Plant preservation gives life to indoor spaces – cut roses can stay in bloom for years, maintenance-free
- Think of it as foliage without the fuss. Trees, flowers and moss can stay looking fresh thanks to the use of a preservation formula
- Businesses and homeowners are investing in preserved green walls to brighten up indoor spaces
As an Australian expat living in Hong Kong, sometimes you just want to stop and smell the gum trees. Now you actually can, thanks to a relatively new way of preserving plants for indoor use.
Spanish company Verdissimo claims to have perfected a process whereby plants are harvested in their prime to have the sap and water removed, and replaced with a preservative formula.
The company says the formula is “100 per cent plant-based and biodegradable”, its main component being glycerine, and that the colourants added are the same as those used in the food industry.
Apparently, the process, first patented by Verdissimo as an industrial process in 1983, can add years of maintenance-free “life” to practically any plant, be it foliage, moss, flower, or a tree. With house plants being a big interiors trend of the past couple of years – a trend that shows no sign of cooling – this could be an appealing option for those who want foliage without the fuss.
If a plant has fragrance, this is usually lost in the process – but according to Sean Man Kin-shun, who sells the brand in Hong Kong, eucalyptus is an exception. “I don’t really understand why, but eucalyptus keeps its smell,” he says.