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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
Rosa gigantea A wild climbing rose with the largest flowers of any rose species 🇮🇳 India and 2 more · Wildflower Butterfly peaClitoria ternatea A climbing herb with vivid blue flowers used for dye, tea and soil improvement 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 8 more · Climber Guizotia abyssinica An annual herb grown for its oil-rich seeds and yellow flower heads 🇪🇹 Ethiopia and 6 more · Wildflower Calotropis A wild and weedy flowering plant with milky sap and fragrant blooms 🇮🇳 India and 1 more · Wildflower Mesua Evergreen shrubs and small trees from tropical southern and southeast Asia 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Flowering tree Daffodil orchidIpsea speciosa A rare bright yellow orchid of the hills in Sri Lanka and southern India 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka and 1 more · Wildflower Grey orchidVanda tessellata A yellow and brown checkered orchid from the Indian subcontinent to Indochina 🇮🇳 India · Wildflower Prickly blue poppyMeconopsis horridula A spiny blue poppy from the high Himalayas and western China 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Wildflower Primula capitata A Himalayan primrose with globe-shaped clusters of purple flowers 🇧🇹 Bhutan and 1 more · Wildflower Kashmir IrisIris kashmiriana A fragrant iris from the western Himalaya, often planted on graves in Kashmir 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Wildflower Freshwater mangroveBarringtonia acutangula A riverside tree with long drooping white flower clusters 🇦🇫 Afghanistan and 8 more · Flowering tree Paphiopedilum insigne A rare slipper orchid from the Khasi hills with helmet-shaped yellow flowers 🇮🇳 India and 2 more · Wildflower Elephant creeperArgyreia nervosa A climbing vine from Asia with large leaves and psychoactive seeds 🇮🇳 India · Wildflower Yellow Himalayan fritillaryFritillaria cirrhosa A rare Himalayan lily with bell-shaped, checkered flowers and prized medicinal bulbs 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Wildflower White garland-lilyHedychium coronarium Tall, fragrant white flowers from the ginger family, grown and loved across continents 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Wildflower BroomCytisus scoparius A yellow-flowered shrub found wild and grown in gardens, now invasive in many regions 🇮🇪 Ireland and 6 more · Flowering shrub 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 Poison bulbCrinum asiaticum A large white-flowered lily grown in warm gardens, toxic if eaten 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 5 more · Wildflower Orange jasmineMurraya paniculata A fragrant shrub or small tree with white flowers and orange-red berries 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Spanish cherryMimusops elengi A fragrant evergreen tree with cream flowers and edible fruit 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Flowering tree Datura metelधतूरा A shrubby plant with trumpet-shaped flowers, grown for ornament and tradition 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Garden flower Ceylon ironwoodMesua ferrea A slow-growing tree with drooping red leaves and large white scented blooms 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka and 6 more · Flowering tree Indian chrysanthemumChrysanthemum indicum A yellow or white-flowered chrysanthemum native to China 🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Wildflower Hairy Water LilyNymphaea pubescens A night-blooming water lily with softly hairy leaves and large pink or white flowers 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 7 more · Water flower Porcupine flowerBarleria prionitis A spiny yellow-flowered shrub grown for hedges, medicine and ornament 🇲🇲 Myanmar and 7 more · Flowering shrub Millingtonia hortensis Tall, fragrant-flowered tree known as tree jasmine or Indian cork tree 🇮🇳 India · Flowering tree Beach naupakaScaevola taccada A salt-tolerant shrub with fan-shaped white flowers on tropical beaches 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Bengal trumpetThunbergia grandiflora A climbing vine with large blue-violet trumpet flowers from Southeast Asia 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Climber Arabian jasmineJasminum sambac A small white jasmine with a strong, sweet scent, treasured in Asia for garlands and ceremonies 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering shrub Crown of thornsEuphorbia milii A spiny flowering shrub with red, pink, or white bracts, native to Madagascar 🇲🇬 Madagascar and 5 more · Wildflower Cleome houtteana Tall annual with pink, purple, or white flowers and long, whisker-like stamens 🇦🇷 Argentina and 5 more · Garden flower Elegant zinniaZinnia elegans A bright annual garden flower from Mexico with many colourful forms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 more · Garden flower Ixora Tropical evergreen shrubs with clusters of small, bright flowers 🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Garden flower Dutchman's pipe cactusEpiphyllum oxypetalum A night-blooming cactus with large, fragrant white flowers 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Foxtail orchidRhynchostylis retusa A long, hanging orchid with many pink-spotted white blooms 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Wildflower DaylilyHemerocallis Perennial Asian plant with large, short-lived flowers in many colors 🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Garden flower Yellow oleanderCascabela thevetia A tropical shrub with funnel-shaped yellow flowers and toxic seeds 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 more · Flowering shrub Noble dendrobiumDendrobium nobile A fragrant orchid with waxy blooms from the Himalayas and southern China 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Orchid 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 NasturtiumTropaeolum majus A bright edible flower with round leaves and trailing stems 🇧🇴 Bolivia and 5 more · Garden flower NeelakurinjiStrobilanthes kunthiana A blue-purple shrub that blooms once every 12 years in South India's hills 🇮🇳 India · Wildflower Vandaवन्दाका A tropical orchid genus prized for its vivid, long-lasting flowers 🇮🇳 India and 5 more · Wildflower Curcuma A group of ginger relatives with edible rhizomes, including turmeric 🇮🇳 India and 3 more · Herb or useful flower
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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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