Indian Flowers

India’s rich biodiversity is home to a wide variety of flowers, many of which hold cultural, religious, and medicinal significance. Here are some prominent flowers found in India:

National Flower:

1. Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
   • Significance: The national flower of India, symbolizing purity, enlightenment, and rebirth.
   • Habitat: Often found in water bodies like lakes and ponds.

Other Common and Significant Flowers:

1. Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
   • Significance: Used in Hindu worship and medicinal preparations.
   • Varieties: Comes in various colors including red, pink, yellow, and white.
2. Jasmine (Jasminum)
   • Significance: Used in perfumes, in decorative garlands, and in religious ceremonies.
   • Varieties: Common types include Jasminum sambac (Mogra), Jasminum grandiflorum (Spanish Jasmine).
3. Marigold (Tagetes)
   • Significance: Widely used in religious offerings, festivals, and decorations.
   • Varieties: African Marigold, French Marigold.
4. Rose (Rosa)
   • Significance: Popular in gardens, religious offerings, and for making rose water and perfumes.
   • Varieties: Many, including Red, Yellow, Pink, and White.
5. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
   • Significance: Known for their large, sunny blooms and use in extracting oil.
   • Habitat: Commonly cultivated in farms and gardens.
6. Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra)
   • Significance: Decorative plant extensively used in landscaping and garden beautification.
   • Varieties: Vivid colors like pink, magenta, purple, orange, white, and yellow.
7. Champa (Plumeria)
   • Significance: Often associated with temples, used in worship and for making perfumes.
   • Varieties: White Champa, Yellow Champa, Red Champa.
8. Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
   • Significance: Sacred plant in Hinduism, used in religious ceremonies and Ayurveda.
   • Habitat: Common in household gardens.
9. Dahlia (Dahlia pinnata)
   • Significance: Grown for their spectacular blooms in a variety of colors.
   • Habitat: Cultivated in gardens, especially in cooler hill stations.
10. Aparajita (Clitoria ternatea)
    • Significance: Used in traditional medicine and also in religious rituals.
    • Varieties: Deep blue, white.
11. Nerium/Indian Oleander (Nerium oleander)
    • Significance: Used in landscaping for its colorful flowers, also used in traditional medicine.
    • Varieties: Pink, white, red, and yellow.

Regional Flowers:

• Rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum): State flower of Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
• Flame of the Forest (Butea monosperma): State flower of Jharkhand.
• Lily (Lilium): Grown in cooler regions like the northern hills.

Exotic and Lesser-Known Flowers:

• Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)
• Siroi Lily (Lilium mackliniae): Endemic to the Sirohi hills of Manipur.
• Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana): Blooms once every 12 years in the Western Ghats.

These flowers not only beautify the landscape but also hold significant roles in cultural practices, medicine, and the economy of India.