Blooms in the market: Sale time of Rhododendron flowers as an indicator of changed phenology

Rhododendron arboreum Sm. is a widely distributed and commonly used species of the Himalayan region. It is used for edible purposes, the flowers of the species that are collected from the wild are also sold in the market. These flowers now flood the market a fortnight earlier as compared to a couple of years ago. Interaction with sellers revealed that the species now flowers earlier in the wild, indicative of changing phenology. Changes in phenology are argued to be amongst the best indicators of environmental change. Recognizing that the Himalaya are highly vulnerable to environmental changes, such indicators become important. Herein, every single piece of information matters and should be documented with local communities being an integral part of such initiatives as “citizen scientists”.