

“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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Lingonberry. Leningrad region
Lingonberry (Latin: Vaccinium vitis-idaea) is a small evergreen shrub of the Vaccinium genus in the Heath family. Lingonberry leaves are covered with a dense, glossy skin, and the dark red berries are known for their health benefits and bright, sour flavor.
Lingonberries grow in various regions of Russia, but they are especially abundant in the Leningrad region. In the fall, the forests here are covered with red carpets of lingonberries, and local residents go on quiet hunts for these tasty and healthy berries. The best harvest usually occurs in September when the fruits are full of juice.
In the past, lingonberry infusions and decoctions were used to treat colds and flu, and even today, natural lingonberry juice can benefit a body weakened by fever. Regular consumption of this vitamin-rich berry can strengthen the immune system and help you forget about illnesses altogether.
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Adams' rhododendron. Irkutsk region
Adams' rhododendron is a small evergreen shrub with a pleasant scent. The flowers are small and pale pink. It is endemic to Eastern Siberia and is listed in the Red Book of the Irkutsk region. The plant is named after the naturalist and botanist Johann Friedrich (Mikhail Ivanovich) Adams, who first described it in his report following an expedition to Eastern Siberia. It does not grow in artificially created environments and is found only in nature.
For the indigenous peoples of Siberia, sagan dailya — as they call Adams' rhododendron - has always been considered a miraculous plant. They prepare a tizan (herbal drink) from it, which was used in magical rituals and ceremonies at the imperial courts of the Qing dynasty in China. In Buddhist mythology, rhododendron is one of the seven plants surrounding the god of medicine and health. Siberian shamans brewed an aromatic drink from it to communicate with the gods. The plant is shrouded in legends.
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Tuberous begonia. Tula region
Begonia is a very elegant plant, in which literally everything is beautiful: both flowers and leaves. The main feature of begonias is their lush flowers, which completely cover the plant. The plant is characterized by an incredible variety of flower forms - they can be similar in structure to peony, narcissus, carnation or camellia.
Begonia is a genus of plants in the Begoniaceae family. It is a low herbaceous perennial plant with a rhizome in the form of a bowl-shaped tuber.
The first artificial hybrids were obtained in 1870, and subsequently at least seven species were used for crossbreeding. As a result of this painstaking work, more than 200 varieties of this perennial plant were born.
This flower is classified into trailing, herbaceous, and shrub varieties. However, the most important distinguishing feature is the presence of a developed root, which is formed in the shape of a massive tuber, reaching up to 6-7 centimeters in diameter.
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Red clover. Vologda region
The composition of the Vologda region at the RUSSIA EXPO uses meadow clover, decorative flax, junipers and other plants. Their color palette coincides with the main colors of the region: red and white. These are symbols of fire, the sun, as well as a symbol of revival, a symbol of earthly life, fertility, love, continuation and protection of the family, warrior and manhood, amulet.
Red (meadow) clover belongs to the legume family. Its international botanical name is Trifolium pratense. Translated into Russian, it means "three leafed". This name was given to the plants because of the characteristic structure of the leaves: in all species of clover they are trifoliate. It is very rare to find a four-leafed one among the triple leaves. According to folk legend, such a find should bring good luck.
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Rhodiola rosea. Khanty-mansi autonomous area
Rhodiola rosea is a plant from the Crassulaceae family, listed in the Red Data Book of Yugra. In popular usage, Rhodiola is called "golden root" due to its unique medicinal properties and the golden color of its roots. It also has a second name, "rose root," because of its sweet fragrance that closely resembles that of a rose.
In folk medicine, rhodiola has been known to people for several centuries, it is especially popular in the northern expanses of the Russian Urals and Siberia. Rhodiola rosea is often compared to ginseng, although it is much more affordable. It helps the body adapt to adverse environmental conditions and cope with the effects of diseases and stress. It is used to enhance endurance, performance, and longevity.
Interestingly, the plant has always been surrounded by many legends, and the locations where golden root grows were carefully hidden from outsiders.
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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.
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.