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Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) is a rare & distinctive flowering plant found in the Western Ghats of Kerala & Tamil Nadu. It blossoms once in 12 years.
They are bushy shrubs that flower in big intervals and can sometimes take longer than 12 years to produce flowers. It is known for its beautiful blue-violet flowers.
Neelakurinji turns Kerala's Idukki and Munnar into blue when it blossoms. The Neelakurinji has blossomed in Idukki's Kalyanathandu.
The Kurinji plant, belonging to the genus Strobilanthes, was first scientifically described by Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck in the 19th century.
Kurinjimala Sanctuary protects the Kurinji within a 32 km² core habitat in Kottakamboor and Vattavada villages, Idukki district, Kerala.
The historical novel Kurinji Flowers by Clare Flynn uses the Neelakurinji as a backdrop for a tragic love affair set in 1940s India.