“FUTURE IN FLOWERS” FESTIVAL
The festival began on 21 May and ended on 8 July, on the last day of the RUSSIA EXPO. This large-scale flower marathon captured the whole VDNKh area, and unique art objects made of flowers were introduced in several locations simultaneously. Guests could witness more than 100 million flowers, flower exhibits from all 89 regions of the country, and designer flower compositions from institutions and state corporations. Future in Flowers workshop held floristry classes, lectures from well-known plant breeders, and fun trivia games. Visitors were shown the best achievements of national plant breeders: about 400 types of peonies, 140 types of lilacs, 120 types of irises, 250 types of roses, 30 types of dahlias, as well as other flowers and plants of Russia.
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Anomalous peony. Kurgan Region
Anomalous peony, known also as Marya's root in Russian (Paeonia anomala L.) is a rare red-listed plant of the Kurgan region. The name of the flower comes from the Greek word paionios - healing, medicinal, in honor of the ancient Greek physician Peon, who was famous for his knowledge of healing herbs.
Peonies are perennial herbaceous summer-green plants. They bloom in May-June and usually grow to a height of 60-100 cm. Peony flowers are large, fragrant, purplish-pink, 8-13 cm in diameter.
Anomalous peony was bred back in the XVIII century as an ornamental plant to decorate gardens and complement floral compositions. Today the plant can be found wild in the region. Peonies grow under the canopy of the relict forest on the territory of the nature monument “Cherry Island Dacha”, whose unique flora regularly attracts biologists and local historians, as well as many tourists - nature lovers. Peonies can also be admired on the peninsulas of the salt water body of the resort “Lake Medvezhye” in the Kurgan region.
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Rhododendron mucronulatum. Primorye region
In spring in cities, forests and hills of Primorye, delicate pink clouds appear. This is the rhododendron blooming. Its delicate flowers represent both the fragility and strength of nature. The Russian folk name of rhododendron is bagulnik, and it is also called the Primorye sakura.
There are more than 10 species of rhododendrons in the Russian Far East, 8 species in Primorye region, and one species that needs protection in Vladivostok suburbs. It is rhododendron mucronulatum (lat. "sharply pointed").
Since 1994, thanks to the proposal of the outstanding botanist of Russia Sigismund Kharkevich, rhododendron mucronulatum has become one of the two symbols of Vladivostok along with the Amur tiger. By the way, Vladivostok is the only city in Russia that has legally approved natural symbols. And in 2024 this plant celebrates a kind of anniversary.
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Schisandra. Amur region
Chinese magnolia vine or five-flavor berry (lat. Schisándra chinénsis) is a species of flowering plants of the genus Schisandra in the family Schisandraceae.
It is a unique plant of the Far East, a woody deciduous creeping liana 10-15 m long and up to 1.5-2 cm in diameter, in northern areas — up to 2-4 m long, spirally winding supports clockwise.
Europeans learned about Chinese magnolia vine in the early XIX century, about the same time Russian scientists became interested in it. In 1895, botanist and connoisseur of Far Eastern plants Vladimir Komarov published the stories of hunters that, going to the taiga for a long time, they do not take large stocks of food, and instead restore their strength with dried Schisandra berries. Thanks to this, they can chase sables for days without food and rest, keeping vigor of mind and sharpness of eye. Fishermen, leaving for a voyage, stocked up on the juice of the fruit of this liana, as it relieves seasickness.
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Gazania. Republic of Mari El
Mari El is endless forests, free fields and flowering meadows. Here you can see a great variety of flora - from lily of the valley with honeydew to chamomile with cornflower.
Mari people have been cherishing and respecting flowers since ancient times. Until the 20th century there was a tradition not to pick flowers for bouquets. Plants were collected only for medicinal and cosmetic purposes, carefully preserving nature. Even the main national Mari holiday has a "floral" name - Peledysh Payrem (translated from the Mari language it means "holiday of flowers"). For the Mari people, this special day symbolizes the spring-summer rebirth of nature. Mari poets and writers used the images of flowers to praise their beloved, calling them "peledysh" (flower), "osh peledysh" (chamomile), "sandalvozh" (lily of the valley).
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Steppe Sage. Rostov Region
In hot weather, blooming sage in the Don steppe emits a spicy and rich fragrance, somewhat similar to the aroma of lavender, with hints of wild herbs and pine. Moreover, the purple-violet flowers stand out prominently against the mixed grassland background.
In the region, the most common type is steppe sage (or meadow sage). It prefers dry meadows, forest edges, and grows along roadsides, fields, and wastelands. The plant's stem, along with its flowers, reaches up to 60 centimeters in height.
The medicinal properties of sage have been known since ancient times. The beneficial qualities of sage for humans are due to its high content of essential oils, tannins, and phytoncides. The plant has astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. It is used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, sore throats, stomatitis, and bladder inflammation. Sage is also used to relieve toothache.
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Buckwheat. Altai region
The Altai region is a region of thousands of lakes and untouched natural corners, rich in historical and cultural heritage, with a favorable ecology and famous branded products. One of these products is buckwheat (Latin: Fagopyrum esculentum), a species of herbaceous plants of the buckwheat genus (Fagopyrum) in the family Polygonaceae. It is both a cereal and a honey plant.
The Altai region grows a quarter of the world's buckwheat crop. The Altai region can rightfully be called the buckwheat capital, producing up to 70% of all Russian buckwheat.
Historically, buckwheat grew in Northern India, the Himalayas, Southern Siberia, and the Altai region. Russian archaeologists continue to find fossilized buckwheat grains in burial mounds of the Altai people and in excavated Ural camps of Asian nomads dating back to centuries before our era.
Along with the RUSSIA EXPO, the flower festival is also coming to an end.
The "Future in Flowers" festival continues at the RUSSIA EXPO, where unique flowerbeds from all regions of our country can be seen at the "Space" pavilion until July 8.
The RUSSIA EXPO concludes on July 8, and with it, the flower festival will also come to an end.
