A busy time for all in the tree trade

Because Christmas can never be Christmas without a tree, trades people who deal with this Yuletide plant can smile from ear to ear.

This year, two of the largest live Christmas trees in Kuala Lumpur can be found at the Mandarin Oriental on Jalan Pinang.

A team of 15 people, plus the sales manager were tasked to carry the two 4.8m Noble Firs. Imported all the way from Oregon by Floristika.com.my Sdn Bhd., each tree cost RM20,000 including specially-made stainless steel stands costing RM2,500 each, transport and labour charges.

The hotel’s business development manager Yen Chow described it as a delicate operation.

“The most valuable part of a Christmas tree is the tip, as this is where the star rests. Break this part and the whole tree will be rendered unsaleable,” says Chow.

In the heat of the tropics, the idea of Christmas trees may seem out of place, but deputy general manager May Chen assures the “Malaysia Boleh!” spirit is unrestricted by climate when it comes to the universal celebration of giving and goodwill.

“We may be a country with a Muslim -majority population, but one must remember the retail and FB industries ride on this universal celebration. As this is also the time for year-end holidays, it all ties in nicely for a time of rejoicing and celebration,” says Chen.

In addition to large deliveries, the company also has a ready-decorated package.

“At home, decorating a Christmas tree is most fun the DIY way. It is a different story with financial and banking institutions who do not have their own in-house florists,” says Chen.

At present, customers who have opted for the tree-with-deco package include Far East Hospitalities and Standard Chartered.

“Professional charges are RM300 per florist. An 8ft tree will require three florists to do the arrangement, which will be done at the shop before it is transported to the client’s location. Total charges will depend on the trimming, lighting and ornaments used,” says Chen, showing off an 8ft sample in her showroom carrying a price tag of RM2,300.

Having built a track record for importing live Noble Fir trees from the United States for the past three years now, Chen reveals their local office in Jalan Liku, Bangsar, receives some two 40ft containers of trees in varying heights of 1.2m to 2.47m from its Singapore headquarters every season.

The business of importing trees, Chen suggests, is not a game for small fries. Refrigeration becomes a main concern in preventing a stockpile, which can bring in estimated sales of RM300,000 between November and December, from wilting.

“You need refrigerated trucks and cold room facilities. At Floristika, we have the largest cold room in Malaysia measuring some 232.2576 sq m,” reveals Chen, adding that Floristika’s yearly sales can reach RM7mil.

But what of those who’d prefer to do without the fuss of refrigeration?

For that, head south to the idyllic village of Parit Penyengat in Muar, Johor to SJH Nursery and Landscaping.

Founded in 1992 by the late Gan Ban Kim, who passed away after suffering a stroke last year, it is now run by the Gan siblings and the matriarch who manages their wholesale plants business from 30 acres of old oil palm estate land.

For a bit of background info, apart from being known as “Furniture City” and famours for asam pedas, Muar is also well known as a source for landscaping plants. According to Alex, 35, who started working in the nursery from age 15, some 70% of the greens used in landscaping projects around Malaysia originates from here. The company distributes roughly 30% of it products tothe Kuala Lumpur market, 20% to Selangor and the rest is exported to Singapore.

“It’s mainly a cost issue. Land in KL and Selangor is too costly for nursery businesses. In Muar, the price of land is still reasonable. Transport is also easy because of its central location,” says Alex.

For a Malaysian style Yuletide, the local version of the Christmas tree can be found in two species — the Araucaria Heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine) and Juniperus Chinensis (Chinese Juniper). Safe for constant watering, both species can thrive very well with no need for air conditioning.

“We brought these seedlings and started propagating them eight years ago to follow trends in landscaping. Yes, like fashion, even plants are subject to this. Three years ago, palm trees were all the rage.

Currently, it’s bucidas and casuarinas. The araucarias and juniperus are always popular with schools and army camps because the trees do not drop a lot of leaves,” reveals Alex.

The Gans, who plant no less than 500 saplings at one go, say it will take a year for an araucaria to reach the desired market height of 7ft to 8ft (2.1m to 2.43m). In fact, an araucaria can be sold as soon as it reaches a height of 3ft.

Retail prices for an araucaria sapling can be anywhere between RM15 to RM20 per pot while a fully grown 8ft tree may cost RM100 or more. Per order, the Gan siblings may get orders of 100 trees at a time.

Currently, market prices for junipers are higher than an araucaria’s by 10% because of their dense foliage.

Currently, a 5.5m juniper still resides in the nursery grounds waiting for the right buyer. James, the sibling in charge of business development estimates the price tag at RM3,000 not including delivery.

The business of growing Christmas trees, says the Gan brothers, requires infinite patience.

“It’s not like baking a cake where you can see results within an hour,” says James.

The trick is to control not only the height but to ensure the branches form an attractive fan for a balanced look when tinsel and ornaments are hung.

“We start by growing them in poly bags to make transplanting easy. But care has to be taken not to break the green shoots coming out from the trunk because they will not regrow. The popular sizes are usually within the 3ft to 8ft range with the trunk measuring about 2.5cn in diameter.

“While the prices of most trees appreciate in tandem with its trunk’s thickness, the lushness of the araucaria’s foliage has a funny way of becoming sparser as the trunk’s diameter increases.

“For the Christmas season, demand shows a preference for thicker foliage instead so we have to engineer this,” says Alex. Challenges like diseases aside, running a nursery means Mother Nature is always boss.

“In 2007 when Johor experienced unusually heavy rains that made it into the history books as the worst flood in Peninsular Malaysia, our nursery was under 1m of water for close to a week.

“All our shrubs died. Even the trees had to be let go at discounted prices of 30% to 40% because they were beginning to change colour.

“In total, we suffered an estimated loss of RM100,000. In the Parit Penyengat area, some 10 nurseries were affected,” reveals James, adding that SJH reports yearly sales of about RM2mil.

Chong Mee Ling, supervisor of Christmas tree supplier Hello Planet, on the other hand offers her support for plastic trees. Though not as green in the eco sense, it promises owners a hassle-free time.

“The configurations for plastic trees are endless. You have the ones which come ready with fruit and pine, some have built in lights, and some have snow-covered leaves. You can even opt for trees with denser or thinner foliage, depending on your decoration requirements.

“The popular choices for this year are black and white trees,” says Chong.

And unlike live trees, plastic ones do not come with expiry dates. A plastic tree can easily last 10 years, says Chong.

“Per season, we order close to 100 units for each size ranging from 5ft to 10ft. Prices can start from as low as RM30 for the table top versions to RM700 for the 10 footers.

“There have been seasons when we cannot sell off all the stock, but that is no major worry as we can keep them for next year. This year for example, our black trees were from last year’s stockpile,” smiles Chong.

A busy time for all in the tree trade