About us

In 1997, the Wichmann company celebrated its centenary. The company Wichmann Orchideen is therefore one of the oldest and largest orchid companies in Germany.

Four portraits of men of different ages, arranged from old to young. Below the pictures is the inscription "100 years of Wichmann".

Aerial view of an industrial estate with several halls with white roofs, surrounded by fields and green areas. A residential building can also be seen.

Wichmann Orchideen has been in existence since 1897, making it one of the oldest horticultural companies in Europe specialising in the cultivation and care of orchids. With over 125 years of experience, the name Wichmann stands for the highest quality and tradition in the cultivation of tropical and subtropical orchids. The company is one of the oldest orchid nurseries in Europe.

The business is now run by the fourth generation, who, after thorough training, have maintained Wichmann's high quality standards and carried innovative approaches into the future. The Wichmann family and their dedicated team of around 20 employees are passionate about the production and sale of these fascinating plants, which inspire with their colourfulness and variety of shapes.

The company has grown and developed steadily over the last hundred years. New orchids are constantly being bred and have won important prizes at national and international orchid exhibitions, including the Green Week in Berlin and the Federal Garden Show.

Our chronicle

1897Founded as an "art and commercial nursery" by Heinrich Wichmann.

1908Construction of a first greenhouse of approx. 250 m².

1924Introduction of orchid cultivation by his son Franz Wichmann.

1930Franz Wichmann takes over the business.

1945Shortly before the end of the Second World War, the greenhouses and residential buildings are lost in the first and only bombing raid on Celle.

1948Specialisation in orchids and expansion of crops.

1951Participation in the first Federal Garden Show in Hanover.

1953First successful International Horticultural Exhibition (IGA) in Hamburg.

19654.500 m² as a municipal enterprise. Expansion on the company's own site in the village of Groß Hehlen to 6,500 metres by 1978² modern large greenhouses.

1967Takeover by son Johann-Christian Wichmann.

1973Expansion of the flower shop in Bahnhofstraße under the management of Mrs Christa Wichmann

1975Floral decorations in the Celle Residence Palace and the Bomann Museum

1979/80Closure of the city business and consolidation of both businesses in Groß-Hehlen to 10,300 m².

1981Expansion of the Wichmann Orchid Centre to over 650 m² sales area.

1982Significant switch to "in vitro" culture with contract laboratory abroad.

1985Relocation of the flower shop from Bahnhofstrasse to the Orchid Centre at Tannholzweg 1-3.

1990Establishment of an "Open Day" with more than 4,000 visitors annually.

1993Increasing production and export figures of young plants to neighbouring countries and overseas.

1997100th anniversary of the Wichmann Orchids nursery.

2001Fourth generation son Christian Wichmann joins the company.

2002/3Opening of an orchid e-shop and expansion of orchid shipping throughout Germany.

20051st installation of a state-of-the-art climate computer that controls all important processes in the greenhouses.
2nd relaunch of the website at www.orchideen-wichmann.de

2006Use of environmentally friendly technologies. Utilisation of waste heat from a biogas plant for the entire greenhouse complex.

2008Winner of the Taspo Award. Voted winner in the "Most environmentally friendly horticultural company" category by an independent jury.

2009Expansion of the production of Vanilla planifolia (orchid) as a decorative green and climbing plant to approx. 60,000 plants per year.

2010Certification as part of the project "Sustainable Celle - doing business for the future" as one of the first companies in Celle.

20111st expansion of heat utilisation from a neighbouring biogas plant.
2nd winner at the BUGA 2011 (Federal Horticultural Show in Koblenz): 13 x gold, 16 x silver, 5 x bronze resulting in the Grand Golden Medal and the bronze prize of honour from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection.

2012Relaunch of the website and use of a new shop system for more customer friendliness.

2018Relaunch of the online shop and expansion and improvements