Horticulturist
Pravaa · Maharashtra, India
Job Description
Horticulturist — Plant Curation & Research
About Pravaa
Pravaa is a design-led plantscaping studio based in Mumbai, creating living environments for homes, workplaces and hospitality.
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.
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.
Our work spans indoor plantscaping, terraces, vertical gardens, moss installations and ongoing plant care. At the heart of it is a simple belief:
The right plant, in the right place, can completely change how a space feels.
About the Role
We're looking for a horticulturist who is genuinely obsessed with plants.
Not just someone who knows the standard list of indoor plants.
Someone who wants to know what else exists.
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.
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.
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.
The role sits at the intersection of horticulture, research, sourcing and design.
What You'll Do
01 — Discover
Continuously research new, unusual and interesting plant species and cultivars Go beyond commonly available indoor plants and actively explore what is available across India and internationally Research different varieties, forms, colours, textures, growth patterns and mature sizes Build relationships with specialist nurseries, collectors, growers and plant suppliers Identify plants that could add something distinctive to Pravaa's design palette Keep track of new discoveries rather than waiting for them to appear in conventional nursery cataloguesIf you've ever gone down a three-hour rabbit hole researching different Alocasias, Anthuriums, Philodendrons or Ficus cultivars — this might be for you.
02 — Research & Understand
For every interesting plant, you should want to understand:
What is it? Where does it come from? How does it grow? What light does it actually need? What humidity, temperature and soil conditions does it prefer? How does it behave indoors? How large does it become? How difficult is it to maintain? What pests or diseases affect it? Can it adapt to Mumbai? Where can we source it? What would it take to keep it healthy once installed?Build and maintain a growing Pravaa plant knowledge base, documenting species, cultivars, growing conditions, sourcing information and practical learnings.
03 — Make Plants Work in Mumbai
This is one of the most important parts of the role.
We don't want someone who simply says:
"This plant doesn't grow in Mumbai."
We want someone who asks:
"What would it take to make it work?"
Study how plants respond to Mumbai's heat, humidity, monsoon, air-conditioning, indoor light levels and changing conditions.
Experiment with growing environments, substrates, potting approaches, acclimatisation and care routines to understand what can realistically be achieved.
The goal is not to force unsuitable plants into spaces.
It is to understand the limits of what is possible — and push those limits intelligently.
04 — Source
Search for plants through specialist nurseries and growers across India Develop a network of reliable and specialist plant vendors Identify difficult-to-source species and cultivars Explore international availability where relevant Research legitimate and compliant pathways for bringing suitable plants into India when they cannot be sourced locally Evaluate vendors based on plant quality, authenticity, health, size, consistency and availability Help Pravaa build a stronger and more differentiated plant procurement network05 — Curate for Projects
Work with the Pravaa design team to translate horticultural knowledge into design decisions.
Recommend plants based on light, space, interiors and purpose Suggest unusual alternatives when a conventional plant isn't right Help designers understand what a particular species can and cannot do Recommend combinations based on form, texture, colour and growth behaviour Help determine appropriate plant sizes and maturity levels Ensure that visually ambitious plant selections remain horticulturally realistic Help build plant palettes for individual projects and specific environments06 — Grow, Acclimatise & Maintain the Collection
Support plant acclimatisation before installation Monitor plant health and growth Identify pests, diseases, nutrient deficiencies and environmental stress Develop appropriate soil, nutrition and watering approaches Maintain healthy stock and specimen plants Experiment with propagation where appropriate Track what performs well and what fails — and why07 — Keep Learning
The plant world is constantly changing.
We expect you to keep discovering.
Follow specialist growers, botanical resources, nurseries, collectors, exhibitions and horticultural developments.
Build knowledge not just through books, but through observation, experimentation and conversations with people who grow plants seriously.
What We're Looking For
We're looking for someone with deep curiosity, strong horticultural fundamentals and an almost unreasonable enthusiasm for plants.
Someone who:
Can spend an afternoon researching one unusual plant and genuinely enjoy it Gets excited when they discover a species or cultivar they haven't seen before Knows the difference between species, cultivars and varieties and cares about the distinction Is fascinated by leaf forms, colour variation, growth habits, texture and plant behaviour Doesn't stop at "this plant looks good" Wants to understand why it grows the way it does Is naturally curious about plants from different parts of India and the world Is willing to experiment and learn from failure Has the patience to observe plants over time Can balance plant ambition with horticultural reality Understands that the rarest plant isn't necessarily the best plant for a particular space Can communicate horticultural knowledge clearly to designers and non-horticulturists Is comfortable working in a design-studio environment Has a high standard for plant quality and presentationMost importantly:
We want someone who is always asking, "What else is out there?"
Qualifications
Degree / diploma in Horticulture, Botany, Plant Science, Agriculture or a related field Strong knowledge of plant identification and horticultural fundamentals Understanding of indoor plant physiology, soil, nutrition, watering, light and plant health Experience with plant nurseries, horticultural research, interior plantscaping or specialist plant sourcing is preferred Familiarity with plant procurement and vendor networks is an advantage Experience with propagation, acclimatisation or specimen plant care is an advantage Strong research and documentation skills Comfortable working on-site in MumbaiExceptional candidates from other backgrounds may also be considered if they can demonstrate deep practical plant knowledge and genuine horticultural curiosity.
The Pravaa Way
At Pravaa, we don't want to keep using the same 20 plants in different pots.
We're building a deeper plant vocabulary.
We want to discover plants that make people stop and ask:
"What is that?"
But discovery alone isn't enough.
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.
Because our job isn't simply to find beautiful plants.
It's to find the right plants — even when the right plant is something we've never worked with before.
If plants are a genuine obsession for you, we'd like to meet you.
Location: Mumbai
Work Mode: Full-time · On-site
Experience: Freshers + Experienced candidates
Industry: Horticulture · Plantscaping · Biophilic Design · Plant Research
Send your CV + portfolio / relevant work / plant work to:
Pravaa
Designed by nature, defined by intention.
Details
| Company | Pravaa |
| Location | Maharashtra, India |
| Type | FULL TIME |
| Niche | general |
| Experience | permanent |