Darjeeling, West Bengal

Cymbidium Orchids (potted plants and cut flowers)

Mirik's cool, moist climate is ideal for the cymbidium ('boat orchid'), and large-scale poly-house orchid farms such as Darjeeling Gardens Pvt. Ltd. in Ratamati, Mirik grow cymbidium, dendrobium, phalaenopsis and other exotic species year-round. The district supplies potted plants, seedlings and cut flower spikes to growers and wholesalers across India, and orchid farms in Mirik are a listed tourist attraction in their own right. Mirik is cited alongside its tea gardens and Sumendu Lake for this orchid cultivation. A buyer gets hardy, long-blooming orchids that stay in flower for 2-4 months per spike, at farm prices well below city florists.

Typical price: ₹150-5000

Buying tip: Buy potted plants rather than cut flowers for lasting value, and buy directly from the Mirik poly-house farms or their Siliguri-based wholesale outlets to skip middlemen. Winter and spring are the best seasons for flowering cymbidium spikes.