The cooperative FLOR-COOP has been founded in the autumn of 1974 at Nebbiuno on the Lago Maggiore, by a small group of fruit- and flower-growers with a very exact idea: to begin the growing of acidophil plants exploiting the favourable climatic conditions.

They decided immediately to create nurseries with a very specific production, concentrating their efforts on a few species (that were already present in this growing area): Azalea Japonica, Rhododendron ssp, Camellia japonica and sasanqua.

Product specializing improves growing methods and consequently the cooperative was able soon to introduce itself on the national and international market.

The production increased constantly thanks to the positive marketing situation and consequently also the number of the nurseries making part of the cooperative enlarged.

A special attention was placed in the high product quality and good marketing: a trademark (“Fiori tipici del Lago Maggiore”) has been created for the plant promotion and the growers have all the same growing systems: this means uniformity of the plants in spite of different nurseries origin.

In the last years the production range has been enlarged, keeping the existing production: acidophil plants, flowering shrubs and little trees. So now you can find on our catalogue Acer dissectum and palmatum, Azalea mollis, Berries (Bilberry - Redcurrant - Goostberry), Euonimus, Hebe, Hydrangea (Hortensia), Ilex, Kalmia, Leucothoe, Magnolia, Mahonia, Nandina, Osmanthus, Phormium,  Photinia, Pieris, Prunus Laurocerasu, Rhyncospermum (Trachelospermum), Sciadopytis, Skimmia, Viburnum tinus.

Also the number of our nurseries and the growing area increased. Today, 21 nurseries make part of our cooperative, which are requested to place the whole production at disposal of the cooperative. The growing area goes from Ghemme, Suno (at the south shore of Lago Maggiore) to Ornavasso at the north of the lake; most of the nurseries are situated near Nebbiuno, seat of the cooperative.

Moreover we collaborate with other 10 nurseries, which have production contracts with FLOR-COOP; some of them are situated in another historical growing area of Piemonte (Biellese) and have their own specific production (Acer).

All in all our growers produce on more than 60 ha, about 25 of them covered. Normally they are family businesses, some of them have regular or seasonal employees.

The cooperative attends to everything making part of product promotion and marketing: price list, partecipation at exhibitions, selling net, order acquisition, order distribution to the growers, deliveries organisation, product quality control, collection.

Furthermore all the necessary raw materials for the production are bought centrally by FLOR-COOP: pots, peat, fertilizer,  a.s.o.

FLOR-COOP has founded a special nursery for the reproduction of acidophil plants, of which she makes part; in this way the supply of young plants to our growers is assured.

Our selling area is mainly Italy, but the export quotes in other European countries is increasing (first of all Germany, but also France, England, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, Rumania, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Hungary and Slovenia); this for specific products that can be different in the various countries.

In the last 7 years the export quote has increased from 8% to 43% of the whole business volume.