The botanical name of Nerium is Nerium indicum Mill.; it belongs to the family Apocynaceae
Varieties: Single Rose, Single White, Single Red and Double Types.
Soil: Red lateritic or black or loamy soils with adequate drainage.
Propagation and planting: Hard or semi hard woodcuttings of 60 cm length are used; their ends are buried inside the soil forming an arch. Rooted cuttings can also be planted in the normal manner during June to July in 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm pits dug at 2 x 2 m spacing and filled with FYM, red earth and top soil.
Aftercultivation: The plants are irrigated as and when required and manured with 10 t FYM/ha during January and again in August. No chemical fertilizers are normally applied.
Plant protection against Pests and diseases
No serious pests or diseases affect this crop.
Leaf Caterpillar: Spray endosulfan 35 EC 1 ml/lit or phosalone 35 EC 1 ml/lit or monocrotophos 2 ml/lit.
Flowering season: Throughout the year.
Peak flowering between April to August.
Harvest: Flowering begins from the 4th month after planting.
Yield: 100 - 125 kg of flowers/ha/day
