How Lazzeri is future-proofing their crops

Behind the scenes with the leading breeder and young plant supplier in Italy

What do you get when you combine the efficiency and standards of Northern Italy with the rich horticultural soil that surrounds Rome? Lazzeri is your answer, a company founded in 1952 by Carlo Lazzeri, and which has such a focus on quality that no tray of young plants leaves the nursery unless all the leaf pairs are lined up. Here’s a pic if you don’t believe me on that…

Carlo began the company in the town of Merano, on a rather humble site at the foot of the mountains. First growing for production, mostly focussing on leafy houseplants - he soon turned his attention to flowering pot plants and soon ended up at the forefront of Poinsettia breeding in Europe (find out more about all that HERE).

A growing location with the warmer climate of Rome was set up in the 70’s, which meant he could reduce his heating bill and take advantage of the rich horticultural lands of Sabaudia - an area of land reclaimed from swamp just after WWII. 

Once he mastered Poinsettia, he then turned to Pelargonium development, and so on. In 2024, there are 2 breeders, supported by approximately 20 breeding assistants, and the team work across 15 crops, and are behind breakthroughs such as ‘Alaska White’ Poinsettia, and multi million-selling ‘La Signora’ Petunia series.

I was lucky to spend 24 hours with Andrea, Global Product Manager. We spoke about the breeding and company aims - and it was interesting to hear how those aims evolve as society changes.

With a strong focus on the environment in the last few years, demands to have plants that will perform without the need for growth regulant, plants that grow in cooler environments to save on heating bills, and plants that can fight off modern pests and diseases, have all increased. Peat-free is also becoming a focus, as not only the UK but also Germany start to push for supply in an alternative growing medium. Combine all this with the thirst for having something unique in the marketplace too, and you can see how Lazzeri have a tough - but enjoyable - job on their hands!

Breeding is split between Merano in the North of Italy, and Saubaudia in the South! Plants are tested across those locations too, not only on the growing site but also in real home gardens. With Poinsettia their most important crop (see my visit last December HERE), Dipladenia (aka Mandevilla) comes a close second, and we will be discussing that in the first of a series of articles next week. Other important crops, which I’ll be spilling the beans on include Portulaca, Petunia, Catharanthus and Pelargonium.