India is emerging as a reliable global supplier of cut flowers thanks to diverse climates, greenhouse adoption, and improving cold chains. Export success depends on matching market grades, reliable year round volumes, and strong post harvest practices from harvest to arrival. This guide highlights the Top 10 Flower Varieties for Export from India that secure orders across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. For each crop, you will find demand signals, cultivation systems, harvest indices, packing tips, and compliance cues. Use these insights to plan varieties, time flushes for peak festivals, and align with buyer specifications that sustain margins and reduce claims.
#1 Rose
Roses lead Indian cut flower exports due to strong year round demand, broad color range, and proven greenhouse performance. Focus on Dutch type hybrid tea and spray cultivars with high bud count, long stems, and tight centers suited to long transit. Maintain fertigation with balanced EC and calcium for sturdy stems. Harvest at tight bud for long hauls, grade by stem length, and hydrate quickly in clean solutions. Pre cool to remove field heat, use sleeves with water tubes, and ship in corrugated telescopic cartons. Adopt GlobalGAP and MPS to access premium European programs and reduce phytosanitary risks.
#2 Carnation
Carnations are valued for excellent vase life, predictable year round production, and vibrant colors for retail mixes. Select standard and spray types adapted to mild winters and cool greenhouse ranges. Control internode length through precise fertigation and light management for export grade stems. Harvest when outer petals loosen slightly, bunch uniformly by length, and secure hydration with clean pulsing. Ethylene sensitivity is moderate, yet clean handling is vital to prevent bacterial blockages. Pack upright with protective sleeves, maintain two to four degrees Celsius in the chain, and align shipments with European promotions and Gulf events.
#3 Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums supply mass market bouquets and premium retail lines through spray and disbud forms. Choose virus indexed material and maintain strict sanitation to avoid leaf miner and thrips outbreaks that jeopardize consignments. Net houses and climate controlled structures support consistent head size and uniformity. Harvest sprays when two to three flowers are open, retain guard petals on disbuds, and grade tightly by diameter and stem length. Use hydration solutions, top ice only if specified, and protect heads with netting. Sea freight trials are growing for durable varieties, offering cost savings when pre cooling and vent settings are precisely managed.
#4 Gerbera
Gerberas remain a favorite for mixed bouquets due to bold discs, strong colors, and reliable yields in greenhouse benches. Maintain root health through cocopeat media, careful irrigation, and integrated pest management to prevent botrytis and mites. Harvest at right disc angle with firm peduncles to avoid bending. Use test tube vials with clean water or preservative to support transit. Grade by flower diameter and stem length, protect petals with caps or soft sleeves, and avoid compression in cartons. Demand is stable across Europe and the Middle East, with bright oranges, reds, and bi colors selling strongly in seasonal programs.
#5 Orchid
Orchids such as Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis command premium pricing in Gulf and Asian markets and tolerate air freight durations well. Kerala and Northeast belts offer humidity and temperature profiles suited to shade house cultivation. Maintain meticulous hygiene, vertical supports, and balanced nutrition to sustain spike length and flower count. Harvest when first two or three florets are open, keep spikes straight, and sleeve carefully to avoid bruising. Use ventilated cartons with inner liners, high relative humidity, and cool chain integrity around twelve to fifteen degrees depending on genus. Ethylene management and clean hydration protect sheen, helping maintain shelf appeal on arrival.
#6 Lily
Lilies including Oriental and Asiatic lines are prized for premium bouquets and event decor with high average selling prices. Bulb quality determines success, so work with reliable pre chilled imports and monitor sprout uniformity. Greenhouse control of temperature, humidity, and light ensures bud count and stem strength for export grades. Harvest at bud color break with at least one bud showing paint. Remove pollen only when buyers request it, hydrate promptly, and maintain cool chain near two degrees Celsius. Pack upright with rigid sleeves and divider boards to protect buds, and align supply with festive peaks across Ramadan, Christmas, and New Year.
#7 Tuberose
Tuberose offers strong fragrance driven demand in Gulf markets for both spikes and loose florets used in garlands. Open field and net house systems in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal deliver reliable spikes. Select double types for export, maintain steady nitrogen and potassium, and manage thrips to preserve bud quality. Harvest at one to two open florets, bunch uniformly, and hydrate to prevent wilting. Ship in ventilated cartons with moisture retaining liners and maintain cool chain. Loose florets require clean plucking, sulphitation where permitted, and insulated transport that preserves aroma and reduces bruising during last mile handling.
#8 Gladiolus
Gladiolus is a dependable export candidate thanks to strong stem architecture, vivid colors, and competitive production costs. Plant staggered corms to program spikes for weekly export windows. Maintain staking, balanced nutrition, and timely disease management for straight, long stems. Harvest when the first floret shows color, avoid mechanical damage, and use hydration immediately. Grade by stem length and number of florets, secure with sleeves, and pack upright with support boards. Cold chain near four degrees Celsius preserves freshness during air freight to Gulf hubs and short European lanes that favor bright seasonal assortments. Trial sea freight on robust varieties with proven tolerance.
#9 Anthurium
Anthuriums from coastal and high rainfall zones in Kerala deliver glossy spathes and long lasting vase performance for premium retail. Grow in shade houses with controlled humidity and filtered light to maintain spathe size and color. Sanitation and calcium management reduce cracking and blemishes that lower grades. Harvest when spadix shows mature pollen stage, trim to buyer stem lengths, and sleeve to prevent scuffing. Ship in ventilated cartons with padding and maintain moderate cool temperatures to avoid chilling injury. Consistent colors such as red, white, and green secure repeat programs with florists and modern trade channels in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
#10 Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria has grown in popularity for export due to excellent vase life, repeat flushes, and diverse color patterns that elevate mixed bouquets. Protected cultivation with drip fertigation supports long stems and high bud counts. Harvest at tight to breaker stage to withstand transit, strip lower leaves to reduce respiration, and hydrate in clean solutions. Pack in upright cartons with divider boards and maintain two to four degrees Celsius in the chain. Retailers value bicolor and speckled cultivars for visual interest and dependable shelf life. Pair production planning with promotional calendars to time peak flushes for holidays and wedding seasons in key destination markets.