Growing · 5 min
Why chrysanthemums love our altitude
What the Zambian highlands do for stem length and colour.
Lusaka sits over a thousand metres above sea level, and our chrysanthemums are better for it. Cool nights slow the crop down, and a slower crop builds longer, stronger stems and richer colour than the same variety grown in the heat.
In the greenhouse we manage the rest: shade netting takes the edge off the midday sun, drip lines feed each plant exactly what it needs, and beneficial insects keep pests in check without spraying.
The result is a chrysanthemum with sixty to seventy centimetre stems and a vase life that holds up all week. It is one of the quiet advantages of growing in Zambia, and one of the reasons we believe Zambian flowers belong on shelves across the region.