Witness the Nelu Bloom: Sri Lanka’s Once-in-12-Years Flowering Spectacle

Once every twelve years, Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands transform into a carpet of violet, pink, and white flowers. This is the Nelu bloom, one of the most dramatic natural events in the plant world. Nelu belongs to the Strobilanthes genus, small shrubs that grow beneath forest canopies across Sri Lanka’s Wet Zone. The country is home to about 33 species, with nearly 30 found nowhere else on Earth. Many are already threatened, making each bloom even more precious.

Unlike most plants that flower annually, Nelu saves its energy for years before exploding in a single spectacular bloom. After flowering and producing seeds, the entire plant dies—a survival strategy called monocarpism. This mass flowering overwhelms predators and attracts swarms of pollinators, giving the seeds a better chance of survival. The dormant seeds then wait in the soil for the next cycle.

The Nelu bloom is more than beautiful—it’s ecologically vital. When plants die back, they create space for new species and support rare parasitic plants. Their seeds feed birds and insects. For local communities, Nelu has long symbolized renewal and prosperity. However, these endemic species face threats from climate change and habitat loss, making their protection under Sri Lankan law critical for future generations.

Hikers on the Pekoe Trail can witness the 2025 bloom across several stages.

• Stage 10 from Dayagama to Horton Plains
• Stage 11 from Horton Plains to Udaweriya 
• Stage 12 from Udaweriya to Haputale Haputale (Partial viewing of Nelu flowers)

Visit early morning or late afternoon for the best light, stay on marked trails, and never pick the flowers—they only bloom once every twelve years. Read more about about this rare and unique flowering spectacle on the Pekoe Trail blog.