Rose (Gulab)
Rosa spp. (incl. Rosa × hybrida, R. indica, R. damascena)
India's most valuable flower crop and the one with the widest set of markets — the same bush can feed the daily loose-flower trade (garlands, worship, decoration), the premium cut-flower and bouquet trade, and the rose-oil, gulkand and rose-water industry. A perennial planting that crops for eight to ten years, it turns on two decisions most beginners get wrong: a budded plant of the right type on a hardy rootstock, and an annual pruning timed so the big flush lands in a festival, wedding or Valentine's window.
Quick Summary
The key points from this page in about two minutes — read it or have it read aloud.
Quick Summary
Rose (gulab, Rosa species) is the highest-value and most widely grown commercial flower crop in India, carried by steady year-round demand and sharp festival, wedding and Valentine's-Day price spikes. It is grown for three quite different markets: scented loose flowers for garlands, temple offerings and decoration (the biggest volume, grown largely in the open field in the south and across the plains); premium cut flowers with long straight stems for bouquets and export, grown under polyhouse and shade-net in the Bengaluru belt and the hills; and fragrant Damask roses for rose oil, attar, rose water and gulkand in Himachal Pradesh, Kannauj (Uttar Pradesh) and Kashmir.
A rose planting is a perennial that crops for roughly eight to ten years, so the plant you put in matters for a decade. Most commercial roses are budded — a scion of the chosen variety worked onto a hardy rootstock (the Edward rose / Rosa indica is the common rootstock in much of India) — which gives a vigorous, long-lived, disease-tolerant plant far better than a weak own-root cutting. Damask oil roses are usually grown from cuttings or suckers of the local cultivar.
The single operation that decides a rose crop's profit is pruning. An annual (in the plains, October) hard or moderate prune removes old wood and forces a strong new flush that flowers about six to eight weeks later — so pruning is timed backwards from the window the grower is targeting (Dussehra–Diwali, the wedding season, or Valentine's Day for cut roses). Beyond pruning, rose wants a sunny, very well-drained, fertile plot, a steady balanced feed, clean water that never wets the foliage, and a watch for its three defining problems — black spot and powdery mildew on the leaves, and dieback on badly pruned or weak wood.
Rose is more demanding and more capital-heavy than marigold — budded plants, a long establishment, disease pressure and (for cut flowers) a polyhouse — but it also pays far more, and the loose-flower crop genuinely trades as a priced commodity on APMC markets. Grown with a good budded plant, timed pruning and steady disease control, it is the flower crop that most rewards skill and the one with the deepest, most varied set of markets.
- Crop type
- Perennial flowering shrub (loose flower, cut flower & oil), budded
- Season
- Year-round flowering; pruning times the flush (plains: October)
- Suitable states
- Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh
- Bearing life
- ~8–10 years from one planting
- Water requirement
- Moderate; steady moisture, excellent drainage, no wet foliage
- Temperature
- Mild, ~15–28°C best; large well-coloured blooms in cool weather
- Soil type
- Fertile, very well-drained sandy loam to loam rich in organic matter, pH ~6–7.5
- Difficulty level
- Moderate — pruning timing, budded plant and disease control decide profit
- Expected yield
- Loose flowers high volume; cut roses ~100–150 stems/m²/yr under polyhouse
- Key risk
- Wrong pruning timing, waterlogging/weak plant, black spot & powdery mildew
Overview
Rose (gulab, Rosa species and hybrids) is the most valuable and most widely grown commercial flower crop in India, valued for steady year-round demand and sharp festival, wedding and Valentine's-Day price spikes. It is unusual in feeding three distinct markets at once: scented loose flowers (garlands, worship, decoration), premium long-stemmed cut flowers (bouquets, export), and fragrant Damask roses for oil, attar, rose water and gulkand.
It is grown across the country — Karnataka (the leading cut-rose producer, around Bengaluru), Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the hills — as an open-field loose-flower crop, under polyhouse/shade-net for cut flowers, and as a Damask oil crop in Himachal Pradesh, Kannauj and Kashmir. Loose rose genuinely trades as a priced commodity on APMC markets.
A rose planting is a perennial that crops for eight to ten years, so it turns on the plant and the pruning. Most commercial roses are budded onto a hardy rootstock (Edward rose / Rosa indica) for a vigorous, long-lived plant, and an annual pruning is timed so the big flush lands in a high-demand window. Its defining risks are black spot, powdery mildew and dieback — all manageable on a well-grown, well-drained, open planting.
Crop timeline, sowing to harvest
A quick visual map of the season — jump to any section below for the detail behind each stage.
- Year 0
Planting budded plants
Budded plants (scion variety on a hardy rootstock) are set out in a well-drained, manured, sunny plot at the chosen spacing, in the cool season, and established over the first few months.
- Months 3–6
Establishment & framework
The young plant builds its framework of main canes; light tip-pruning and training shape it, and the first flowers may be picked from the second season.
- Annual · pruning
Pruning (plains: October)
The single most important operation — an annual hard or moderate prune removes old, weak and crossing wood and forces a strong new flush, timed backwards from the festival/wedding/Valentine's window the grower wants to hit.
- ~6–8 weeks after pruning
Flush & flowering
The pruned bush throws a strong new flush that flowers about six to eight weeks later; a balanced feed and steady moisture through this period build flower number and size.
- Flowering season
Repeated picking
Flowers are picked in the cool early morning — loose flowers fully open, cut flowers at the tight-bud "paint-brush" stage — frequently through the flush, which with good management can be staggered to crop much of the year.
- Years 2–10
Productive bearing life
The planting crops for roughly eight to ten years with annual pruning, feeding and disease control, after which vigour declines and the bush is replaced.
Suitable states
States where this crop is grown at scale, highlighted below. Your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra is still the final word for your specific block.
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Himachal Pradesh
- Punjab
- Uttarakhand
- Haryana
- Delhi
- Uttar Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- Bihar
- Jharkhand
- West Bengal
- Sikkim
- Assam
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Meghalaya
- Nagaland
- Manipur
- Mizoram
- Tripura
- Gujarat
- Madhya Pradesh
- Chhattisgarh
- Maharashtra
- Odisha
- Goa
- Telangana
- Andhra Pradesh
- Karnataka
- Kerala
- Tamil Nadu
- Puducherry
- Ladakh
- Chandigarh
- Lakshadweep
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
Grown here
Climate requirements
The crop is decided as much by the pruning calendar as by the weather: prune so the flush flowers into a festival, wedding or Valentine's window rather than an off-peak glut, and keep the planting open and dry-leaved to hold down black spot and mildew.
Ideal temperature
A mild-weather crop that flowers best at about 15–28°C, giving the biggest, best-coloured, most fragrant blooms in cool weather (which is why the winter crop and the Valentine's cut-flower crop are the most important). Very high summer heat shortens the bloom, fades the colour and reduces size; hard frost damages tender growth in the coldest tracts.
Rainfall
Grown under irrigation; it needs steady moisture but excellent drainage and dislikes heavy continuous rain, which splashes soil-borne disease onto the plants and worsens black spot and dieback. The rainy season is the hardest on an open rose crop.
Humidity
Moderate humidity is fine, but prolonged wet, humid, still weather is exactly what drives black spot and powdery mildew — airflow, spacing and dry foliage matter greatly.
Sunlight
A full-sun crop — at least five to six hours of direct sun gives the most flowers and the best colour and fragrance. Shaded or crowded plants grow leafy, flower poorly and hold disease.
Soil requirements
A deep, fertile, very well-drained, sunny plot with plenty of organic matter is ideal; on heavy or wet land, raised beds and a hardy rootstock are the difference between a planting that crops for a decade and one that dies back in two or three years.
Suitable soil
Grows on a range of soils but does best on a fertile, deep, very well-drained sandy loam to loam rich in organic matter. Heavy, waterlogging-prone clay causes root and collar rot and dieback and is the commonest cause of a short-lived, unthrifty planting; very poor sandy soil needs heavy manuring.
pH range
Prefers a slightly acid to neutral soil, roughly pH 6–7.5; strongly alkaline soils cause iron chlorosis (yellowing of the young leaves).
Drainage
Excellent drainage is essential — rose will not tolerate waterlogging, and standing water around the roots quickly causes root rot and dieback on a perennial planting meant to last a decade. On heavier land, plant on raised beds or ridges.
Organic matter
Responds strongly to generous well-rotted farmyard manure or compost worked into the pit and top-dressed each year; good organic matter is central to a vigorous, long-lived, free-flowering bush.
Land preparation
Same four steps whichever region you are in — only the timing shifts with the sowing window.
- 1
Prepare a deep, well-drained, manured plot
Plough deep and work in generous well-rotted FYM or compost; on heavy or wet land, form raised beds or ridges so water never stands around the roots of a decade-long planting.
- 2
Dig and fill planting pits
Dig pits at the chosen spacing a few weeks ahead, expose them to the sun, and refill with topsoil mixed with well-rotted manure, bone meal and a little single super phosphate so the young budded plant establishes fast.
- 3
Source good budded plants
Buy healthy, true-to-type budded plants of the chosen variety on a hardy rootstock (Edward rose / Rosa indica) from a reputable nursery; a strong budded plant far outlives and out-yields a weak own-root cutting.
Seed information
How the main varieties compare, so you can pick by duration, yield, disease pressure or what you are growing for.
| Variety | Duration | Yield | Disease resistance | Best state | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
An ICAR-IIHR (Bengaluru) spray/floribunda-type rose identified for open-field loose-flower production, reported to yield very heavily (around 30 t/acre/year) with a useful 5–6-day shelf life — bred as an affordable Indian alternative to costly exotic loose-flower types. | Perennial; crops for ~8–10 years, flowering through the year with pruning | Very high loose-flower yield (~30 t/acre/year reported) | Good field performance in the open | Karnataka and the southern loose-flower belt | Open-field commercial loose-flower production |
An ICAR-IIHR fragrant, red-purple loose-flower rose reported to yield about 5.5–6.0 lakh loose flowers per acre per year and to be moderately resistant to thrips and black spot — a good Indian loose-flower variety for the garland and worship trade. | Perennial; crops for ~8–10 years with pruning | ~5.5–6.0 lakh loose flowers/acre/year | Moderately resistant to thrips and black spot | Karnataka and southern India | Fragrant loose flowers for garlands and worship |
An ICAR-IARI (New Delhi) fragrant hybrid-tea rose released in 2018 for the northern plains, a selection from open-pollinated seedlings of the variety Century Two — a scented Indian garden/cut rose suited to the northern climate. | Perennial; crops for ~8–10 years with pruning | Good flower yield of fragrant blooms | Field tolerance suited to the northern plains | Northern plains (Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh) | Fragrant garden and cut-flower use in the north |
The classic South Indian scented loose-flower rose (Rosa indica var. odorata, "Rose Edouard" / panneer rose), grown commercially for garlands, worship and rose water, and also the most widely used rootstock for budding other roses in India — though its petals shed quickly, which is a handling challenge. | Perennial; long-lived, also used as a rootstock | High volume of fragrant loose flowers | Hardy, widely adapted (valued as a rootstock) | Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh | Scented loose flowers, rose water, and as a budding rootstock |
An old, deep-crimson, strongly fragrant garden rose that became the traditional workhorse scented loose-flower variety across much of India, grown for garlands, worship and essential-oil extraction — still widely planted as a hardy, free-flowering local favourite. | Perennial; hardy and free-flowering | Heavy, continuous fragrant loose flowers | Hardy and widely adapted | Grown across India as a traditional scented variety | Traditional scented loose flowers, garlands and oil |
The fragrant oil rose (Rosa damascena), grown for rose oil, attar, rose water and gulkand in Himachal Pradesh, Kannauj (UP) and Kashmir. CSIR-IHBT, Palampur released two cultivars — Jwala for the sub-tropical plains, low and mid hills (up to 1200 m) and Himroz for mild-to-cold temperate hills (1200–2500 m) — yielding about 25–30 q/ha of flowers and 650–800 g/ha of essential oil. | Perennial oil crop; one short, intense spring flowering flush | ~25–30 q/ha flowers; ~650–800 g/ha essential oil | Hardy; adapted to hill and plains conditions by cultivar | Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh (Kannauj), Jammu & Kashmir | Rose oil, attar, rose water and gulkand |
Dutch / greenhouse cut-flower roses Exotic long-stemmed hybrid-tea cut roses (types such as First Red, Grand Gala, Taj Mahal, Samurai and other Dutch cultivars) grown under polyhouse and shade-net, chiefly in the Bengaluru belt, for the premium bouquet and export trade — high-input, high-value and timed to Valentine's Day. | Perennial under protected cultivation; year-round cropping | ~100–150 stems/m²/year of long-stemmed cut flowers | Variety-dependent; managed intensively under cover | Karnataka (Bengaluru belt), Maharashtra and the hills | High-value long-stem cut flowers and export |
- Seed rate
- Rose is not grown from seed for commercial flowers — it is planted from budded plants (a scion variety worked onto a hardy rootstock) or, for Damask oil roses, from cuttings or suckers. Planting density runs from roughly 15,000–25,000 plants/ha for loose-flower bush roses to about 40,000–60,000 plants/ha for cut roses under polyhouse.
- Certified seed
- Buy healthy, true-to-type budded plants of a named variety on a hardy rootstock from a reputable nursery, an ICAR institute (IIHR, IARI) or a specialist grower; match the type to the market — a vigorous loose-flower variety (Arka Savi, Edward rose) for the open field, a long-stem exotic for polyhouse cut flowers, or a Damask cultivar (Jwala/Himroz) for oil.
- Spacing
- About 60 × 60 cm to 75 × 75 cm for open-field bush/loose-flower roses; closer (about 30 × 45 cm, on raised beds) for cut roses under polyhouse. Damask oil roses are grown as a hedge at wider spacing.
- Seed treatment
- Not seed-sown; instead, plant only clean, healthy, disease-free budded plants, dip roots in a fungicide before planting on disease-prone land, and start with a hygienic, well-drained bed to avoid carrying root rot and dieback into a decade-long planting.
Sowing guide
Do not plant deep (burying the bud union invites rot), do not plant on waterlogging-prone land without raised beds, and do not skip or mistime the annual pruning — the prune, not the planting date, decides when and how heavily the bush flowers.
- Best time
- Plant budded plants in the cool season — roughly September–October or February–March in the plains, and spring in the hills — so they establish before the heat. Damask oil roses are planted as rooted cuttings in the cool/rainy season. The flowering itself is set not by planting date but by the annual pruning, which is timed backwards from the demand window.
- Row spacing
- 60–75 cm (open field); ~90 cm beds for polyhouse cut roses
- Plant spacing
- 60–75 cm (open field); ~30 cm (polyhouse cut roses)
- Sowing depth
- Plant the budded plant with the bud union just above the soil line, firmed in and watered
- Method
- Plant healthy budded plants into prepared, manured pits in the cool season with the bud union above soil level; water in, stake if needed, and train the framework. Prune annually (hard in the plains in October) to force the flowering flush, timed to the target market window.
Fertilizer schedule
A split dose beats one large dose applied at sowing — nitrogen especially is lost to the air and to leaching if it all goes in on day one.
- 1
Basal / at pruning
At planting and after each annual pruning
Work generous well-rotted FYM (10–15 kg/plant/year) plus the full phosphorus and potassium and part of the nitrogen into the root zone after pruning, as the new flush begins — the main feed of the year.
- 2
Flush top-dressing
As the new flush grows and buds form
Top-dress nitrogen (with potassium) as the pruned bush throws its flush and forms buds, to build flower number and size; split the nitrogen rather than giving it all at once.
- 3
Micronutrient correction
On alkaline soils / as symptoms show
A foliar iron (and, where needed, zinc) spray corrects the interveinal yellowing of young leaves common on alkaline soils, keeping the foliage dark and productive.
Irrigation schedule
1. After planting / pruning
Regular until established / flush starts
Water regularly after planting and immediately after each pruning to drive the new flush; the root zone must stay moist but never waterlogged.
2. Flush & flowering
Every 5–8 days (more under polyhouse)
Steady, even moisture through the flush and flowering holds up flower number, size and stem length; water stress at budding drops and distorts the blooms.
3. Rest / lean period
Reduced between flushes
Irrigation is eased back during the rest period after a flush and before the next pruning, keeping the plant ticking over without pushing soft, disease-prone growth.
Critical stages
- Establishment and after pruning
- Bud formation and flowering
Water-saving tips
- Drip irrigation is strongly preferred — it keeps the root zone evenly moist without wetting the foliage, which is the single biggest way to hold down black spot and powdery mildew.
- A mulch of organic matter around the plants conserves moisture, suppresses weeds and keeps the roots cool.
- Never flood-irrigate so that water sits around the collar — waterlogging causes root rot and dieback on a long-lived planting.
Weed management
Common weeds
Organic control
- Regular shallow hoeing and hand-weeding around the plants, timed with top-dressing and earthing-up, keeps the bed clean without damaging the surface roots.
- An organic mulch around the plants suppresses weeds, conserves moisture and keeps the roots cool.
- A clean, weed-free, open planting also lowers disease and pest pressure.
Chemical control
- A pre-emergence herbicide cleared for rose/ornamentals may be used on larger plantings, with care around the plants; confirm the product with your local KVK or horticulture office.
Nutrient deficiency identification
What a shortage of each nutrient actually looks like on the plant, so you can tell a deficiency apart from a disease before you spray the wrong thing.
Nitrogen
Visible symptom
Pale green, small older leaves, weak growth and fewer, smaller flowers; the most common deficiency and the one that most directly cuts flower yield.
Iron
Visible symptom
Yellowing between the veins of the youngest leaves while the veins stay green, mainly on alkaline or waterlogged soils — a very common rose problem.
Potassium
Visible symptom
Scorched, browning leaf margins on older leaves and weak flower stems with poor-quality blooms; potassium strongly affects flower and stem quality.
Diseases to watch for
Symptoms, likely cause and what actually treats it — not just a spray name.
Black spot
- Symptoms
- Rounded black spots with feathery, fringed margins on the leaves, which yellow around the spots and drop early; a heavy attack defoliates the bush from the bottom up and weakens it badly.
- Cause
- The fungus Diplocarpon rosae, spread by rain-splash and overhead watering and favoured by warm, wet, humid weather and leaves that stay wet.
- Treatment
- Remove and destroy infected fallen leaves, then spray a recommended fungicide (mancozeb, chlorothalonil or a systemic) at first sign and repeat at 10–14-day intervals in wet weather.
- Prevention
- Keep the foliage dry (drip, not overhead watering), space and prune for airflow, clear fallen leaves, grow a tolerant variety, and avoid overhead rain-splash — the single most important rose disease to manage.
Powdery mildew
- Symptoms
- A white, powdery coating on young leaves, shoots and buds, which curl, distort and fail to open properly; worst on soft new flush growth in warm days with cool, humid nights.
- Cause
- A powdery-mildew fungus favoured by warm days, cool humid nights, soft lush growth and poor airflow.
- Treatment
- Spray a recommended fungicide (wettable sulphur, a systemic, or a bicarbonate spray) at first sign, repeating as needed; remove the worst-affected soft shoots.
- Prevention
- Avoid excess nitrogen that pushes soft growth, prune and space for airflow, water at the roots, and grow tolerant varieties.
Dieback
- Symptoms
- Shoots and canes dying back from the tip downward, turning brown or black, often starting at a badly cut pruning wound or on weak, waterlogged plants.
- Cause
- Fungi (including Diplodia/Botryodiplodia) entering through pruning cuts, dead snags and weak wood, worst on poorly pruned, nutrient-starved or waterlogged plants.
- Treatment
- Cut back each affected cane into clean, healthy green wood well below the dieback, disinfect the tools, seal large cuts with a paste, and spray a protective fungicide; remove and burn badly affected wood.
- Prevention
- Prune cleanly with sharp tools just above an outward bud, seal large cuts, feed and drain the plant well, and never leave dead snags — dieback is largely a consequence of bad pruning and weak plants.
Pests to watch for
What to look for before the damage is visible, and organic options before you reach for a chemical.
Aphids
- Identification
- Clusters of small soft green, pink or black insects on the tender new shoots, buds and flower stalks, with sticky honeydew and sooty mould and distorted, curled new growth.
- Damage
- Sap-sucking weakens the flush, distorts buds and flowers, and the honeydew and sooty mould downgrade the blooms; aphids also spread virus.
- Organic control
- A strong water spray to knock back colonies, neem or other botanical sprays, and conserving ladybird beetles and other natural enemies, which usually keep aphids in check on an unstressed plant.
- Chemical control
- A recommended insecticide where colonies build up heavily on the flush; observe the interval before picking on a frequently harvested crop.
Thrips
- Identification
- Tiny slender insects in the buds and open flowers causing silvery streaking, brown-flecked, scarred and distorted petals — especially damaging on light-coloured and cut-flower roses where appearance is everything.
- Damage
- Directly scars and discolours the petals, downgrading or ruining the flower; a serious pest of cut roses and light-coloured loose flowers.
- Organic control
- Blue sticky traps to monitor and mass-trap, neem sprays, removing spent flowers that harbour them, and conserving natural predators.
- Chemical control
- A recommended insecticide where thrips are high, rotating products to avoid resistance; vector and petal damage make early control important on cut roses.
Red spider mite
- Identification
- Fine stippling and yellowing of the leaves with fine webbing on the undersides, worst in hot, dry weather and under polyhouse; leaves bronze and dry out under heavy infestation.
- Damage
- Sap-sucking weakens the plant, reduces flowering and, when severe, dries the foliage — a major pest of cut roses under cover and of the summer crop.
- Organic control
- A strong water spray to knock back colonies, keeping the crop unstressed and well-watered, botanical sprays, and conserving predatory mites.
- Chemical control
- A recommended acaricide where infestation is heavy, rotating products to avoid resistance and treating early before webbing builds up.
Common mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost growers the most, ranked by how often they show up in the field — not in the order you might expect.
- 1
Skipping or mistiming the annual pruning.
Why it hurts
The prune, not the planting date, decides when and how heavily the bush flowers — the new flush flowers about six to eight weeks later. An unpruned bush grows leggy and flowers poorly; a badly timed prune misses the festival or Valentine's window that carries the profit. Prune backwards from the market you are targeting.
- 2
Planting a weak own-root cutting instead of a budded plant.
Why it hurts
A budded plant on a hardy rootstock (Edward rose / Rosa indica) is far more vigorous, long-lived and disease-tolerant than a weak own-root cutting — on a planting meant to crop for a decade, the plant you start with matters for ten years.
- 3
Planting on waterlogging-prone land without raised beds.
Why it hurts
Rose will not tolerate standing water — it causes root rot and dieback that kill a long-lived planting in two or three years. On heavy or wet land, plant on raised beds or ridges and ensure excellent drainage.
- 4
Overhead watering and a crowded, closed canopy.
Why it hurts
Wet foliage and still, crowded growth are exactly what drive black spot and powdery mildew, the crop's defining diseases. Water at the roots (drip), space and prune for airflow, and clear fallen leaves.
- 5
Leaving dead snags and cutting pruning wounds badly.
Why it hurts
Ragged cuts and dead snags are the entry point for dieback, which then kills canes back from the tip. Prune cleanly with sharp tools just above an outward-facing bud, seal large cuts, and remove dead wood.
Harvesting
Pick in the cool of the early morning when the flowers are turgid and last longest. Loose flowers (garlands, worship, oil) are picked fully open; cut flowers for bouquets are cut at the tight-bud "paint-brush" stage (colour showing, petals just starting to unfurl) with a long straight stem, so they open in the vase. Damask oil roses are picked at dawn at full bloom and distilled the same day, since the oil is lost as the flowers warm and wilt. Pick frequently through the flush.
Signs it is ready
- Loose flowers: fully open, full size and colour
- Cut flowers: tight-bud "paint-brush" stage with colour showing
- Oil/Damask roses: full bloom at dawn, distilled the same day
- Picked in the cool early morning for the longest life
Tools
- Sharp secateurs for clean cuts (essential for cut flowers and to avoid dieback)
- Buckets of clean water for cut-flower stems, kept in the shade
- Baskets or crates kept cool and shaded for loose flowers
Expected yield
A heavy, continuous loose-flower yield for a well-grown open-field crop (e.g. Arka Savi reported around 30 t/acre/year), about 100–150 long-stemmed cut flowers per square metre per year under polyhouse, and roughly 25–30 q/ha of flowers for a Damask oil crop.
Post-harvest & storage
Storage
Loose flowers are highly perishable and sold within a day or two, kept cool and shaded. Cut flowers are graded by stem length, bunched, pulsed in a preservative solution and held in a cool chain (ideally refrigerated) — the cool chain is what lets cut roses travel and reach a distant or export market. Damask flowers for oil are not stored at all; they are distilled the same day they are picked.
Packaging
Loose flowers in ventilated baskets or crates; cut flowers graded, bunched (usually in tens or twenties), sleeved and boxed upright in a cool chain to protect the stems and blooms.
Transportation
Loose flowers move to market quickly in the cool of the day; cut flowers move refrigerated and upright; oil roses are carried straight from the field to the distillation unit within hours of picking.
Shelf life
A day or two for fresh loose flowers kept cool; a week or more for cut roses held and transported in a cool chain; essentially nil for oil roses, which must be distilled the day they are picked.
Market prices
Today's mandi price near you, pulled live from the government's own Agmarknet data.
Live daily mandi prices from the government Agmarknet dataset.
Synced from data.gov.in (Agmarknet). Rates are ₹ per quintal.
Weather
Current conditions and a 5-day outlook for your selected location, with one line of stage-aware advice.
Pick your state for current conditions and a 5-day outlook.
Live data from Open-Meteo
Profit calculator
Your own cost sheet, expected yield and selling price — not ours.
Where the money goes
Share of the total cost per acre, using the calculator’s own default cost sheet below — adjust the numbers there to match your field and this picture will no longer apply to you exactly, but the ranking rarely changes.
- Labour40% (₹20,000)
- Land rent18% (₹9,000)
- Fertiliser12% (₹6,000)
- Pesticide & weedicide10% (₹5,000)
- Irrigation8% (₹4,000)
- Interest5% (₹2,500)
- Seed4% (₹2,000)
- Machinery3% (₹1,500)
Official downloads
Government and ICAR documents only — everything below is hosted on an official server.
ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru
Arka Savi, Arka Parimala and rose production technology
ICAR-IARI, New Delhi — Division of Floriculture
Pusa Mahak and floriculture guidance
CSIR-IHBT, Palampur
Damask rose (Jwala, Himroz) agro- and processing technology for rose oil
National Horticulture Board (NHB)
Floriculture cultivation, protected cultivation and marketing guidance
Frequently asked questions
Why is pruning so important in rose?
Because the prune, not the planting date, decides when and how heavily the bush flowers. An annual hard or moderate prune (in the plains, October) removes old, weak and crossing wood and forces a strong new flush that flowers about six to eight weeks later. So growers time the pruning backwards from the window they are targeting — Dussehra–Diwali, the wedding season, or Valentine's Day for cut roses. A bush that is never pruned grows leggy and flowers poorly.
Should I plant budded roses or cuttings?
For commercial flowers, plant budded plants — a scion of the chosen variety worked onto a hardy rootstock (the Edward rose / Rosa indica is the usual rootstock in India). A budded plant is far more vigorous, long-lived and disease-tolerant than a weak own-root cutting, which matters on a planting meant to crop for eight to ten years. Damask oil roses are the exception and are usually grown from cuttings or suckers of the local cultivar.
What are the main diseases of rose, and how do I control them?
Black spot and powdery mildew on the leaves, and dieback on the canes, are the three defining problems. Black spot (black fringed spots, early leaf drop) and powdery mildew (white coating on soft growth) are both driven by wet foliage and still, crowded growth — so water at the roots with drip, space and prune for airflow, clear fallen leaves, and spray a recommended fungicide at first sign. Dieback (canes dying from the tip) is largely a result of bad pruning and weak or waterlogged plants — prune cleanly, feed and drain well, and leave no dead snags.
Can one rose crop supply garlands, bouquets and rose oil?
Not the same plants — the three markets use different types. Open-field scented bush roses (Arka Savi, Edward rose, Gruss an Teplitz) give the loose flowers for garlands, worship and decoration; long-stemmed exotic hybrid teas under polyhouse give the cut flowers for bouquets and export; and Damask roses (Jwala, Himroz) are grown specifically for rose oil, attar, rose water and gulkand. Choose the variety and the growing system for the market you are aiming at.
Does rose have an MSP or a mandi price?
There is no MSP for rose, but unlike many flowers it genuinely trades as a priced commodity on APMC markets, reported on Agmarknet (as "Rose (Loose)" and related entries) in states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Goa, with large wholesale flower markets like Bengaluru's KR Market setting the daily rate. Prices swing sharply with festival, wedding and Valentine's-Day demand, so check your nearest flower market for the current rate before planning a crop.
How long does a rose planting keep cropping?
Roughly eight to ten years for a well-grown planting, with annual pruning, feeding and disease control, after which the bushes lose vigour and are replaced. Because it is a long-lived perennial, the plant you put in and the drainage of the site matter for a decade — start with good budded plants on well-drained, raised ground.
Still have questions?
The FAQs above cover the common ones. For anything specific to your field and soil, your nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra is the authoritative answer.