature distinguishing The in ranging flowers 5-petalled of masses large from colour in and mm 26 to 9 from diameter nectar- a with maroon, or mauve to white structure floral (the hypanthium central filled petals sepals, the of bases the of consisting in ranging together) fused stamens and maroon. or mauve to lemon from colour unique its of because popular is Waxflower cultivars various The forms. flower and colours offer species and 100) over numbering (now over forms flower and colours of range wide a November). to (May season flowering long a have waxflowers hybrid wider recently, More flowers feature are Many developed. been longer- the to contrast in right, own their in as used are which cultivars, established have also hybrids new These fillers. feature life. vase excellent bud in marketed be also can Waxflower and colour showing are buds the when cultivars Several across. mm 5 about measure e.g. market; bud the for grown especially are yellow with buds has which Drops’, ‘Lemon (horns). awns flower cut a as used been has Waxflower was and California), (in 1940s the since Waxflower is the most significant significant most the is Waxflower and flower cut native commercial It flower. cut export leading Australia’s of terms in flowers 20 top the in now is Europe. in sold volume

Product: Waxflower, Geraldton wax Botanical name: Chamelaucium uncinatum Cultivar: ‘Purple Pride’ Product: Waxflower, Geraldton wax STGSFN A E O OPE ING

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Immature stage – few flowers open: Early stage – 5%–50% of flowers open: Ready to market (earliest stage) unacceptable to markets preferred by only a few markets, e.g. – 50% of flowers open: suitable for for export export and domestic markets

Common defects

Common defects to avoid at market entry: n F lower or petal drop n S hrivelled, wilted or damaged flowers (due to mechanical damage, insect feeding or disease) n B rown marks on petals due to botrytis n O vermature flowers Fungal infection on leaves and Postharvest botrytis infection Fungal disease on leaves stems (suspected Alternaria leaf of flowers – use appropriate (powdery mildew and n D amaged foliage (tip burn, gall wasp spot) – discard (avoid by using fungicide treatments before and suspected Alternaria leaf spot) nodules, disease damage, wilting) appropriate fungicide treatments after harvest – use appropriate fungicide before harvest) treatments before harvest n P oor-quality foliage (yellow or wilted) n E xcessive tip growth beyond flowers n B ent stems

Excessive tip growth Bent stem – discard Grow-through and poor flower Overmature flowers (‘grow-through’) – discard set – discard – do not market The stages shown apply to the product at market entry. Pay attention to the weather, time of year, and mode and duration of transport, because the flowers will continue to open during transport. You must consult with your target market to ensure that the flowers arrive at the desired stage.

Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6 Ready to market (later stage) Mature stage – 70%–90% of flowers Overmature stage – petals curling – 50%–70% of flowers open: prime open: suitable for immediate use inwards and turning blackish-purple: stage for domestic markets unaccepted by many markets

Flower development: stages of opening from bud to overmature flower

Sparsely flowering stem, not Poor-quality foliage on right Gall wasp damage – discard Insect webbing in stem tip Insect casing on stem well balanced – discard – discard stems with poor- (magnified leaf) – discard – do not market quality foliage Product: Waxflower, Geraldton wax

FLOWERS GRADING AND BUNCHING

Appearance Flower colour clear and uniformly purple with a narrow Grading Reject any contaminated stems. white ring close to petal attachment to hypanthium. Sort stems according to flower maturity, length and True-to-type of the cultivar ‘Purple Pride’. thickness. Not dull blackish-purple (especially hypanthium) and lacking a white centre (typical of overmature flowers). Stem length 50–80 cm (measure from base to the top flower). No wilting. No flower drop. Bunching The number of stems per bunch varies, and is When to When 5%–50% of flowers are open, depending on determined by their length and by market and buyer harvest market requirements. requirements. Presentation is important. Stay consistent The domestic market generally requires more flowers to for the grade and make all bunches the same. be open (around 50%). Use 2 ties, 1 near base (3 cm from bottom) and another Avoid harvesting when flowers are wet. 12 cm from the base. Two ties make it easier to pack. Especially for export, stems should be approximately the Damage <5% of flowers deformed or damaged (including same diameter within a bunch, with the ends aligned. mechanical damage, shrivelling of petal margins and discoloured petals). Stem length Different markets require different bunches – broadly:

Contamination Product free of grit and soil, weeds or weed seeds, living Stem length (cm) Av. no. of stems per or dead insects, and signs of insects or spiders, such as bunch webbing. 80 5 Pests and No insects, insect damage or disease. diseases 60–70 5–10 (350–400 g, depending on customer LEAVES requirements) 50 10–15 Appearance Fresh, crisp appearance, with no signs of leaf burn or water stress. Avoid sleeves, which increase humidity and favour Uniform green; no yellowing. Sleeves botrytis. No leaf drop. HOLDING AND STORAGE Damage <5% of leaves damaged. Minimum evidence of pests, such as webbing, and Effective cooling soon after harvest is important to disease. Cooling retaining quality and maximising vase life. There are two Other blemish <5%. options: Free of visible chemical residues. • Cool, process, cool – for example, remove field heat by cooling flowers immediately on entry into shed to STEMS 10 °C in buckets of solution, process flowers (bunch, grade), and then cool to 2–4 °C by either forced-air cooling (if boxed) or holding overnight in a cool room. Straight, uniform and strong enough to support blooms. Appearance • Process within 1 hour of cutting, and then cool to No discoloration from fungal attack. 2–4 °C by either forced-air cooling for 20–30 minutes Up to 7 mm in diameter; avoid thicker stems. (if boxed) or holding overnight in a cool room (if in Bend <15°. buckets). Neatly cut end. Forced-air cooling of packed flowers is ideal for large volumes of product. No obvious grow-past, where the shoots at the stem tip grow through the flowers: maximum 3 cm soft tip growth beyond flowers (soft tips will wilt after harvest). Temperature If necessary, store in postharvest solution (see ‘Hydration’ below) at 2–4 °C for no more than 5 days, and preferably Leaves are not usually stripped from the lower stems – and humidity much less. check customer requirements.

Do this before a long (overnight) anti-ethylene pulse or RECOMMENDED HANDLING AT HARVEST Disinfestation (see ‘Common after a short pulse (room temperature). postharvest During harvest, minimise drying out and exposure to heat. It is better problems’ to harvest early in the day, as long as the stems are not wet (which can below) encourage botrytis). Transport promptly to a cool, shaded packing shed. Handle stems carefully, as petals fall off easily. HOLDING AND STORAGE cont’d COMMON POSTHARVEST PROBLEMS Refer to Postharvest Manual* for general advice. Anti-ethylene Use a commercial anti-ethylene silver solution, e.g. treatment Chrysal AVB, prepared according to the manufacturer’s Fungal decay Because waxflowers infected with botrytis can produce instructions (for more details, refer to the Postharvest in storage ethylene, effective preharvest management with Manual*). Treat bunches according to the product label due to fungicides is essential, especially within the 2 weeks (temperature and duration of treatment). botrytis (grey before harvesting. As a general guide, a 450 g bunch needs to take up 10– mould) Effective management of insect pests before harvest JN: 9794 • Layout by Wild Poppy Design • Edited Stevens, by Editing, Matthew ScienceScape Sydney 15 mL of pulsing solution. At 20 °C and 50% humidity, is essential, especially within the 4 weeks before this will take about 20 minutes, but can be affected by Insects (for harvesting. Use preharvest insecticide sprays to reduce temperature, humidity and whether or not the foliage export) the pest population at harvest. is wet. Uptake may be less effective if flowers are poorly Dip flowers that are to be packaged and held for any hydrated before pulsing. significant length of time (up to 5 days) in a registered The length of time waxflowers are pulsed with anti- fungicide and insecticide solution with added wetting ethylene treatments differs with cultivar. Check uptake agent for not less than 1 minute, then dry naturally for as described in the Postharvest Manual*. 2 hours to ensure thorough disinfestation. Do your own trials to optimise the procedure: over- pulsing can have adverse effects (e.g. rapid closing and Other fungal Fungi such as Pleospora species (sexual forms shrivelling of flowers). diseases of Alternaria and Stemphylium) have resulted in quarantine problems in overseas markets such as the You can also add EthylBloc anti-ethylene sachets to USA. The fungi can develop on stems after harvest. cartons when the flowers are packed (see ‘Packaging’ They need to be controlled in the plantation before below). harvest. Postharvest Postharvest solution: After pulsing, transfer flowers Ethylene ‘Purple Pride’ is moderately to highly sensitive, and anti- solutions to clean water, preferably with added biocide or a sensitivity ethylene treatment is required. See information under reputable commercial postharvest solution, and cool to ‘Anti-ethylene treatment’ above. 2–4 °C. and anti- Holding solution: Same as the postharvest solution. ethylene treatment Longer-term For longer storage seek professional advice, and test in storage the market before committing product. Messages for importers and wholesalers PACKAGING n Recut stems and place into fresh water containing a reputable Pack bunches of similar size (stem number, weight, or thickness) together. commercial postharvest solution, registered biocide or flower food. Put bunches of similar length together, and ensure all bunches meet this n Cool product before marketing or sending on and keep it cool and dry. specification. Pack boxes according to customer requirements. n Maintain good hygiene and keep containers clean. Pack bunches firmly but ‘springy’ so the product will not move and be damaged. But packing too tightly can damage flowers during transit. Messages for retailers Pack bunches head to tail. n Recut stems and place into fresh water containing cut-flower food or a Use boxes with holes to allow forced-air cooling. registered biocide. Do not line boxes with plastic, as this will increase humidity and the risk of n Use clean buckets and containers for displays. botrytis. Use paper if desired. Leave ventilation holes open to reduce humidity, ethylene build-up, botrytis n Do not display flowers in areas that are exposed to full sun, draughts, growth and flower drop. high temperatures or vehicle exhausts, and preferably do not display If EthylBloc anti-ethylene treatment is required, add the sachets to the cartons near fruit and vegetables. Use refrigerated displays if possible. according to the manufacturer’s instructions when the flowers are packed (efficacy may vary depending on packing situation). n Tell the customer how to care for the flowers and emphasise the need Cool flowers to 2–4 °C before transport. for cut-flower food in solutions. Give the customer a sachet of cut- flower food to take home. LABELLING AND DOCUMENTATION Messages for consumers Label boxes and buckets as recommended in Postharvest Manual* or as required by customer. n Keep vase filled with the correct solution of cut-flower food. Check Ensure box contents are exactly the same as specified in the daily, as flowers can use a lot of water. If cut-flower food is not used, documentation and on the end of the box. change the water at least every second day. Always use clean vases and clean water. TRANSPORT n Do not display in areas that are exposed to full sun, draughts or high Refrigerated vehicle, preferably at 2–4 °C, but not 0 °C. Preferably don’t temperatures. Keep as cool as possible without freezing. transport with ripening fruit.

SUPPORTING INDUSTRY PARTNER: The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances. The Commonwealth of Australia, Authors: Bettina Gollnow and Dr Ross Worrall. Photographs by: Lowan Turton. the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly This publication is one of a series of Quality Specifications for Australian Wildflowers. from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or omission, made in reliance on the contents of ISSN 1440-6845. ISBN 978-1-74254-012-2. RIRDC Publication No. 10/039. www.rirdc.gov.au this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia, RIRDC, the *The Postharvest Manual is the manual ‘Postharvest Handling of Australian Flowers from Australian Native authors or contributors. Plants and Related Species’, 2nd edition, 2010. ISBN 978-1-74254-000-9. RIRDC Publication No.10/027. © 2010 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. This publication is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. Requests concerning reproduction and rights Both publications were developed by RIRDC Project No. PRJ-000331. should be addressed to the RIRDC Publications Manager on phone 02 6271 4165.