Evaluation of Tabernaemontana divaricata Accessions for Loose Flower Production

Abstract

Crepe jasmine or East Indian rosebay or pinwheel flower, Tabernaemontana divaricata originated from India is a popular large shrub or a small tree grown in tropical and sub-tropical gardens for its beautiful glossy foliage and mild fragrant waxy white, ornamental flowers. It produces flowers throughout the year, except in winter but profusely during summer season. Rather than the opened flowers, the unopened flower buds are commonly used as an alternate to Jasminum sambac buds in off-season. The present investigation was carried out at the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Horticulture college and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu agriculture university, Coimbatore during 2022-2023. Randomized Block Design was used with three replications with the objective of investigating promising genotypes of Tabernaemontana divaricata, collected based on the type of petals from different locations for loose flower production.  In the study totally 12 accessions were collected and named from Acc. No. 1 to 12. They are evaluated for their vegetative and floral parameters such as plant height, leaf length, leaf width, no. of branches, plant spread in EW & NS direction. Floral parameters include bud length, bud diameter, stalk length and no. of petals/flower. Out of the collected accessions, Acc. No. 2 & 5 are suitable for veni arrangement and Acc. No.10 & 11 are suitable for garland making. Buds of acc. No.4 & 6 are similar to Jasminum sambac and J. auriculatum buds.