Barleria and celosia are the traditional under utilized flower crop therefore their information not most available in the books and other sources so we makes some effort for preparing presentation
Andreas Schleicher presents at the launch of What does child empowerment mean...
Barleria and celosia crop production technology
1. College of Horticulture-Bagalkot.
Course No : FLA 503
Course Title : Production technologies of
Traditional flowers.
Presented by:
D. Lava kumar,
Jr. M. Sc ,
Dept .of FLA.
Presented to:
A.M. Shirol sir,
Associate Professor,
Dept . of FLA.
3. Scientific name :Barleria cristata
Family : Acanthaceae ,
Origin : Native of southern India ,
Chromosome no:2n=40 ,
Vernacular names : December flowers,
Janti or Bansa , Violetta
(English),
Philippine violet , Blueball
barleria.
Named the genus Barleria ,in the honour of
French botanist J.Barrelier (17th century).
4. BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:
• Perennial , evergreen compact bushy , many
branched shrub , attains a height of upto1.5 mts.
• Tolerates regular pruning.
• stems: Angular and hairy green.
• Leaves: Opposite(entire to 7cm) , often armed with
spines in the leafaxils .
• Bracteoles: frequently represented by thorns
5. FLOWER
Axillary or terminal
Purple, blue , yellow or white in colour
Sessile, solitary or in dense.
Sepals : 4 in number,in opposite pairs
Corolla tube: Elongate , sometimes large
funnel
Shaped upwards.
Capsules : ovoid or entire,2 or 4 seeded.
Seeds: Surface hairs which swell when wet.
6. USES:
These are popular flowering shrubs.
Commonly grown in gardens as Hedge and shrubbery.
Making Garlands.
Adorning the hair of women.
Religious and ceremonial functions.
Leaves of Barleria opara used as vegetable.
Seeds of Barleria cristata used as antidote for snakebite.
Roots,leaves reduces swelling and infusion is given for cough.
Barleria prionitis used for catarrhal affections of children accompined
for fever and cough.
Leaf juice applied for feet to prevent cracking.
11. Barleria cristata:
Most common and important species
Popularly grown in gardens
Erect shrub ,branches are adpressed
by yellow hairs
Flower colour : violet ,purple , pink,
blue or white
Varieties : Aliporense , Celestis , Ciliata,
Sraiata , Dichotoma , Pulcherimma,
Candida etc.
20. Bushy and used as Fence
B.prionitis Yellow flower B.gibsoniiBlue flower
21. B.lupulina:
Attractive plant even without flowers.
Leaves dark green with red midrib, stems are chocolate colour
and flowers are yellow in colour.
Leaves Yellow flowers
22. HYBRIDIZATION:
In Barleria, there are many species and quite a good
number of varieties are available in B.cristata .
Cut blooms in barleria last for a short duration.
In mild tropical climate they bear flowers for several
months in a year, but in north India they flower in the
early cold months for a few weeks.
B.cristata forms used in cross breeding programs with
other interesting species to evolve attractive free-
flowering types with more flowers per axil which will
bloom for many months in a year and of cut blooms
will last for a longer duration . Bagging in hybridization
23. PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Barleria is grown in a variety of soils and climates.
Very hardy and can grow even in adverse soil and climatic conditions.
But, it prefers mild tropical climate for proper growth and flowering.
Prefers a sunny situation but will flower fairly in semi-shade.
Loamy garden soil rich in organic matter is best suited.
24. CULTIVATION:
Well pulverized soil upto a good depth ,free from
weeds , stones and other hard material is required.
FYM should be applied at the time of soil
preparation.
To facilitate irrigation and other cultural operations
, land is to be divided into plots
25. Planting:
Plants are easily propagated from seeds or by stem cuttings.
Spacing: 1.5mts either way.
1800 plants/acre may be planted.
26. Intercultural operations:
Barleria responds to manuring , but too much manure will encourage
vegetative growth .
Hamper quality and quantity of blooming.
For 1acre: 6tonnes of FYM
3quintals of inorganic manure is required.
NPK ratio: 17:17:17.
Half applied at the time of planting or after pruning,
rest half at 1 month before flowering.
27. Sufficient moisture in the soil is necessary for proper
flowering.
During summer and dry months , plants are to be watered
freely.
Done after blooming season is over.
Pruning helps in balancing vegetative growth and flowering of plants.
If properly done it induces good flowering.
28. Harvesting starts from June and remains upto February under Bangalore
Condition.
Yeild:3000 to 4000 kg/ha.
Price fluctuates greatly in different months depending on the supply
and seasonal demand of the flowers.
Highest during : Dec-Feb,
Lowest during : July-August.
30. Scientific name : Celosia argentia var. cristeta
Family : Amaranthaceae
Origin : Africa
Chromosome no :2n=36.
Other names :Cock’s comb , wool flower ,
velvet flower(Mexico),
Rooster comb (Spain),
Sita jada or pattukuchula puvvu
(in Telugu).
31. Importance
Celosia is a Greek word “kelos”
means ‘burnt’
Itself refers to the plant’s brilliant
appe-
-arence and striking flame like
flower
heads.
Botany
These are half hardy erect herbs upto
90cm in height.
It has narrow , alternate , entire or lobed
leaves.
Flowers are small , not individually showy
, borne in spikes or panicles .
32. Uses :
• Celosia cristata is a common garden ornamental plant.
• Used as cut flower-much vase life.
• Used as pot plant. Dry flower.
• Flower used as one of the major flower of Bathukamma-“festival of
flowers”.
• As leafy vegetable-broad leaf annual known Lagos spinach
C.argentea var argentia.
• Leading leafy vegetable in Nigeria known as “soko yokoto”Means
“makes husband fat and happy” mild spinach taste.
• As a grain (pseudo cereal).
• Used to treat intestinal worms like tape worms,blood diseases,mouth
sores,eye problems.
• Seeds-treat chest problems.
• Flowers-treat diarrhea.
39. Grows in wide range of soils ,
survive in well drained soils.
pH of the soil can be 6 to 7.5 .
Plants thrive well in fertile soils
with plenty of moisture.
40. These are generally grown in the hot and
rainy seasons.
Sometimes , they my be grown in winter
also.
They require full sun exposure for
blooming.
41. These are generally seed propagated.
Collect seed head or pod when flowers fade ,
allow to dry.
Seed production is very high i.e,200-700kg/ha.
1000 sees can weigh 1.0 to 1.2gms only.
Seeds are sown in well drained light soil.
Seed germination takes place in 6to8 days.
Celosia seeds
42. Done at four leaf stage.
Spacing:
Seeds sown in Jan-Feb for summer
flowering or
May to June for rainy season(mostly in
Telangana).
30X15cm-for dwarf varieties.
30X30-for tall varieties.
43. Minimum moisture should
be maintained for good
yield.
Watered regularly in sunny
days.
Drip system is highly
beneficial.
Not followed mostly.
One weeding is beneficial.
In the regions of Telangana it is grown
as intercop with cotton.
44. Harvesting:
Dwarf bloom earlier than the tall ones.
Harvesting is done after blossom
attaining full size.
Blossom can lasts for 8to10 weeks.
Harvested flowers
Blossoms ready for
Harvesting.
