ABSTRACT
Bulbous ornamentals dominate the global floricultural trade scenario. Offering low-storage maintenance, efficient response to varied soils, climates, and latitudes across the Earth bulbous plants qualify easily as a welcome choice for flower growers and exporters. Tulips, lilies, narcissi, hyacinth, and gladioli lead the world flower business today. Bulbous plants follow perfectly timed phenological periodicity interchanging from dormancy to vegetative growth and flowering. Over the past decade, exports of bulbous floricultural products have witnessed a tremendous growth. It has led to search and evaluation of underutilized flowering plants; besides amplifying the global economic returns. There is a growing requirement for exploration and the development of this domain of floriculture. This chapter attempts to investigate the role and scope of bulbous plants in the global floricultural trade. It draws an insight into the dynamism and evolution of the bulb habit of flowering plants; sustenance in the current set up and presents the futuristic strategies for logical applications.
