Tulip. Republic of Kalmykia

In spring, the harsh Kalmyk steppe is transformed, becoming covered with a colorful carpet of tulips. During this period, the Tulip Blossom Festival takes place here - it is a vibrant folklore and ethnographic festival that introduces the natural wealth, traditional culture and cuisine of the region.

Many people consider Holland to be the birthplace of tulips. But in fact, it was from the Kalmyk steppes that merchants traveling along the Great Silk Road brought tulip bulbs in the XVII century. The name “tulip” comes from the Persian word “toliban”, which denotes an oriental headdress - a turban, in shape resembling a tulip.

Steppe tulips of Kalmykia are wild. The flowering period usually falls in April-May. The tulip is a delicate flower and chooses its own time for blooming. The miracle of the steppes blooms for almost a week. And under favorable climate conditions it can bloom longer.

Life expectancy of the plant reaches 50-70 years. But this is only on the condition its above-ground part is not plucked: through it the plant receives nutrients due to photosynthesis. If you pick the flower, the bulb dies. Wild tulips reproduce only by seeds - they ripen all summer. And the first tulip flowers from these seeds will appear only after 10-15 years.

Many poetic lines and legends are dedicated to the tulip. There is a Kalmyk legend that says that tulips are the souls of our dead ancestors. Once a year they return to breathe the air of their native steppe.

The main species of tulips that grow in Kalmykia are wild Schrenck's tulip. This species of tulips is included in the Red Book of Russia. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to pluck them, dig up bulbs, sell them.

According to legend, among the flowers you can find a black tulip, which blooms once every nine years. And you can find it only once in your whole life. This rare flower must never be touched. You just have to stand next to it and make a wish.