Why has premature blooming of this flower raised alarm in Uttarakhand's hills, what are its implications?

Rhododendrons (Buransh) flower. (Photo: Pixabay)

The premature blooming of one flower, Rhododendrons, has come to symbolise climate change in Uttarakhand.

Rhododendrons are supposed to start blooming at the onset of spring in March or April, but they are blooming as early as December and January. It is locally called Buransh and is also found in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. Similar premature blooming in recent years has been observed in Himachal too.

Traditionally, the blooming of rhododendrons marks the arrival of spring in the Himalayan region, but the premature blooming attributed to rising temperatures and changing weather cycles is seen as an effect of climate change.

Rhododendrons are not just the part of indigenous flora and fauna but are also part of the native people’s culture. While flowers are key to the pollinators, its juice is a traditional refreshment. Now, its squash is also made. It also has local medicinal uses, such as being used for mountain sickness and excessive bleeding during menstruation, according to The Times of India.

How does early blooming affect the region?

The early blooming of the rhododendrons means the regional economy is affected as hundreds of people are involved in collection of the flowers that grows in the wilderness.

The flower’s quality is also affected, as per ToI. When rhododendrons bloom before the winter has ended, flowers may be hit by frost or cold snaps. This decreases their survival rate and affects their long-term distribution in the hills.

Farmers still collect the flowers at the traditional time of March but this means the yield is low, as per a report in The Statesman.

The report further that said that the flower is central to the month-long festival of ‘Phool Dei’ or ‘Phool Sankranti’ in the state but now it’s observed that not many rhododendrons are used in the festival because of its premature blooming.

In the neighbouring Himachal, a report said that the pink variety of rhododendrons is no longer visible in lower reaches of the Himalayas.

“Due to rise in mercury, species and ecosystems are likely to shift from lower to higher altitudes and latitudes. However, the upward movement of alpine species near the mountain peaks is likely to be restricted by the lack of space and soil. Some of the important alpine species of Himalayas that may face immediate extinction include the brown oak and a number of Rhododendron species,” said state’s Ajay Srivastava in the report.

Reports suggest that this premature blooming has been observed in Himachal since 2021 while it has been seen in Uttarakhand for last many years.