Tom, who runs a store specializing in Elkhorn ferns, was so fascinated with Elkhorn ferns that he left his job to start his own business.

Fascinated by “Staghorn” at the Corona Disaster

Tom: My name is Tom of Abnormal Corporation, which grows and sells the artistic plant “Staghorn”.

Takano (MC): You actually brought such an artistic plant, Staghorn, to our studio.

Celeina(MC): This is the Staghorn!

Takano: It’s quite large.

Tom: This is a very small type of Staghorn, and some of the larger ones are as tall as a person.

Celeina: Once again, what is Staghorn?

Tom：It originates from Southeast Asia, Africa, and Australia, and is a plant that grows on trees in forests.

Celeina: A plant that grows out of trees?

Tom: I imagine the plants are attached to different trees.

Takano: So the one you brought this time is also attached to something like cork.

Tom: This is a cork material with a local image cut out of it and tailored like this.

Takano: It looks cool, like a picture in a frame.

Tom: This kind of coordination is one of the charms of Staghorn.

Takano:The design is something you don’t usually see, or the otherworldliness is appealing.

Tom: When I first saw it, I was also shocked to see a plant that could be hung on a wall. From there, I was swamped.

Celeina：Tom, when did you first encounter the Staghorn?

Tom: I bought my first Staghorn around 2020, just as the Corona Disaster started working from home, and I was swamped from there. I quit my job in March of this year (2023) and started a company to grow and sell Staghorn in May.

Takano: So that’s how attractive Staghorn was to you.

Tom: Yes, they are. When you grow them, you get hooked.

Celeina：Do you get addicted to it because you enjoy the process of growing it?　What was the point that got you hooked, Tom?

Tom: At first, I thought it was nice because of its interior design, but when I actually grew it, I found that it grew much faster than other plants.

Celeina: It sounds like it gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Tom: Yes, it does. With cacti, for example, you can’t really tell if they are growing or not, but with Staghorn, you can see quite a difference in less than three days.

Celeina: On the other hand, are you saying that just leaving it alone for three days can make a big difference?

Tom: If you leave it alone for three days, it will grow quite a few new leaves.

Takano: Indeed, the leaves are spreading.

Tom: There are two kinds of leaves: sporophytes that spread out in a radial, geometric shape, and water-storing leaves that look like a crown.

Takano: They look like deer antlers.

Tom: The very word “Staghorn” refers to the antlers of a deer.

Takano: I had no idea (haha). I thought it was cool because it looked like a plant from the magical world.

Despite its appearance, it is surprisingly easy to grow.

Takano: I understand that you quit your job and started your own Staghorn company, and that you are now so hooked on the plant that you have started your own company.Does the company give us advice on cultivating ferns?

Tom: Of course. We are directly connected with the people who have purchased our products, and we send daily advice on how to grow them.

Celeina：For the Staghorn you brought to the studio, how often do you water them per day and how do you take care of them?

Tom: It is basically the same as a regular houseplant, and can be grown completely indoors as long as the elements of light, wind, and water are present. As for watering, once or twice a week is fine for this size.

Celeina: Do I just use a misting sprayer to water it?

Tom: You can water directly from the tap. As for light, we have LED lights for growing plants, so it is sufficient to use them.

Takano: Is there any problem when you are away from home for a while, such as on a trip?

Tom: I don’t think it will be a problem if I am away for a week or so.

Takano: You mentioned that you started your company at the age of 42, but even starting from there, you can handle it professionally, right?

Tom: That’s right. I’ve only been in the business for about three years, but because I got hooked on it, I wanted to convey its appeal to many people, so I started my own company.

Takano: So you are saying that anyone can start the Staghorn.

Tom: Yes. I hope you will start the Staghorn, too.

Takano: I’m really interested in it. I think it would make a great interior decoration.

Tom: I think it is a very easy plant to grow.

Celeina: What is the price of the ones you have in your studio?

Tom：We have a variety of Staghorns, starting at about 10,000 yen, but this one is quite rare and costs about a million yen.

Celeina: Oh, my gosh .

Takano: So they cost millions of yen. I’m a beginner, so I’d like to start with a few thousand yen.

Tom: There are some that cost that much.

Takano: I will check them out later. Let me play a song here. I asked Tom to choose a song that we would all like to listen to together on the radio at this time, what kind of song would it be?

Tom: I saw the movie “THE FIRST SLAM DUNK” this past February, and I was hooked on it because of my generation. The tense game and the fast-paced rhythm of the song are very appealing. I hope you will also pay attention to the lyrics, which were inspired when I started my own business.

“Staghorn” taught me not only the fun of growing, but also the fun of connecting with others.

Celeina：What kind of existence does the Staghorn have for you, Tom?

Tom：The most important thing is that they are soothing to look at. Also, recently, when I share my plants on social networking sites, I can connect with many people.

Celeina: So it is something that also makes connections with people.

Takano: It is interesting that it is like art that changes and grows day by day.

Tom: I think that’s what makes it fun and different from regular art.

Celeina: Another great thing about plants is that they return as much love as you put into them.

Takano: I’m getting more and more tempted to buy some.

Tom: I highly recommend it.

Celeina：Abnormal Inc. seems to be doing live sales on Instagram. What kind of content is that?

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Tom: Every Thursday at 9pm, we do a live Instagram feed. This is where we explain the Staghorn varieties and what we have available for sale and ask people to DM us if they want to buy.

Takano: This is a good system, and customers can comment on it.

Tom: Everyone adds their gaiety, and I enjoy doing it with a beer in one hand (haha).

Celeina: So if people actually want this girl after watching the live feed on Instagram, they can send a DM and purchase her?

Tom: Yes, that’s right. Sometimes purchases are by lottery, but that’s how we do it.

Celeina: We encourage listeners to check out the live show every Thursday night at 9 p.m. on Instagram at Abnormal, Inc. “FIST BUMP,” a circle of friends connected by goo touch around!　So, we are asking you to introduce your friends to us, who is Tom introducing to us?

Tom: This person is also one of the people who got hooked on Staghorn swamp. I would like to introduce Mitsuyuki Yuasa, who is a pet food coordinator.

Celeina: In a word, what kind of person is he?

Tom: In a word, he is also an abnormal person.

Takano: That’s the abnormal connection (haha). Tomorrow, we welcome Mitsuyuki Yuasa, a pet food coordinator.

Celeina: “FIST BUMP”, today we welcome Tom, a Staghorn enthusiast and representative of Abnormal Inc. Thank you very much.

Tom: Thank you very much.