Questions growers and collectors ask us most.

Three things. First, it is genetically identical to the mother — no variation. Second, it has never been exposed to soil pathogens, so it carries no detectable surface contamination at the point of dispatch. Third, the process scales — one mother plant can produce hundreds or thousands of identical plants in a year, far more than cuttings could ever deliver.

Yes. Tissue culture produces clonal plants — exact genetic copies of the mother plant you provided. The cultured plants will carry the same traits: leaf shape, flower colour, yield characteristics, growth habit. If you have selected a winner, the field will be full of winners.

Most plants, but not all — and some are much harder than others. Plants with reliable, documented protocols (most carnivorous plants, many ornamentals, aquatic plants, indigenous species) are routine. Plants without established protocols need a development phase first. We will tell you honestly whether your species is straightforward, challenging, or beyond our current capability.

We propagate only open varieties or material for which you hold a valid licence or written authorisation from the breeder. Many well-known blueberry, strawberry, protea and ornamental cultivars are protected under Plant Breeders' Rights. If you are unsure of the status of a variety, ask — we will help you check before any work begins.

For species already in our active rotation: 6 to 10 weeks from order to dispatch. For new species with a known protocol: 10 to 16 weeks. For fully custom protocol development on a species we have not worked with before: 3 to 6 months before the first commercial batch can ship. After that, repeat batches follow at 4 to 6 week intervals. These timelines do not include hardening time if you have opted for ex vitro delivery — add 4 to 6 weeks for that.

For collector plants and aquatic TC cups we sell by the flask or cup — no fixed minimum. For hardened ex vitro plants the minimum is 20 plants per order. For commercial propagation contracts the minimum delivery is 50 plants per species. If your needs don't fit neatly into these tiers, WhatsApp us — we would rather work something out than turn away a genuine project.

Yes. We ship plantlets across South Africa via courier in protective packaging. Shipping is quoted separately at time of order and depends on destination and order size. We do not currently ship internationally.

Tissue-cultured plants have been raised in 100% humidity inside a sterile vessel — they need to be gradually weaned to ambient conditions. We provide acclimatisation guidance with every order, and recommend a sheltered, high-humidity period of two to six weeks (depending on the species) before plants enter the open field or tunnel. Hardening is the most common reason TC plants are lost; doing it properly costs nothing and changes outcomes completely.

Yes. This is one of our core services. We establish a culture from your mother stock and hold it in slow-growth conditions as a living backup. We do not propagate or sell from preserved stock without your written instruction. This is appropriate for rare cultivars, family heirlooms, breeding lines, and irreplaceable genetic material.

Pricing depends on the species, delivery tier (in vitro unrooted, in vitro rooted, or hardened ex vitro), and whether protocol development is required. The best way to get a real number is to WhatsApp us with your species and target volume — we will reply with a quote within one working day.

Workshops are not yet scheduled, but we welcome serious enquiries from prospective growers or research groups. If you are interested in learning the technique, send a message — we will let you know when sessions become available.