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🇮🇳 The flowers of India

261 pages from India: its flowers, the things made with them and the places to see them, across 60 cities and regions.

India’s flowering plants are among the most varied on Earth, with over 18,000 species thriving across its many climates. From Himalayan conifers to tropical rainforests and dry plains, each region supports its own mix of wildflowers and trees. India is also known for its wealth of medicinal plants and high number of unique native species.

  • India has over 18,000 species of flowering plants.
  • Eight main floristic regions divide the country’s plant life.
  • More than 3,000 species are used in traditional medicine.
  • The Andaman Islands are known for mangrove forests.
  • About 1,336 plant species are threatened by habitat loss.

The plant life of India

India’s plant life is shaped by its wide range of climates, from tropical to alpine. The country supports more than 18,000 species of flowering plants, making up a significant share of the world’s total. Forests cover about a fifth of the land, with broad-leaved deciduous trees like sal and teak common in many areas. Conifers such as pine and deodar grow in the high northern mountains, while tropical rainforests are found in the Andaman Islands, the Western Ghats, and the northeast. Each region’s unique conditions have led to a remarkable diversity of flowers and trees.

From region to region in India

The flora shifts dramatically from one part of India to another. The Himalayas are home to conifers and alpine flowers, while Assam and the northeast have evergreen forests. The Indus plain is drier, supporting tough, drought-resistant plants. Central and southern India feature dry forests dominated by teak, and the Deccan and western Gangetic plain have thorny vegetation. The Andaman Islands are noted for their mangroves and rainforests, and the Malabar region supports both lush woods and plantations.

Flowers to know in India

India is rich in endemic flowering plants, with many species found nowhere else. Sal and teak are two of the most widespread and important trees. Pines, junipers, and deodars are typical in the Himalayas. The country also has a long tradition of using over 3,000 plant species for medicine, and more than 800 are used by tribal communities. The Andaman Islands stand out for their unique mangrove species.

How flowers are used in India

Plants have been central to Indian life for centuries, especially as sources of traditional medicine. Thousands of species are officially recognized for their medicinal value, and many are still used by tribal groups. Plantation crops are important in regions like Malabar. Ethnobotanical research continues to document how people use native flowers and plants.

Threats and protection in India

Habitat loss threatens over 1,300 plant species in India, with about 20 possibly extinct. Conservation efforts include the publication of a Red Data Book by the Botanical Survey of India, which lists endangered plants. Forest cover remains below the national target, and protecting rare and endemic species is an ongoing concern.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Flora of India", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Flower experiences in India

All 24
🇮🇳 Mumbai · All yearDadar flower market at dawnMumbai's wholesale flower market beside Dadar station, at its busiest before the city has had breakfast. 🇮🇳 Kolkata · All yearMullick Ghat flower market under Howrah BridgeA crowded riverside flower market on the Hooghly, in the shadow of Howrah Bridge. 🇮🇳 Bengaluru · All yearKR Market flower hallBengaluru's old city market, where the flower floor is best seen from the stairs above. 🇮🇳 Chennai · All yearKoyambedu wholesale flower marketThe flower block of Chennai's vast Koyambedu wholesale complex, busiest before sunrise. 🇮🇳 Madurai · All yearMadurai malli at the Mattuthavani flower marketThe wholesale market that sets the daily price of Madurai malli, the jasmine the city is famous for. 🇮🇳 Delhi · All yearGhazipur phool mandiDelhi's wholesale flower market in the east of the city, where the capital's bouquets and garlands begin.

Cities and regions of India

Srinagar 7Delhi 6West Bengal 6Kashmir 5Tamil Nadu 5Agra 4Assam 4Bengaluru 4Himachal Pradesh 4Kerala 4Sikkim 4Andhra Pradesh 3Jammu and Kashmir 3Jharkhand 3Kannauj 3Maharashtra 3Telangana 3Tripura 3Uttarakhand 3Andaman Islands 2Bengal 2Bihar 2Chandigarh 2Himalayas 2Howrah 2Idukki 2Khasi hills 2Kochi 2Kolkata 2Ladakh 2Lucknow 2Madhya Pradesh 2Manipur 2Meghalaya 2Odisha 2Punjab 2Rajasthan 2Shillong 2Thiruvananthapuram 2Thrikkakara 2Uttar Pradesh 2Achabal 1Anantnag district 1Arunachal Pradesh 1Aurangabad 1Badrinath 1Banavasi 1Baran 1Bhubaneswar 1Bijapur 1Bodh Gaya 1Brahmapur 1Calcutta 1Chhatrapur 1Chhattisgarh 1Chikkamagaluru 1Coonoor 1Daman 1Darbhanga 1Darjeeling 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
KindWildflowerGarden flowerCut flowerFlowering treeFlowering shrubBulb flowerClimberOrchidWater flowerCactus or succulentAlpine flowerTropical flowerHerb or useful flower
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
PeachPrunus persica A flowering fruit tree from China, grown for its pink blossoms and sweet fruit 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree Eucalyptus The tall, aromatic trees and shrubs known as gum trees or eucalypts 🇦🇺 Australia and 7 more · Flowering tree Acacia Shrubs and trees with golden or cream puffball flowers, native mostly to Australia 🇦🇺 Australia and 6 more · Wildflower Bitter orangeCitrus × aurantium The citrus tree behind Seville orange marmalade and Neroli oil 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Flowering tree Black locustRobinia pseudoacacia A tall, fragrant-flowered tree native to eastern North America 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Flowering tree BaelAegle marmelos A spiny tree with fragrant yellow-green flowers and hard-shelled aromatic fruit 🇮🇳 India and 6 more · Flowering tree Camellia Evergreen shrubs and trees with showy blooms, best known for tea and garden flowers 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Garden flower Plumeria Fragrant tropical tree with waxy, five-petaled flowers in many colours 🇲🇽 Mexico and 6 more · Flowering tree Bauhinia A tropical tree with butterfly-shaped flowers in vivid colours 🇮🇳 India and 6 more · Flowering tree Beach BarringtoniaBarringtonia asiatica A coastal tree with fragrant night-blooming flowers and buoyant toxic fruit 🇹🇿 Tanzania and 7 more · Flowering tree Clerodendrum A genus of shrubs and climbers with showy tubular flowers 🇮🇳 India and 3 more · Flowering shrub Saraca indica Evergreen tree with orange to red flower clusters from Southeast Asia 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 3 more · Flowering tree Mesua Evergreen shrubs and small trees from tropical southern and southeast Asia 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Flowering tree Freshwater mangroveBarringtonia acutangula A riverside tree with long drooping white flower clusters 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 8 more · Flowering tree Bayur treePterospermum acerifolium A tall Southeast Asian tree with large fragrant white flowers and dinner-plate leaves 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 2 more · Flowering tree MahuaMadhuca longifolia A tropical tree with sweet edible flowers and oil-rich seeds 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Flowering tree Spanish cherryMimusops elengi A fragrant evergreen tree with cream flowers and edible fruit 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Flowering tree Ceylon ironwoodMesua ferrea A slow-growing tree with drooping red leaves and large white scented blooms 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka and 6 more · Flowering tree Millingtonia hortensis Tall, fragrant-flowered tree known as tree jasmine or Indian cork tree 🇮🇳 India · Flowering tree Pride of IndiaLagerstroemia speciosa A tree with showy pink to purple flowers, grown across South and Southeast Asia 🇮🇳 India and 6 more · Flowering tree KadambaNeolamarckia cadamba A tropical tree with fragrant orange globe-shaped flowers from South and Southeast Asia 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Flowering tree Crape myrtleLagerstroemia indica A summer-flowering tree with crinkled blooms in white, pink, purple or red 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree Yellow Flame TreePeltophorum pterocarpum A tall tree with masses of golden yellow summer flowers 🇦🇺 Australia and 7 more · Flowering tree Pink trumpet treeHandroanthus impetiginosus A tall South American tree with pink trumpet-shaped flowers 🇵🇾 Paraguay and 4 more · Flowering tree Rhododendron arboreum A Himalayan rhododendron with clusters of red, pink, or white bell-shaped flowers 🇳🇵 Nepal and 7 more · Wildflower Wild Himalayan CherryPrunus cerasoides A cherry tree with pinkish white blossoms from the Himalayas and Southeast Asia 🇮🇳 India and 5 more · Flowering tree Flame of the forestButea monosperma A tree with vivid orange-red flowers, sacred in Hindu and Buddhist traditions 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Flowering tree Red silk-cotton treeBombax ceiba A tall Asian tree with bright red spring flowers and cottony seed pods 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree Fragrant screw-pinePandanus odorifer A small tropical tree with sweet-scented flowers used for perfume and rituals 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Flowering tree Golden showerCassia fistula A tree with long clusters of bright yellow flowers in late spring and early summer 🇮🇳 India and 6 more · Flowering tree MilkwoodTabernaemontana A tropical shrub or small tree with fragrant white flowers and milky sap 🇮🇳 India and 2 more · Flowering shrub Golden wattleAcacia pycnantha Australia's national flower, with fluffy golden blooms and sickle-shaped phyllodes 🇦🇺 Australia and 7 more · Flowering tree Senna spectabilis A fast-growing tree with bright yellow summer flowers, native to South America 🇧🇷 Brazil and 7 more · Flowering tree Weeping bottlebrushMelaleuca viminalis A red-flowered Australian tree with weeping branches and bottlebrush blooms 🇦🇺 Australia and 5 more · Flowering tree Sweet acaciaVachellia farnesiana A thorny shrub or small tree with fragrant yellow flowers used in perfumery 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Flowering shrub Cordia A tropical genus of shrubs and trees with edible fruit and fragrant flowers 🇮🇳 India and 3 more · Flowering tree ChampakMagnolia champaca A tall tree with fragrant yellow to orange flowers, prized in South and Southeast Asia 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 7 more · Flowering tree Royal poincianaDelonix regia A tropical tree with bright red-orange flowers and fern-like leaves 🇲🇬 Madagascar and 8 more · Flowering tree Campbell's MagnoliaMagnolia campbellii A Himalayan tree with large pink or white flowers blooming before the leaves 🇨🇳 China and 3 more · Flowering tree Indian coral treeErythrina variegata A thorny tree with scarlet flowers, grown across Asia and the Pacific 🇧🇷 Brazil and 7 more · Flowering tree Plumeria alba A small tree with white, fragrant flowers and yellow centers 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico and 6 more · Flowering tree Combretum A large group of tropical trees and shrubs called bushwillows 🇿🇦 South Africa and 5 more · Flowering tree

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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