Kerala

Kerala's blue miracle: Neelakurinji Flower blossoms once in 12 years

Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) is a rare & distinctive flowering plant found in the Western Ghats of Kerala & Tamil Nadu. It blossoms once in 12 years. 

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Kurinji shrubs

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.

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Blue Hills

Neelakurinji turns Kerala's Idukki and Munnar into blue when it blossoms. The Neelakurinji has blossomed in Idukki's Kalyanathandu.

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Genus Strobilanthes

The Kurinji plant, belonging to the genus Strobilanthes, was first scientifically described by Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck in the 19th century.
 

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Kurunjimala Sanctuary

Kurinjimala Sanctuary protects the Kurinji within a 32 km² core habitat in Kottakamboor and Vattavada villages, Idukki district, Kerala.
 

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Neelakurinji in Literature

The historical novel Kurinji Flowers by Clare Flynn uses the Neelakurinji as a backdrop for a tragic love affair set in 1940s India.
 

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