Job Description

Horticulturist — Plant Curation & Research

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About Pravaa

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Pravaa is a design-led plantscaping studio based in Mumbai, creating living environments for homes, workplaces and hospitality.

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We use nature as a design medium, combining plantscaping, biophilic design and plant science to create spaces that look considered, feel alive and function better.

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We don't simply choose plants because they look good. We understand the space, light, airflow, interiors, people and purpose first — and then curate what belongs there.

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Our work spans indoor plantscaping, terraces, vertical gardens, moss installations and ongoing plant care. At the heart of it is a simple belief:

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The right plant, in the right place, can completely change how a space feels.

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About the Role

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We're looking for a horticulturist who is genuinely obsessed with plants.

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Not just someone who knows the standard list of indoor plants.

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Someone who wants to know what else exists.

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Different species. Different cultivars. Different forms. Different colours. Different leaf shapes. Different growth habits. Plants that most people haven't seen, let alone considered for an interior.

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The Horticulturist — Plant Curation & Research will be responsible for continuously expanding Pravaa's plant knowledge and plant palette — researching new species and cultivars, identifying unusual and hard-to-find plants, understanding their growing requirements, and exploring how they can realistically be grown and maintained in Mumbai's conditions.

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This could mean discovering another Alocasia with an unusual leaf form or colour, finding a rare cultivar in a nursery somewhere in India, investigating a plant available internationally, understanding whether it can actually survive in Mumbai, and then figuring out how we could make it work.

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The role sits at the intersection of horticulture, research, sourcing and design.

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What You'll Do

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01 — Discover

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- Continuously research new, unusual and interesting plant species and cultivars
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- Go beyond commonly available indoor plants and actively explore what is available across India and internationally
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- Research different varieties, forms, colours, textures, growth patterns and mature sizes
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- Build relationships with specialist nurseries, collectors, growers and plant suppliers
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- Identify plants that could add something distinctive to Pravaa's design palette
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- Keep track of recent discoveries rather than waiting for them to appear in conventional nursery catalogues
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If you've ever gone down a three-hour rabbit hole researching different Alocasias, Anthuriums, Philodendrons or Ficus cultivars — this might be for you.

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02 — Research & Understand

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For every interesting plant, you should want to understand:

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- What is it?
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- Where does it come from?
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- How does it grow?
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- What light does it actually need?
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- What humidity, temperature and soil conditions does it prefer?
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- How does it behave indoors?
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- How large does it become?
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- How difficult is it to maintain?
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- What pests or diseases affect it?
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- Can it adapt to Mumbai?
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- Where can we source it?
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- What would it take to keep it healthy once installed?
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Build and maintain a growing Pravaa plant knowledge base, documenting species, cultivars, growing conditions, sourcing information and practical learnings.

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03 — Make Plants Work in Mumbai

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This is one of the most important parts of the role.

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We don't want someone who simply says:

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"This plant doesn't grow in Mumbai."

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We want someone who asks:

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"What would it take to make it work?"

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Study how plants respond to Mumbai's heat, humidity, monsoon, air-conditioning, indoor light levels and changing conditions.

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Experiment with growing environments, substrates, potting approaches, acclimatisation and care routines to understand what can realistically be achieved.

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The goal is not to force unsuitable plants into spaces.

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It is to understand the limits of what is possible — and push those limits intelligently.

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04 — Source

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- Search for plants through specialist nurseries and growers across India
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- Develop a network of reliable and specialist plant vendors
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- Identify difficult-to-source species and cultivars
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- Explore international availability where relevant
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- Research legitimate and compliant pathways for bringing suitable plants into India when they cannot be sourced locally
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- Evaluate vendors based on plant quality, authenticity, health, size, consistency and availability
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- Help Pravaa build a stronger and more differentiated plant procurement network
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05 — Curate for Projects

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Work with the Pravaa design team to translate horticultural knowledge into design decisions.

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- Recommend plants based on light, space, interiors and purpose
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- Suggest unusual alternatives when a conventional plant isn't right
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- Help designers understand what a particular species can and cannot do
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- Recommend combinations based on form, texture, colour and growth behaviour
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- Help determine appropriate plant sizes and maturity levels
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- Ensure that visually ambitious plant selections remain horticulturally realistic
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- Help build plant palettes for individual projects and specific environments
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06 — Grow, Acclimatise & Maintain the Collection

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- Support plant acclimatisation before installation
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- Monitor plant health and growth
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- Identify pests, diseases, nutrient deficiencies and environmental stress
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- Develop appropriate soil, nutrition and watering approaches
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- Maintain healthy stock and specimen plants
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- Experiment with propagation where appropriate
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- Track what performs well and what fails — and why
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07 — Keep Learning

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The plant world is constantly changing.

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We expect you to keep discovering.

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Follow specialist growers, botanical resources, nurseries, collectors, exhibitions and horticultural developments.

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Build knowledge not just through books,



but through observation, experimentation and conversations with people who grow plants seriously.

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What We're Looking For

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We're looking for someone with deep curiosity, strong horticultural fundamentals and an almost unreasonable enthusiasm for plants.

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Someone who:

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- Can spend an afternoon researching one unusual plant and genuinely enjoy it
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- Gets excited when they discover a species or cultivar they haven't seen before
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- Knows the difference between species, cultivars and varieties and cares about the distinction
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- Is fascinated by leaf forms, colour variation, growth habits, texture and plant behaviour
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- Doesn't stop at "this plant looks good"
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- Wants to understand why it grows the way it does
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- Is naturally curious about plants from different parts of India and the world
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- Is willing to experiment and learn from failure
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- Has the patience to observe plants over time
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- Can balance plant ambition with horticultural reality
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- Understands that the rarest plant isn't necessarily the best plant for a particular space
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- Can communicate horticultural knowledge clearly to designers and non-horticulturists
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- Is comfortable working in a design-studio environment
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- Has a high standard for plant quality and presentation
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Most importantly:

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We want someone who is always asking, "What else is out there?"

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Qualifications

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- Degree / diploma in Horticulture, Botany, Plant Science, Agriculture or a related field
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- Strong knowledge of plant identification and horticultural fundamentals
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- Understanding of indoor plant physiology, soil, nutrition, watering, light and plant health
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- Experience with plant nurseries, horticultural research, interior plantscaping or specialist plant sourcing is preferred
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- Familiarity with plant procurement and vendor networks is an advantage
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- Experience with propagation, acclimatisation or specimen plant care is an advantage
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- Strong research and documentation skills
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- Comfortable working on-site in Mumbai
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Exceptional candidates from other backgrounds may also be considered if they can demonstrate deep practical plant knowledge and genuine horticultural curiosity.

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The Pravaa Way

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At Pravaa, we don't want to keep using the same 20 plants in different pots.

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We're building a deeper plant vocabulary.

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We want to discover plants that make people stop and ask:

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"What is that?"

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But discovery alone isn't enough.

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We want to know where it can live, how it will behave, how we can grow it, how we can source it and whether we can keep it thriving.

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Because our job isn't simply to find beautiful plants.

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It's to find the right plants — even when the right plant is something we've never worked with before.

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If plants are a genuine obsession for you, we'd like to meet you.

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Location: Mumbai

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Work Mode: Full-time · On-site

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Experience: Freshers + Experienced candidates

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Industry: Horticulture · Plantscaping · Biophilic Design · Plant Research

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Send your CV + portfolio / relevant work / plant work to:

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[email protected]

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Pravaa

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Designed by nature, defined by intention.

📌 Horticulturist (Mumbai)
🏢 Pravaa
📍 Mumbai