Neelakurinji Bloom at Meeshapulimala

Why in News?

Neelakurinji has bloomed at Meeshapulimala in Munnar, Kerala. The site was opened to tourists on October 26, 2026.

• This flowering event is considered unusual, as Neelakurinji typically does not bloom at elevations exceeding 2,500 metres.
• The Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC), in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), has launched the Kurinji mobile application to facilitate online bookings.
• Daily tourist entry is limited to 750 visitors in order to protect the ecologically sensitive landscape.

Neelakurinji

• Scientific name – Strobilanthes kunthiana
• Type – Flowering plant/shrub.
• Family – Acanthaceae.
• Habitat – Shola-grassland landscapes and montane regions of the Western Ghats.
• Distribution: Associated with the high-altitude hills of southern India, particularly the Nilgiri and adjoining mountain ranges.
• Flower colour: Bluish-purple.
• Special feature: Mass flowering transforms hillsides into carpets of blue-purple flowers.

Flowering Pattern

• Neelakurinji is renowned for its gregarious flowering, during which a large number of plants bloom simultaneously.
• Neelakurinji is commonly associated with a 12-year flowering cycle; however, flowering intervals may vary among different Strobilanthes species.
• In Munnar, the flowering progressed from lower elevations to higher elevations.
• The Meeshapulimala bloom is projected to continue until December 2026.
• The next Neelakurinji flowering season at Eravikulam National Park is anticipated in 2030.

Meeshapulimala: Geographic Location and Ecological Importance

• Located in – Kerala.
• Situated in – Munnar region of Idukki district within the Western Ghats.
• Ecological significance – A high-altitude mountain habitat that supports specialised flora and fauna.
• Wildlife – It includes the Nilgiri tahr, an endangered mountain ungulate endemic to the southern Western Ghats.
• The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC).

Significance of the Neelakurinji Bloom

• Neelakurinji typically does not bloom at elevations above 2,500 metres.
• The KFDC property, Rhodo Mansion, is situated at approximately 2,470 metres, where flowering has been observed on the surrounding slopes.
• Concerns were raised regarding delayed flowering attributed to El Niño effects and fluctuations in the monsoon.
• Subsequently, flowering was also observed on the Meeshapulimala hills.
• The report emphasises the unusual elevation and timing of the bloom but does not identify a definitive scientific cause for the observed flowering pattern.

Reference

The Hindu | Neelakurinji Bloom at Meeshapulimala