“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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Great burnet. Omsk region
Great burnet belongs to the Rosaceae family. In Russian, it is known as krovohlebka (blood sucker), rodovik, gryzhnik, krasnogolovka (red head), krovogolovka (blood head), krovostyag, ogoroshnik, styagnikrov, and adder’s potion. Its scientific name, Sanguisórba officinális, comes from the Latin words sanguis — blood, sorbeo — to absorb, and officinális — medicinal. Despite its ominous name, this plant has remarkable properties.
There are eight species of Sanguisorba found in Russia, the most well-known being the great burnet (S. officinalis), a perennial reaching up to 100, sometimes 120 cm in height. In the Omsk region, the great burnet is widespread: found in forest glades, steppe meadows, and taiga zones.
According to legend, the goddess Flora once discovered a leech on her leg while walking by a forest lake and became very angry. She threw the bloodsucker away, commanding it to become a plant. Thus, the leech turned into great burnet.
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Marya's root. Komi republic
Probably every resident of the Komi Republic knows and loves the song "Maryamol," dedicated to the beautiful and rare flower called Marya's root in Russian (Paeonia anomala or anomalous peony). In our country, there are 16 species of peonies, but in the republic, only the northernmost peony grows - Marya's root.
Marya's root is a herbaceous perennial that can reach a height of one meter. This peony has straight stems and large purple-pink flowers. Flowering begins in May, reaches its peak in June, but you can still find the last flowers even in July. This peony was named Marya's root for its unusually large underground part of the bush with a sharp smell and a sweet taste.
Marya's root plays a significant role in the traditional medicine of the region. Its healing properties have been known since ancient times. Infusions are used as a sedative for neurasthenia with increased excitability.
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Viola Wittrockiana. Saint Petersburg
Viola Wittrockiana, a plant from the Violet family, was imported from Japan and Central China and blooms from April to October. Its common name is pansy, violet or Anyuta's eyes in Russian.
Viola is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, including in Russia and Saint Petersburg. It is an undemanding and fairly cold-hardy plant that can withstand temperatures down to -1 °C, making it the first to be planted in Saint Petersburg. It delights with its first flowers as early as April. Due to its resilience to the challenging climate conditions of Saint Petersburg, viola has no competitors.
In spring flower arrangements, viola takes the lead role. For Victory Day, the city decorates flowerbeds in commemorative places: around memorials, on squares, in city gardens, and parks.
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Reindeer lichen. Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area
Reindeer lichen (also known as reindeer moss), a modest-looking yet completely unique organism in its properties, forms the foundation of the vegetation cover in the Far North, including the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area. It belongs to a peculiar group of plants: a symbiotic organism composed of fungi and algae (cyanobacteria).
This plant is remarkably resilient to extreme conditions, low temperatures, as well as high doses of ultraviolet and penetrating radiation. It easily endures long periods without moisture.
Reindeer lichen is a staple in the diet of the reindeer. The animals can detect the scent of reindeer lichen through the snow and dig it out with their hooves. Reindeer lichen grows very slowly, requiring many years to restore pastures. For instance, the average growth rate of fruticose lichens in the Arctic tundra subzone is 1-2 mm, while in the forest-tundra zone it reaches up to 3-4 mm per year.
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Daurian rhododendron. Zabaykalsky region
Daurian rhododendron (Latin: Rhododendron dauricum) is a shrub 0.5-2 meters tall with dense, branching shoots that stretch upwards. It got its name from Dauria or Daurian Land. The Russians named this part of the Zabaykalye (Transbaikal) territory after the Daurs, a Mongolic-speaking people who lived there.
Daurian rhododendron has an unofficial but very popular folk name — bagulnik. The main wonder of this plant is its flowers. It is hard to imagine that such a hardy shrub, which grows literally on rocks, easily withstands forty-degree winters, and sprouts through the ashes of forest fires, can have such soft and delicate flowers.
Daurian rhododendron is listed in the Red Book. For the people of Transbaikalia, it is more than just a plant. It is a symbol of the region, a symbol of resilience and vitality. Therefore, the pavilion of Zabaykalsky region is shaped like a bagulnik.
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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.
