Tanegashima Leatherleaf Fern

"Tanegashima Leatherleaf Fern" is an ornamental cut foliage, marked with a glossy dark green color and laterally symmetrical shape. It suffers little leaf break and discoloration, retaining its shape and color for a long time. Because of its high quality, it is useful for ceremonial decorations that demand formality, as well as flower arrangements.
The producing area, Tanegashima⁽¹⁾, boasts the largest shipment in Japan and drives the domestic production of leatherleaf fern leaves. The fern is traded at 30% to 40% higher than average market prices.

For Tanegashima Leatherleaf Fern, cultivars recommended by JA Taneyaku are used.
The ferns are cultivated in facilities where light can be shielded all year round to control the shading based on the instructions by JA Taneyaku. In winter, bagasse (strained lees of sugarcanes, a specialty of Tanegashima) is spread to keep the ground warm to secure a stable yield.
For shipping, the leaves should be sorted based on the "Shipping standards and evaluation criteria table" specified by JA Taneyaku and hydrated for one or two days after harvest. When the leaves are shipped in boxes, they should be covered by a plastic sheet atop a newspaper.

The producing area has a warm climate, and the entire island consists of acidic soil originating from volcanic ash. Thus, the area is blessed with natural conditions suitable for cultivating leathery fern, a temperate plant that favors acidic soil.
"Tanegashima Leatherleaf Fern" was introduced into the area in 1985. Because it is more profitable than sweet potatoes and sugar cane, which are the island's main crops, the entire area has promoted production and sales promotion activities as well as established cultivation technologies appropriate for the regional characteristics.
JA Taneyaku has played the central role in light shielding control, hydration, and shipment via refrigerated transportation, and activities to promote year-round shipment, such as using bagasse from local sugar canes in wintertime to protect the ferns against cold temperatures, have continued and become rooted in the area.
The stable supply of high-quality products for over 30 years has resulted in "Tanegashima Leatherleaf Fern" gaining high recognition as a reliable, high-quality decoration article.
As of fiscal 2017, there are 129 producers cultivating ferns on 15ha of land, which increased from 0.6ha at the time of introduction, and shipping about 5 million leaves. The area boasts of being Japan's top producer of ferns in terms of both cultivation area and production volume.

1. Tanegashima Island is the easternmost island among the inhabited remote islands of Kagoshima Prefecture. It is the fifth largest remote island in Japan. It is one  of the space development centers in Japan with a number of space-related facilities such as Tanegashima Space Center. In recent years, marine sports are becoming active, and many surfers are moving in.