‘Limoniums to bloom year around in UP’
PRAYAGRAJ: The eye-catching Limonium flowers that usually bloom in sunny climate, and are popular in floral arrangements, will now bloom in Uttar Pradesh around the year, including in extreme winter.
Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHUATS) MSc student Potla Vineetha has succeeded in growing these commercially much-in-demand flowers all through the year in Prayagraj, an achievement that holds great promise for the flower farmers of the region.
Vineetha has developed this plant under the guidance of SHUATS horticulture department head Vijay Bahadur and associate professor SS Saravanan.
“Growing Limonium in Prayagraj bears significance as it belongs to the Mediterranean plant species of the family of Plumbaginaceae, and in India, is mainly cultivated in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where it finds the climate
suitable. Full exposure to the sun is an important growing requirement for this flower, for without adequate light, the plants flop over. However, despite the temperature in Prayagraj dipping significantly during the winter, we have managed to ensure healthy flowering around the year in the local climate,” said Vineetha.
“Known for its papery flowers that can be used in dry arrangements, apart from filling material in flower bouquets, Limonium is also used in mixed borders,
rock gardens, cut flower gardens and also in various flower arrangements”, she added. Vineetha said that the plant was provided to her from Pune with a word of caution that it will not show positive results in open field conditions as found in Prayagraj during winter.
“I knew that the plant can be cultivated throughout the year for healthy growth with best performance occurring in light, dry to medium moisture, welldrained, sandy loam soil in full sun except clay soil which is too heavy for this crop,” she said.
The best thing about this plant is that it is a drought-tolerant flower and has a huge potential in the markets of the state, she added.
Although Limoniums lack fragrance but they are very popular because of its attractive colour.
“Using Limonium fillers in combination with Goldenrods is becoming increasingly popular in India because professional florists use fillers not only to flatter the flowers but also keep the costs down. Horticulturists can not only grow this flower but can get the harvest up to three flushes per year with each flush containing 12-15 stalks per plant,” Vineetha explained.
She said that apart from its decorative value, this plant also has various medicinal properties like natural antioxidants due to which they are also widely used as dietary supplements or food additives.
Some species of Limoniums are also used as a strong astringent and have long been used in the form of infusion or decoction as a domestic remedy in diarrhoea, chronic dysentery etc.