“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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Asian globe flower. Republic of Khakassia
Zharok (Trollius asiaticus) - this is the name the locals in Khakassia give to this flower - burns with a magical orange flame in the fields and meadows almost all summer, reminding us of the ancient legends that the Khakassian land is so rich in.
Majestic mountains, steppes, dense taiga, healing lakes, the mighty Yenisei. The land of five elements, a crossroads of civilizations -Khakassia is famous not only for its unique natural diversity but also for its archaeological heritage. Burial mounds, graves, ancient settlements, towns, fortresses, rock carvings, stone statues - here, almost every meter of land is scattered with archaeological monuments. And all this natural and historical wealth, of course, is reflected in many beautiful legends. One of them is associated with zharok, which has become the hallmark of the region.
In nature, zharok grows in damp meadows, forest glades, forests, ascending into high mountains up to the alpine belt, and in the north, it penetrates the tundra. Since the XVIII century, the Asian globe flower has also settled in European gardens - its seeds were sent to the famous naturalist Carl Linnaeus by the scientist and traveler Erik Laxman, who lived and worked in Siberia at the time.
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Sphagnum moss. Karelia
Karelia is one of the marshiest regions of Russia, with swamps covering almost a quarter of the republic's territory. This is a complex and rich ecosystem that is protected by the state.
Moss is found everywhere in Karelia. Sphagnum, or Sphagnum moss (from the Greek "sphagnos," meaning sponge), is a common inhabitant of swamps. In Russia, more than forty species of sphagnum grow.
Sphagnum moss has unique moisture-absorbing properties, capable of absorbing water up to 20 times its mass.
Bog moss has no roots; its cells grow upwards while the lower layers gradually die off. However, they do not rot. Decay is prevented by the phenol contained in sphagnum—an antiseptic that kills bacteria. From the dying parts of sphagnum, raised bog peat is formed. This is how, due to sphagnum and other aquatic plants, lakes become overgrown and swamps appear.
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Red-stemmed buckwheat. Penza region
In its development, the Penza region relies on the medical industry and creation of products for health: pharmaceutical goods, biologically active additives, natural cosmetics. At the RUSSIA EXPO, the region is presenting Bashkir red-stemmed buckwheat. The variety was obtained by breeders by selection from various hybrids and is included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements.
Although the birthplace of red-stemmed buckwheat is the Urals region, it is successfully cultivated in the Middle Volga region, which includes the Penza region. Here this unpretentious plant has been cultivated since 2012 and is used as a medicinal raw material. At the moment, red-stemmed buckwheat is cultivated on an industrial scale on 7 hectares of fields located near the villages of Kulyasovo and Mamadysh in the Kameshkirsky district.
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Artysh (Siberian juniper). Republic of Tuva
Artysh (Tuvan Siberian juniper or Juniperus sibirica) is a genus of evergreen coniferous plants in the Cupressaceae family of the order Pinales.
In the local language, it is called artysh, shaman herb, arsa, archa, shug-pa. Despite its name, its habitat is extensive. In the north, it grows in the Arctic zone, in the temperate zone, and in regions with a warm climate— in mountains at altitudes up to 4200 meters above sea level.
This is a very hardy plant capable of withstanding low and high temperatures. Moreover, its appearance changes little depending on the habitat and climatic zone. It is considered one of the most frost-resistant coniferous species. Among the shrubs of the undergrowth, juniper is the most long-lived. Plants aged 300–400 years are not uncommon.
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Zhiguli thyme. Samara region
The flora of the Zhiguli Mountains includes 28 endemic species. Of particular interest are the narrowly localized endemics, one of which is Zhiguli thyme (Thymus zheguliensis). Zhiguli thyme (wild thyme) belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It is a very rare species and is considered endangered.
Zhiguli thyme grows as a small subshrub, forming loose tufts. Its stems are covered with short, down-pressed hairs. The leaves are rounded and have well-defined long petioles. The flower corolla is bright lilac. It blooms in July-August and bears fruit in September. Reproduction is both vegetative and by seeds. It grows in rocky steppe communities.
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Siberian Iris. Novosibirsk Region
The Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) is a perennial plant from the Iris genus, subgenus Limniris, found in Eastern and Central Europe and Northern Asia. It typically reaches a height of 70–110 cm, with leaves significantly shorter than the stem. The flowers, characteristic of irises, are violet-blue, often with a pale cream or yellowish center, each flower measuring 4–7 cm in diameter.
In the wild, the Siberian iris is found in Siberia, the Caucasus, and other regions of the European part of Russia. Its history spans millennia. Siberian irises are known for their hardiness, resistance to low temperatures, and resilience to rain and wind. The iris blooms from May to July, delighting and astonishing with shades ranging from pearly white to blood red.
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.