Q.Growing of flowers is called:

Floriculture: The Science and Business of Flowers

Think of the last time you walked past a flower shop, or saw marigold garlands at a temple, or received a bouquet at a function. Flowers are everywhere — in celebrations, in gardens, in hospitals, even in the oils we use. But behind that beauty lies a whole industry. That industry is floriculture.

The everyday intuition

You already know that farmers grow wheat, rice, or vegetables. Now imagine a farmer who grows only flowers — roses, lilies, chrysanthemums, gladioli, orchids. That farmer isn't just growing them for personal joy. They are growing them to sell: to florists, to event planners, to exporters, to perfume companies. The entire chain — from planting a bulb to shipping a cut flower to another country — is what floriculture covers.

The precise meaning

Floriculture is a branch of horticulture that deals with the cultivation, processing, and marketing of ornamental plants — especially flowering plants, foliage plants, and cut flowers. It includes everything from growing flowers in a greenhouse to arranging them for sale, and from developing new varieties to preserving them for long-distance transport.

Why it matters — and what the NCERT says

In the NCERT textbook for Class 11 (Economics, Indian Economic Development), floriculture appears in the chapter on agriculture and allied activities. The key point is this: floriculture is a high-value, export-oriented activity. It is not a subsistence crop like wheat or rice. It is a commercial crop that earns foreign exchange and generates employment, especially for women and small farmers.

The NCERT specifically mentions that floriculture has emerged as a profitable agri-business in India. States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra have become major floriculture hubs. The government has even identified it as a "sunrise sector" — meaning it has high growth potential.

What it includes — a quick breakdown

• Cut flowers — roses, carnations, gerberas, lilies, orchids. These are harvested with a long stem and sold to florists or exported.
• Loose flowers — marigold, jasmine, chrysanthemum. These are sold by weight, used for garlands, puja, and decoration.
• Foliage plants — ferns, palms, decorative leaves. Used in bouquets and indoor landscaping.
• Potted plants — flowering or non-flowering plants sold in pots for homes and offices.
• Seeds and bulbs — production of quality planting material for other growers.
• Value-added products — dried flowers, flower extracts, essential oils (like rose oil or jasmine oil used in perfumes).

Why a commerce/humanities student should care

You don't need to know how to grow a rose. But you should understand that floriculture is a business — with supply chains, export markets, cold storage logistics, branding, and even insurance. It is a sector where India has a natural advantage (favourable climate, cheap labour, year-round growing season) but still lags behind countries like the Netherlands, Kenya, and Colombia in technology and market access.

A final thought

The next time you see a flower seller at a traffic signal, you are looking at the last link in a long chain — one that starts with a farmer who chose to grow flowers instead of food grains. That choice, and the industry behind it, is floriculture.