Underexploited flower crops

Underexploited flower crops-importance and description - Scope of underutilized crops - Lisianthus- Agapanthus -Narcissus etc.,

1. Underexploited
flower crops

2. Introduction
The crops which are grown commercially on large scale nor traded
widely, or semi-domesticated

Plant species with a potential to contribute to food security, nutrition and
health, income generation, cultural values and ecosystem stability

The ornamental plant industry is characterized by its great diversity

Increasingly competitive international cut flower market - novelty of
crops -important role -maintaining and expanding market share

Customers always seek "something new."

3. Scope of underutilized crops
Diversify the present day agriculture – increase population pressure and
fast depletion of natural resources

Exploit the untapped potential of the region

Expansion of the area

Exploitation of the economic value of the crops

4. True novelty of underutilized crops
Wild harvested species -which have an existing market

Species suitable for introduction into cultivation

Species already cultivated or semi-domesticated

Their contribution to agricultural diversification

Better use of land (marginal and changing environment)

Food security and a more balanced diet

Contd…

5. Contd…
•Better safeguard of our agro bio-diversity

•Their economic potential

•Opportunities for market diversification

•Additional source of income to farmers and
employment opportunities

6. Underexploited flowers

7. Lisianthus - Eustoma grandiflorum
Gentianaceae
Speciality cut flower with beautiful blue flowers

North American wild flower

Also known as “Texas blue bell”

Relative new comer to commercial flower scene

Flowers have a good vase life

Striking bloom with consumer appeal

8. Agapanthus -Agapanthus sp
Agapanthaceae
Herbaceous perennial native to SouthAfrica

Commonly called as “Lily of the Nile”

Funnel shaped flowers – blue to white

The flowers are produced in many-flowered cymes on
long, erect stems called scapes

Agapanthus africanus -African Lily or African Tulip

Agapanthus campanulatus -African bluebell, African Blue lily or Bell

Agapanthus coddii -Codd's Agapanthus or Blue Lily

Agapanthus inapertus --Drakensberg Agapanthus or Drooping

9. Tulips - Tulipa spp. or T. gesnerana
Liliaceae
Tulip - the most important bulbous flowering plants

Popular as cut flowers and garden plants for many centuries

3000 varieties registered but number being cultivated on a commercial basis
is meagre

Various groups -flowering period and shape

Single, double, fringed, lily-flowered and parrot tulips

10. Freesia-Freesia sp - Iridaceae
Popular garden plant and an cut flower

Genus name - Honour of an German physician

Herbaceous plant propagated through corms

Flowers – funnel shaped and strongly scented

Common species- F.refracta and F.corymbosa

Tetraploid cultivars – white to yellow, pink and red

Pleasing scenting property – handcreams, shampoos and candles

11. Narcissus - Narcissus pseudonarcissus -
Amaryllidaceae
Third place -Most cultivated bulbous plants in Holland

A highly favoured bulbous plant

Commonly known as wild daffodil or Lent lily

National flower of wales

Spring flowering bulbs native to Asia and Europe

Commonly cultivated are the trumpet and large-cupped narcissi

Colour- predominantly yellow, but white, pink and orange

Used for both planting in the garden and for
cut flower production

12. Calla lily - Zantedeschia sp
Araceae
Common names include arum lily for Z. aethiopica and calla and calla
lily for Z. elliottiana and Z. rehmannii

Exotic bulb from South Africa

Produce large, showy flower spathes

Grown as both cut flower and ornamental plant

It lasts long time in winter

13. Zantedeschia aethiopica
Zantedeschia odorata
Zantedeschia
Zantedeschia albomaculata
Zantedeschia pentlandii

Zantedeschia rehmanii

14. Giant lily - Doryanthes excelsa
Doryanthaceae
Monocot species- long-lasting and enormous flower

Major limitations- long, variable, time period to flowering

Commonly known as the gymea lily

Tallest flowers in the world - Doryanthes genus
- Doryanthes excelsa and the Spear Lily or Doryanthes palmeri.

15. Day lily – Hemerocallis sp
Asphodelaceae

Most popular garden flower
Pale orange roadside lily : Hemerocallis fulva
 Night-blooming : Hemerocallis citrina
Fragrant lemon lily : Hemerocallis flava
 Highly valued for easy care, prolific flowering ability and long
bloom period
Thrives well in all types of soils and location
Flowering – June to September

16. Hyacinth - Hyacinthus orientalis
Asparagaceae
Common hyacinth, garden hyacinth or Dutch hyacinth

One of the bulbous plants cultivated exclusively in Holland

Bulb with a long tradition in the flower bulb sector

Favourite for forcing in pots during the winter months

Most cherished for its fragrance and colour
- cut flowers

17. Iris - Iris germanica
Iridaceae
•Rhizomatous types -probably best known for their unique flower shape

•Iris are most used for the year-round production of cut flowers

•Grown in both open and greenhouse condition

•Netherlands- Flower bulb growers plant their
bulbs in the autumn and lifting takes place in
the summer

•Iris type ‘coral’ is used for dried flower
arrangement

18. Triplet Lily- Triteleia laxa
Asparagaceae
•Common names : Ithuriel's spear, common triteleia and
grassnut
•It is native to California where it is a common wildflower,
and it is occasionally found in southwestern Oregon.
•Masses of blue- purple flowers with distinctive grass- like
foliage and is a Long lasting flower

19. Cyclamen - Cyclamen persicum
Primulaceae
•Persian violet or primrose
•flowering herbaceous perennial plant growing from a
tuber, native to rocky hillsides, shrubland, and woodlands
• Cyclamen come from the Mediterranean,
from Spain to Iran
•Cold hardy plant with blooming – flocks of butterflies
fluttering above the heart shaped leaves

20. Crocus - Crocus sativus
Iridaceae
Commonly known as saffron crocus, or autumn crocus

Early spring-flowering bulbous plants

Colours for the crocus are blue, purple, white and yellow

Addition to the most commonly cultivated large-flowering crocuses,
there are also small-flowering varieties

The corms are planted before winter and then lifted early in the
summer.

21. Crocosmia sp
One of the bulbous plant native to SouthAfrica. It is hardier plant than most
spring planted bulbs.

Sparaxis sp
Flowers with stunning beauty in rock gardens. It is also known as “wandflowers”.
It is an tender bulb with bright yellow throats and exotic constrating markings.
Crocosmia sp Sparaxis sp

22. Anemone - Anemone coronaria
Ranunculaceae
“Anemone” – Greek word meaning "windflower"
Herbaceous perennial tuberous plant
"Windflower“ - wind that blows the petal open will also, eventually, blow
the dead petals away.
Modern cultivars have very large flowers, with diameters of 8–10 cm
and a wide range of bright and pastel colours
Three types of anemone flowers
Spring flowering type - Rhizomes or tubers
Tuberous - Flowers in spring and summer.
Larger Fall flowering type - Fibrous roots

23. Cestrum - Cestrum sp
Solanaceae
Evergreen woody shrub with greenish white flowers

Widely naturalised in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the
world

Colloquically known as “cestrums or jessamines” ( symbolises jasmine –
fragrant flowers

Weed in some countries
Types :
Day blooming cestrum – C. diurnum
Night blooming jessamines – C. norturnum
(lady of night or queen of night)
Green cestrum – C. parqui

24. Ozothamnus - Ozothamnus diosmifolius
Asteraceae



A member of the daisy family

Produces terminal heads of white or pink
blooms.

A very large crop in Australia

25. Helichrysum- Xerochrysum bracteatum
Asteraceae
commonly known as the golden everlasting or strawflower, is a
flowering plant

Native to Australia

Range of sturdy, long-stemmed, large-headed forms.

A greater colour range is also becoming available

26. Heliconia spp
commonly called as Wild Banana

Leaves are paddle shaped, like the Banana

Hanging floral part looks like crab claws

Upright floral part looks like Lobster claws

Very long lasting and used for floral arrangement

Pollinated by Hummingbirds
Crab Claws
Lobster Claws

27. Blandfordia grandiflora

• Christmas or festival bells

• Striking bell-shaped terminal flowers - red
with a yellow edge

Boronia (B.heterophylla)
Rutaceae

• Hybrids like B. ‘Lipstick’ is cultivated as cut
flower

• Medium-term crop with long stem

(Lidbetter, et al. 2002)
Christmas bells, Festival bells

28. Exacum bicolor- Gentianaceae
Commonly known as “country kreat”

Herbaceous perennial with attractive flowers

India is enriched with 16 species of exacum


 E. bicolor is an elegant flower with great religious importance.

Choicest flowers to adorn “Trikkakkarayappan”-earthen entity worshipped
during onam

Herbal remedy against diabetes, malaria and as blood purifier

29. Other Underutilized Flowers
Alliaria petiolata Garlic Mustard
Anemonella thalictroides Rue Anemone
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Aruncus dioicus Goat's Beard
Asarum canadense Canadian Wild Ginger
Cardamine Toothwort
Claytonia virginica Spring Beauty
Cyclamen Hardy Cyclamen
Cypripedium acaule Pink Lady's Slipper
Dicentra canadensis Squirrel Corn
Dicentra cucullaria Dutchman's Breeches
Dodecatheon meadia Shooting Star
Echinacea purpurea Purple Coneflower
Erythronium albidum White Trout Lily
Eupatorium coelestinum Hardy Ageratum

30. Other Underutilized Flowers
Isotria verticillata Whorled Pogonia
Jeffersonia diphylla Twinleaf
Mertensia virginica Virginia Bluebells
Myosotis laxa Smaller Forget-me-not
Podophyllum peltatum Mayapple
Polygonatum biflorum Small Solomon's Seal
Sanguinaria canadensis Bloodroot
Silene virginica Fire Pink
Smilacina racemosa False Solomon's Seal
Stylophorum diphyllum Celandine Poppy
Symplocarpus foetidus Skunk Cabbage
Trillium grandiflorum Snow Trillium
Trillium sessile Wake-Robin
Trillium viride var. luteum Yellow Trillium
Viola pedata Bird's-foot Violet

31. Constraints
Non-availability of information- Major constraint

Lack of political and policy support

Lack of support by well-positioned agriculture companies and
organisations

Lack of interest by private enterprises to promote the marketing of new
crops

No source of germplasm, marketing and transporting of new crops


Contd….

32. Contd…
•Large scale indiscriminate and unregulated germplasm collection

•Lack of protection system

•High pressure of local communities

•Habitat destruction

•Demand for naturally growing plants

•Deforestation and urbanization

•Human unscrupulous indulgence

33. Strategies Needed
•Afforestation and rejuvenation of degraded forests – supplementing
and enriching biodiversity of crops

•Domestication of potential wild species to avoid over- exploitation

•Limited number of species target ed for detailed research

•Increased focus to document indigenous knowledge about these crops

•Systematic local specific crop planning in accordance with agro-
climatic regions

•Special emphasis on export oriented production programmes

34. Domestication of underutilized crops
Availability status
Geographical position
Agro-technology
Multiplication system
Post harvest management
Mode of utilization
Scope of further improvement
Market acceptability
Economic viability