Evergreen shrubs differ from trees in both size and structure - they have several thick shoot branches extending from a common base, while trees have only one trunk.
However, in different conditions growth deciduous woody plants can take the form of a bush, tree or tree, that is, the division into trees and shrubs is not clear; this is observed, for example, in the holly, ernobothria. The division into high and low shrubs is even more conditional - their size depends on both growth conditions and age. But long-term observations in the Crimea make it possible to determine the size and structure of evergreen deciduous species prevailing here and, within the limits of a common key table, to distinguish two groups with indications of ranges and deviations.
The main types of evergreen shrubs in the Crimea
- Tall shrubs and trees, above 1.8 meters: brilliant privet, wrinkle-leaved viburnum, cotoneaster willowleaf, round-leaved cotoneaster, medicinal laurel, Portuguese laurel cherry, oleander, scarlet pyracantha, Tobira pittosporum, Japanese eriobothria.
- Low shrubs, below 1.8 meters: Japanese akuba, Juliana's barberry, Souli's barberry, Japanese euonymus, shrub volodushka, St. , variegated osmanthus, pharmacy rosemary, common buxus, needle-leaved sarcococcus.
Eriobothria japonica, or "medlar" Japanese
Natural area - China (Himalayas).
It has long been cultivated in Southeast Asia as a fruit tree (Japan, China, India), as well as in the USA, Georgia (Adzharia).
In Crimea, about 150 years old - like a beautiful park plant that blooms in winter; used for group and solitary plantings. The ovaries are often damaged by short-term cooling in December-February, so the fruits develop only occasionally - medium-sized, but with normal germinating seeds (fruits in the Caucasus are called "lokva").
Oleander
It has been cultivated since ancient times - there are many colored forms, terry varieties.
In the Crimea, about 200 years old, usually as an elegant landscape gardening plant of the South Coast. There is an extensive collection of forms and varieties. It is popular outside the range as indoor and tub culture. It should be remembered that all parts of this well-known ornamental plant are poisonous.
Natural habitat - Western China.
Cultivated for about 150 years. In the Crimea - since 1930 as a profusely flowering ornamental shrub with graceful foliage.
It has been cultivated since the beginning of the 20th century as a peculiar and stable park plant.
In the Crimea, since 1929, it has been observed in the collections of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden and beyond. It tolerates significant cold snaps and is found in park plantings from Sevastopol to Karadag. Yes, it's abnormal. Cold winter in January-February 2006, it was not detrimental to viburnum wrinkled-leaved in Sevastopol (the arboretum of the Musson plant named after Kalmykov).
Pittosporum, or Tobir's resin seed (Pittosporum Chinese)
Natural habitat - China, Japan.
It has long been cultivated within the range - as a park and flavoring plant (for tea, cosmetics, etc.).
In the Crimea - about 150 years old, where it is used for group plantings in parks from Foros to Alushta.
Natural range - the Balkans, Asia Minor, Western Transcaucasia (Georgia), Iran.
It has long been cultivated in Europe, many garden forms.
In the Crimea, it has been grown for almost 200 years as a stable park breed. Common on the South Coast and in the adjacent area (Sevastopol - Alushta - Privetnoye); occasionally in Evpatoria, Sudak, Feodosia.
You should know that the leaves and berries contain poisonous hydrocyanic acid.
Natural range - Southeast Asia (China, Korea, Japan).
Privets are close relatives of lilacs; the genus includes about 50 species growing in the subtropics of the Old World (Southern Europe - Southeast Asia).
Long known as decorative and vintage medicinal plants; a group of closely related species from China-Japan has been cultivated for over 200 years.
In the Crimea - about 170 years. Brilliant privet, oval-leaved privet, Japanese privet and their hybrids are common in park and city plantings from Sevastopol to Feodosia, including the South Coast.
Natural habitat - Southwestern China.
Cultivated as a sustainable park breed. In Crimea - more than 150 years; used in group and alley plantings.
Laurel cherry Portuguese, or Lusitanian
Natural range - North-Western Mediterranean (Portugal, southern Spain).
Cultivated in Southern Europe for over 350 years. It was introduced in the Crimea at the beginning of the 19th century and is used in the south coast parks for group plantings. Outside the South Coast - singly (vicinities of Balaklava).
Pyracantha bright red, or scarlet
Natural range - Southern Europe, Crimea, Caucasus, Western Asia.
Cultivated as a sustainable background breed for over 350 years. In the Crimea, it grows wild, in some places, on the southern slopes - along the beams and cliffs. Elegance in flowers and fruits, bright autumn coloring of leaves and endurance make it possible to widely use pyracanthus in roadside, street and group park plantings.
Varieties (according to fruit color) and cultural forms (enlarged sizes) have been bred.
The natural range is the northwestern United States.
Cultivated in Europe as an unpretentious ornamental plant; berries have nutritional value - tinting wines, drinks, etc.
In the Crimea since the beginning of the 19th century - as the most resistant evergreen shrub, widely used for landscaping throughout the peninsula (known as such in central Ukraine, Russia and Central Asia).
The natural range is the northern Mediterranean, Crimea, the Caucasus, Iran.
Cultivated as an unpretentious graceful plant for over 250 years. In the Crimea, it grows wild in the mountains and foothills - in semi-shady places, light forests, along the slopes; common from Laspi to Sudak. In this zone, it was preserved in park areas or transferred to them from natural habitats (domestication).
Shrub jasmine is often found in the parks of the Crimea in the form of curtains (Foros, Alupka, Massandra, Karasan, Nikitsky Botanical Garden).
Barberry Juliana, or Julia
Natural area - Central China. In the world flora there are about 500 species of barberries, among them there are many evergreen species; cultivated in dry areas.
In Crimea - since the beginning of the 20th century; more often two species are used - the barberry Juliana (Julia) named above and the barberry Souli with reddish berries, otherwise they are difficult to distinguish. Known in fencing, roadside and group plantings from Sevastopol to Alushta.
Natural habitat - Japan.
Cultivated for about 175 years. In the Crimea - from the middle of the 19th century, it is found in the south coast parks (Livadia, Nikitsky Garden, Karasan, the park of the Utyos sanatorium and others). There are variegated garden forms.
Natural range - South China (Himalayas), South Japan.
Cultivated for over 150 years. In the Crimea - since the beginning of the 20th century, it often grows in the southern coast parks and urban plantings from Foros to Alushta, where the upper branches sometimes freeze slightly - they are cut off, and the osmanthus remains low. There is also another species - fragrant osmanthus, which looks like a tree with spreading branches, more than 3 meters high.
The natural habitat is the Mediterranean.
Cultivated since ancient times. There are industrial plantations in France, Spain, Transcaucasia.
In the Crimea - almost 200 years, widely used in landscaping from Sevastopol to Karadag; there are experimental plots and industrial plantations on the South Coast.
The natural area is the western Mediterranean.
Since ancient times, wild lavender has been used here as a fragrant and treatment plant. There is evidence that in France (the province of Provence) it was collected as early as the 12th century; attempts to establish plantations were made in Burgundy in the 14th century; only in 1890 did special industrial plantings appear.
In the Crimea - since 1812, as a decorative and essential oil culture. Industrial plantations of lavender were founded in 1930-1932 (Alushta essential oil state farm-plant - 40 hectares; in the 1980s - 365 hectares). Lavender oil and lavender seeds are exported; Essential oils of lavender and rosemary are essential raw materials for high-quality perfumes and are used in the pharmaceutical industry.
Natural area - South Korea, Japan (except for the island of Hokkaido). It has been cultivated for over 200 years in warm areas with sufficient moisture. In the Crimea, it appeared in the collection of the Nikitsky Garden more than 185 years ago. Garden variegated forms are known - the "golden tree" (yellow spots), marble (white spots). As an original noticeable plant, it is planted in small groups in parks and boulevards from Foros to Alushta; the experience of planting in Sevastopol (1980s) had a negative result.
The natural area is southwestern China.
Cultivated for over 120 years. In Crimea - since the beginning of the 20th century, where it has been used in park and city plantings for arranging open decorative curtains (rocky gardens and hills). Known from Sevastopol to Sudak.
Natural habitat - Southwestern China. It has been cultivated since the beginning of the 20th century as a stable shrub of the original appearance among a large group of ornamental cotoneasters tested in the last century (the genus includes about 50 species). In the Crimea, it has been introduced into park and city plantings (groups on lawns, dry slopes, etc.).
Natural range - Southern Europe, Asia Minor.
Cultivated since the beginning of the 18th century. In Crimea - more than 100 years. Occasionally found in parks - in the area from Sevastopol to Alushta as an excellent ground cover plant, like periwinkle, but more thermophilic.
Viburnum evergreen, or laurel
The natural habitat is the Mediterranean.
Cultivated for a long time - domesticated in the zone of wild growth. In the Crimea - about 200 years; very unpretentious and has become common in park, roadside and urban plantings from Sevastopol to Sudak. In parks, it is often presented in the form of trimmed bushes - trellises, spheres and other figures.
The natural range is the western Mediterranean, including the islands and North Africa.
Cultivated since 1600. In Crimea - from the beginning of the 19th century; easily runs wild, forming stable thickets in light forests, along the beams. It is used as a drought-resistant shrub for landscaping slopes, coastal and roadside areas in the area from Evpatoria to Kerch.
Natural area - China, Korea, Japan.
Cultivated for over 200 years. In Crimea, about 180 years - in park and city plantings (groups, sheared borders); found in parks from Evpatoria to Sudak. There are garden forms with spotted and bordered leaves.
Buxus ordinary, or evergreen (boxwood)
The natural area is the Mediterranean, including the Caucasus. Cultivated since antiquity in Greece, Italy. In the Crimea - more than 200 years as a popular park breed from Evpatoria to Kerch, known in Bakhchisarai (the territory of the museum complex "Khan's Palace"). It can grow as a tree, but more often than other evergreen buxus-boxwood is used for arranging clipped borders (0.5-1 meter high), trellises (for example, in Alupka and Gurzufsky parks). In Alupka, more than 150 years ago, a grove of 60 trees was created.
Natural habitat - Southwestern China.
Cultivated in Europe for less than 100 years. In Crimea - since the 1930s; rarely found in parks - only on the South Coast. Its presence in plantings gives out a strong aroma in winter; known in Nikitsky Garden (Lower Park), in Alushta (sanatorium "Slavutich") and other places; there were landings in Sevastopol (1980s).
It is known that the Bible mentions many plants. Some of them are widespread in Russia - wheat, barley, apple, narcissus, lily, blackthorn, wormwood, etc. Others can be found only in the south, including when relaxing in the Crimea. The botanical affiliation of some is obvious, while others are still disputed. For example, no one knows what kind of gopher from which Noah built his ark, some translate this word as acacia, others - Lebanese cedar, others - cypress. Therefore, we will not argue that all the plants mentioned in the article are exactly those that the authors of the Bible had in mind, but this does not make them less interesting.
Which of the plants of the Bible grow in the Crimea
Fig tree(fig, fig). This plant is mentioned many times in the Bible. It was fig leaves that Adam and Eve covered themselves with after they ate the forbidden fruit and realized that nudity is not good. Jesus cursed the same tree near Jerusalem for lack of fruit.
The fig sings
In Crimea, figs feel great on south coast and in Sevastopol, in some places it has become wild and grows on its own. In other parts of the peninsula, it has to be covered for the winter. Locals make excellent jam from figs, be sure to try it!
Lebanese cedar is mentioned 75 times in the Bible. For example, with his bark, the prophet Moses ordered the rabbis to treat leprosy and disinfect wounds during circumcision. It was used in the construction of the Jerusalem temples and, perhaps, Noah's Ark was built from it.
Primorsky Boulevard, Sevastopol
In Crimea, it can be found in almost all South Coast parks and just on the streets.
Burning bush(fraxinella). Careless tourists remember meeting with this plant forever. The fact is that you can’t touch this beautiful flower, you can’t smell it either, otherwise blisters appear on the affected areas the next day, as if from a burn, which soon burst and expose bare meat.
Yasenets near the Black River near Sevastopol
This plant is called unburnt for an interesting property - its fruits contain essential oils, and in such quantities that if, during the period of seed ripening in sunny calm weather, a match is brought to the bush, the air around will flare up for a second, and the plant will remain unharmed. Not all researchers agree that the Bible mentions exactly the ash tree. They remind that there was a bush with thorns, which the ash does not have.
olive tree(European or cultivated olive, European olive, olive tree) On the southern coast of Crimea there are old olive groves that look like they were planted in biblical times:
Olive grove in Nikitsky botanical garden
This useful oil-bearing plant was apparently brought here along with grapes by ancient Greek settlers.
Olive trees in the park of the sanatorium. Aivazovsky in Partenit
In the Bible, olives, the tree itself, flowers, fruits, olive oil, are mentioned both directly and allegorically. For example, King David owned olive orchards, oil was added and added to the myrrh. A dove brings an olive branch to Noah, thus indicating that the flood is ending. It is also held in the hands of the Archangel Gabriel, telling the Virgin Mary the good news.
Palm. With palm branches, the inhabitants of Jerusalem met Jesus Christ. John the Theologian saw the saints before the throne of God with palm branches in their hands. There are many palm alleys and separately growing trees on the southern coast of Crimea. They tolerate short-term frosts and even snowfalls well.
Palm trees in Gurzuf, in the sanatorium "Pushkino"
In the Nikitsky Botanical Garden you can admire a whole collection of these heat-loving plants:
One of the palm groves of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden
Moreover, the palmarium is expanding in last years many new species have been planted.
One of the corners of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden
Grape. More often than this plant in the Bible, only the olive tree is found. Raisins, vines, wine, vineyards are mentioned in the Holy Book in connection with a variety of events.
Grape varieties "Moldova"
For example, King David takes raisins on the road, and he also receives them from Abigail with other gifts. Jesus on the cross is smeared with a sponge soaked in sour wine. Often grapes are used allegorically, for example, identifying Christ with the true vine, and his followers with its branches.
Old vineyard near the village of Chernorechye
In Crimea, grapes have been grown almost since biblical times, and therefore many autochthonous varieties have been preserved here, there are also wines made from them, for example, the famous Black Doctor.
New vineyard in the vicinity of the village. Angular
Hyssop is mentioned in the Bible 12 times and each time it is associated with some kind of ritual that helps to cleanse, whiten, protect, anesthetize something. Now this volatile plant is also used for medicinal and culinary purposes, and simply decorates the streets. southern cities. In Crimea, it can be found in various places, in parks, squares, flowerbeds.
hyssop blooms
Juniper mentioned in the Bible in connection with the life of the prophet Elijah, who rests under it, and then finds food under it. Again, the researchers argue whether it was exactly a juniper or the translation is incorrect, and if it is a juniper, then what kind?
Junipers at Cape Sarych
Grow in the Crimea different types junipers, some of them are listed in the Red Book, so when buying products from its wood, tourists either indulge poachers or acquire fakes - products from other wood soaked in coniferous oils.
Juniper right on the rock - a typical Crimean picture
Saffron(crocus) is mentioned in Scripture only once - in the Old Testament in the Book of Song of Solomon in the list fragrant plants next to nard, calamus, cinnamon and myrrh.
Crocus - one of the Crimean snowdrops
In Crimea, it can be found everywhere, in forests, on city lawns, in the front gardens of local residents. Its delicate flowers can also be found in autumn - these colchicums:
Autumn saffron on the Omega beach in Sevastopol
And these crocuses were taken on the Baydar Pass, where they, together with bright blue scillas, bloom in early spring in mountain forests under the crowns of trees that have not yet spread their leaves:
Saffron on the Baidar Pass
Cypress It is mentioned 7 times in the Bible. For example, in the Old Testament, in the Book of the prophet Isaiah, the Lord promises to open springs and plant plants in the desert – cedar, myrtle, olive, cypress, sycamore…. Now the Crimean landscapes cannot be imagined without these dark green candles. It is hard to believe that they were created not by nature, but by people - the ancient Greeks brought them out of the local wild form with horizontal branches. Most likely, the authors of the Bible meant it.
Alley of old cypresses in Simeiz
In the Crimea, the pyramidal cypress was settled twice. First, he arrived here with Greek settlers in the 1st millennium BC, and when they practically left the peninsula, the cypress trees gradually disappeared too - the old ones died over time, no one was engaged in breeding new ones. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia in the 18th century, this volatile plant was brought back.
Judas tree(Purple or Cercis European, Judaic tree). Once upon a time it was brought to the Crimea as an ornamental culture, but it grows wild and now often grows on its own, especially in Sevastopol and its environs. Its main feature is that flowers bloom not only at the ends of the branches, but also right on the trunks.
Flowers on the trunk of a Judas tree
There are two versions of the appearance of this name. According to the first, it was on its branches that Judas Iscariot strangled himself, according to the other, the birthplace of this plant is Judea, and it is named after him.
Crimson blooms - Judaic tree
By the way, there are many versions of what Judas hanged himself on. These are the aspen, because of which its foliage still trembles with horror, the birch, whose trunk has turned white with fear, the alder, the wood of which, allegedly since then, has acquired a reddish color, elderberry, mountain ash, etc. In general, almost every nation has its own version.
Adam's apple(Maclura orange or apple-bearing, false orange, inedible, Indian or Chinese orange, mulberry dye). This plant was brought to Europe from North America as an ornamental crop. First of all, its inedible, but unusual fruits, resembling tennis balls, attract attention. They are also green, have an uneven surface and can reach 15 cm in diameter, but usually about 10 cm.
Maclura on a branch
You can admire them in any Crimean market. Although the Crimeans themselves do not use this plant in any way, they are happy to sell its fruits to gullible tourists as a panacea for all diseases. According to legend, it was this inedible and even poisonous fruit, and not a tasty apple, that convinced Adam and Eve to try the cunning Serpent. According to another version, God in anger turned the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge into these inedible balls.
Garnet(Pomegranate, Pomegranate tree). Everyone tried the fruits of this tree, but few northerners saw how it grows (except on window sills, decorative varieties). Crimea provides such an opportunity, although even here it is a little cold, so the easiest way to see this exotic is in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, which is located on the South Bank, in a place with the mildest climate.
Ripe pomegranates in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden
In the Bible, the pomegranate, or rather its fruit - the pomegranate apple, is mentioned several times. Including there is a version that Eve, seduced by the Serpent, treated Adam with a pomegranate apple, and not a nasty maclura.
There are a lot of mistletoe in Crimea. In summer, it is almost invisible, but in winter, its balls, dressing trees in green, which have long shed their own foliage, are visible from afar.
Unlike most Russian regions, April in Crimea is the height of spring - everything blooms! Gardens, cities, steppes, mountains, every slope, front garden, gorge, everywhere some kind of flowering bush or flower is crouched. Only May can compete with him in the number of flowering plants, and even then, thanks to the ubiquitous poppies and lilacs.
What blooms in April on the Crimean peninsula
First of all, white and pink clouds of blooming flowers catch the eye. fruit trees and shrubs of the Rosaceae family.
They are diluted, blooming yellow, dogwood, barberry and jasmine (holiflorous or shrubby), as well as curtains of pale blue rosemary and bright red quince bushes:
What trees bloom in April in Crimea
Along the roads, under the white foam of flowers, gnarled trunks of almonds are hidden. It blooms the first of the Crimean trees, back in February.
In March and April, it is joined by quince, cherry plum, plum, apple, pear and their numerous wild and feral relatives. Rowan, viburnum, hawthorn do not lag behind them. The private sector of the Crimean cities is becoming incredibly prettier and literally buzzing from bees diligently flying around numerous flowers.
Not all trees bloom brightly, many, like the pistachio pistachio, are very modest.
But their earrings, inflorescences, cones are also actively involved in creating that gentle charm that permeates the Crimean forests in the middle of spring, when deciduous trees stand in a transparent greenish haze, and conifers "dust" their pollen at the slightest breath of wind.
Flowering begins in April. It is completely hidden under purple flowers that even cover trunks and large branches.
At the same time, sakura blossoms (yes, you don’t have to go to Japan, it’s enough to get to or).
There, on the South Shore, magnolia opens its huge flowers.
All this, at the same time, can be seen in the magnificent collection of the famous. There is always something in bloom, but the middle of spring is one of the best periods to visit it.
What blooms in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in April
The main event of April at the Nikitsky Botanical Museum is. Even those who visit this exhibition every year are in for a lot of surprises every time. It seems that it is no longer possible to come up with new shapes and shades, but breeders manage to surprise us again and again.
At the same time, many other plants bloom in the botanical garden. Heathers bask on the alpine hills:
Hellebore thrive in the shade under the spring sun
and periwinkle:
Bushes of forsythia, quince, lilac, mountain ash, cotoneaster, honeysuckle alternate along the alleys.
At this time, muscari and pansies are in full bloom, daffodils begin to bloom, the collection of which also includes many varieties and forms.
What blooms in the cities of Crimea
In recent years, the streets of the Crimean cities are decorated with more and more tulips. Flowerbeds appear where they have not been for decades.
Old-timers are touched - just like in Soviet times.
Lacquer-yellow chistyak, pale blue periwinkle and pinkish-white daisies hide under trees in parks:
There are also a lot of fruit trees on the streets, and if in summer tourists are surprised at plums and plums falling under their feet, then in spring it all looks like this:
And this is Bakhchisaray - the garden city lives up to its name:
The front gardens of local residents also show off one before another collections of flowers:
The variety of tulips and daffodils in them is reminiscent of a botanical garden collection.
Including because many Crimeans, having been in, are trying to buy an onion or two for their plot.
In addition to tulips and daffodils, there will almost certainly be primroses in the flower beds. Moreover, both typically wild - white, yellow and pink, and garden forms - dark and multi-colored.
and the royal crown are also typical inhabitants of household plots:
wild plants blooming in april
Crimea, these are several zones that differ markedly in climate and plant composition. Therefore, when magnolias bloom magnificently on the southern coast and lilacs begin to bloom, snow still lies in the mountains, and Crimean snowdrops raise their heads in the thawed patches - coltsfoot, galanthus, blueberries, crocuses, primroses, goose onions. A little lower on the yayles - the flat tops of the low Crimean mountains, sleep-grass is already blooming with might and main:
In mountain forests, kupena, chickweed, corydalis, geranium, strawberry, veronica reign:
This photo was taken in the vicinity of Sevastopol, and at the Yalta waterfall Uchan-Su you can find much rarer white teeth.
In the same place, another Crimean miracle blooms in April - sublingual needle. Its inconspicuous flowers bloom right on the leaves.
This is the neighborhood of Bakhchisaray - the dogwood is blooming:
In the second half of April, orchids open in the forests. Yes, orchids grow not only in the tropics. We also have a lot of them - orchis, lyubka, slipper, limodorum, stevenyella, pollenhead. All of them are quite rare, because each lives in symbiosis with a certain type of mushroom. Almost all are listed in the Red Book and still they are often cut off for bouquets by illiterate and ruthless "nature lovers".
Almost simultaneously with the first orchids, another red book blooms - the Crimean peony:
The steppe Crimea is a completely different flora, but it also has its own peonies - fine-leaved peony:
We photographed these beauties in the Red Beam under the White Rock. Adonis (spring adonis) can also be found there:
In general, in the steppe in April, birders, cinquefoil, forget-me-nots, breakwater, goat, muscari - mouse hyacinth reign:
And the iris is low - large flowers on low legs.
They come in a variety of colors - all shades of yellow, blue and burgundy.
The most surprising thing is that bushes of such radically different shades almost always grow mixed. Between the irises, stoneflies, saplings, forget-me-nots and miniature, with the nail of the little finger, wild relatives of pansies look through:
In general, there are a lot of violets in Crimea - blue rocky, blue pleasant, purple fragrant, white. And they all bloom in spring.
At the same time, feather grass blooms, covering the hills with silvery waves. Also in the steppe at this time you can find white poppies (doubtful poppy), and in the East of Crimea, the Schrenk tulip blooms - the ancestor of all cultivated varieties of tulips. Several more types of tulips grow in Crimea (Bieberstein, mountain, two-flowered), they also bloom at this time and are extremely rare. Therefore, they also need strict protection.
In April-May, the Crimea is unusually beautiful, and although it’s too early for the swimming season, it’s a wonderful time for traveling, and if your vacation falls in the spring, come to Crimea, you won’t regret it!
How quickly time flies! So October has come: the first snow has already fallen somewhere, and warm subtropical autumn still reigns on the southern coast of Crimea.
Miscanthus Chinese - my favorite of October, photo
In October, many interesting plants always bloom with us: some of them bloomed for the first time this season, others had a second autumn wave of flowering - the last, therefore, often desperately spectacular, filled with some kind of drama ...
Verbena hybrid, having gathered all its strength, blooms until autumn frosts, photo
Perhaps someone will grumble with displeasure: “Why do we need this southern exotic?” But she has long ceased to be such! Many crops that bloom here in October are successfully grown by summer residents in central Russia.
October - the finest hour of flowering garden dendranthemum, or chrysanthemum, photo
Dendrantema (or chrysanthemum) garden decorates autumn flower beds for a long time, so it was included in the star cast.
So, meet the 10 best plants blooming in October in the Crimea.
Asters perennial
Among the perennial species of asters that bloom at this time:- a. New English (Aster novae-angliae);
- a. New Belgian (A. novi-belgii);
- a. bush or shrub (A. dumosus);
- a. ptarmika (A. ptarmicoides) and their varieties.
Astra hybrid, photo
Their simple, semi-double, terry baskets of inflorescences of white, blue, pink, blue, lilac, red, purple are unusually beautiful in almost deserted cottages.
They are very winter hardy! They grow in one place for 3-4 years, then they are divided (each division must have roots and at least 1-2 buds) and transplanted (in spring and autumn).
What do perennial asters love?
- open sunny places dachas;
- soils rich in humus, in the best case - loamy drained;
- regular watering;
- soil loosening;
- 3-4 fertilizing with mineral fertilizers per season.
- waterlogging;
- blown areas;
- areas where cold and wet air(hollows);
- fusarium and powdery mildew.
Perennial asters look luxurious in single and group plantings in mixborders, along the fence; dwarf forms - in rockeries.
2 interesting facts from the life of perennial asters:
- it is perennial asters that are often called by the people Septembers, Octobers, and also - hellebore, as they bloom until the most serious autumn frosts;
- latin flower name aster derived from astron, which means star(according to the similarity of star-shaped inflorescences).
Colchicums
In culture, corm colchicum and their varieties (there are terry ones) with flowers of white, pink, raspberry colors are most often grown:- b. beautiful (Colchicum speciosum);
- b. autumn (C. autumnale).
Colchicum autumn, photo
These are unusual perennial plants from the Liliaceae family:
- b. beautiful comes from the Caucasus, northeast Turkey, from Iran; it is 18 cm high, 10 cm wide; in October, 1-3 large funnel-shaped pink flowers 4.5-8 cm long appear, with a white throat and yellow stamens;
- b. autumn comes from Europe; about 10-15 cm high, up to 8 cm wide; lavender-pink flowers (1-6 pcs), 4-5 cm long.
What does autumn colchicum love
- both sunny and semi-shady place in the country;
- loose fertile soil;
- to be “not touched” for 4-5 years;
- watering in hot dry summers, mulching summer plantings (bulbs are planted in July-August).
- heavy, poorly drained soils;
- waterlogging.
Colchicums are good in groups (spots) in rocky gardens, in the foreground of mixborders, which at this time begin to empty.
3 interesting facts from the life of autumn flowering colchicum:
- autumn flowering colchicum is unusual plants with its own development cycle. In early spring, shoots up to 40 cm high appear from the ground, the lower part of them turns into a corm, which forms an outgrowth with a renewal bud. By the end of June, seeds appear in 3-cell boxes. The plant dries up. At the beginning of autumn (for more than 1 month), flowers appear and are fertilized. Then the ovary hibernates underground, and in the spring everything repeats again. Colchicum corms are dug up at the end of June, stored in a dry, ventilated place until August, then they are planted;
- both species are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation;
- these are poisonous and medicinal plants containing alkaloids, among which colchicine is in the first place, therefore they are used in medicine and breeding.
brugmansia
Brugmansia (Brugmansia)- a luxurious representative of the Solanaceae family. Forms with peculiar long funnel-shaped flowers of white, yellow, pink colors, touchingly drooping down, are very popular.
Fragrant Brugmansia, photo
In addition, successfully grown:
- b. tree-like (B. arborea);
- b. fragrant, or fragrant (B. suaveolehs).
What does Brugmansia love?
- light and partial shade;
- loose fertile soils.
- waterlogging;
- temperatures below -3°C.
She is good in solitary planting, tubs with such an imposing beauty will decorate an open terrace in summer. In a family where small children grow up, it should be abandoned for now.
2 interesting facts from the life of Brugmansia:
- the plant is poisonous, so they work with it with gloves;
- Brugmansia is very similar to representatives of the Datura genus.
Japanese anemone
Japanese anemone (Anemone japonica, syn. A. x hybrida, A. x elegans)- under this name, high (70-120 cm) perennial rhizomatous hybrids and varieties with white and pink flowers are now grown.
Japanese anemone, photo
They are distinguished by late autumn flowering. However, most of them are not winter-hardy: in central Russia they winter with reliable shelter with spruce branches and snow. Propagated by division of rhizomes (delenki) in the spring.
What does the Japanese anemone love?
- sun and partial shade;
- regular watering;
- deeply cultivated, moist, organic-rich loamy soil;
- spring and autumn mulching with compost, rotted manure.
- competition from the roots of other plants;
- transplant.
Autumn anemones are rather large plants that can form whole thickets, therefore they are spectacular against the backdrop of a lawn in a large group. They are good in large rockeries, on the shore of a reservoir.
3 interesting facts from the life of Japanese anemone:
- the Japanese anemone is not quite Japanese, but rather Chinese: the registration in Japan (in 1695) of the first variety of autumn anemone brought confusion;
- spectacular delicate anemone petals are not petals at all, but sepals;
- The beauty of each flower is complemented by numerous golden stamens.
decorative cabbage
Decorative cabbage - under this name, the curly form of the endless variation pompously entered the October flower beds and took its rightful place garden cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. acephala "Crispa").
Ornamental cabbage, photo of the site user
Its multi-colored varieties (most often F1 hybrids) are like huge roses that bloom near the ground. On the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory and the southern coast of Crimea, its beauty will be most fully revealed even later - in November; in warm winters its decorative effect is preserved. Propagated by seeds through seedlings.
What does ornamental cabbage like?
- sunny places;
- loose drained fertile soils;
- regular watering;
- top dressing.
- dense soils;
- waterlogging;
- naked slugs.
It is so self-sufficient that only it can be planted in autumn flower beds (it is good to arrange varieties by color). Effective in pot and container culture.
3 interesting facts from the life of ornamental cabbage:
- it is not worth collecting seeds of F1 hybrids - they will not give the decorative effect that the parent plant had;
- homeland, possibly the Mediterranean;
- it is a biennial: but in the spring, with the appearance of the peduncle, the cabbage loses its beauty.
Cortaderia Sello
Cortaderia Sello, or pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)- a very spectacular large cereal from the subtropical regions of South America.
Cortaderia Sello, photo
There are undersized and compact varieties with white, pink color of panicle inflorescences; variegated forms. Propagated by division in spring or autumn. In central Russia, it requires serious shelter or entry into a frost-proof room with a low positive temperature.
What does Cortaderia Sello love?
- sun;
- loose drained soils;
- high warm beds, high warm southern terraces.
- waterlogging and stagnant water.
She is good in autumn flower beds, can keep the rhythm of a long rabatka, she can be planted along the fence. In central Russia, it grows better on warm raised high beds, in flower beds of a southern orientation. In this region, it can be grown in large pots, tubs, boxes, exposed from spring to the open air, and used to decorate an outdoor terrace. On the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory and the southern coast of Crimea, the possibilities of its use in gardening summer cottages are endless! She is a fountain plant, she is an accent plant, she is a holiday plant!
2 interesting facts from the life of cortaderia:
- despite the fact that Sello's cortadera is called pampas grass, it has nothing to do with the pampas - subtropical steppes in the southeast of South America;
- varieties are the most decorative; most of them are represented by female specimens.
Miscanthus sinensis
Miscanthus Chinese (Miscanthus sinensis)- this is an impressive large cereal full of charm (height up to 4 m, width up to 1.2 m) originally from Southeast Asia.
Miscanthus Chinese, photo
Currently, he and his varieties (and there are more than 100 of them!), Variegated forms are very popular! Propagated by division of the rhizome in spring. Young plants in the first years after planting for the winter cover.
What does miscanthus sinensis love?
- sunny summer cottages;
- fertile soils;
- regular watering (despite drought tolerance);
- top dressing with organic and nitrogen fertilizers;
- peace: not to be touched, not disturbed.
- divisions;
- transplants.
It can be used to create seasonal hedges, backstage. It is good in container culture. Miscanthus Chinese, like Cortaderia Sello, is a fountain plant, an accent plant. They can emphasize the splendor of the entrance to the house, it will be magnificent by the pond. Dry paniculate inflorescences will continue their life in dry bouquets.
2 interesting facts from the life of Chinese miscanthus:
- he is not among the gastronomic preferences of naked slugs;
- this is by no means a new culture: it has been grown since 1875.
Penstemon
Penstemon (Penstemon)- a representative of the Norichnikov family, not afraid of the autumn cold. In culture, perennial hybrids and varieties are often grown.
Penstemon - a worthy decoration of the October flower garden, photo
This is one of unpretentious perennials that bloom for a very long time. Its slightly drooping bell-shaped flowers in a variety of colors (often two-tone) seem to be made for a romantic garden. Propagated by seeds through seedlings and root offspring.
What does penstemon love
- sunny summer cottages, but can also grow in partial shade;
- well-drained, well-drained soils.
- naked slugs, which in turn also do not like him.
He is good in mixborders. True lovers of this plant collect entire collections of varieties and species.
2 interesting facts from the life of penstemon:
- the name of the genus comes from the Latin words: pente - five and stemon - stamen, which is associated with a distinctive feature - a prominent 5 stamen;
- in addition to hybrid penstemons, lovers of this perennial will certainly be interested in:
- n. bearded (P. barbatus);
- n. bell-shaped (P. campanulutus);
- foxglove (P. digitalis);
- n. Hartwega (P. hartwegii);
- n. heterophyllus (P. heterophyllus);
- in P. woolly - a dwarf form (P. hirsutus var. pygmaeus) and others.
Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke, or ground pear (Helianthus tuberosus) is a sunny autumn tuberous flower (and edible) perennial.
Radiant flowering of Jerusalem artichoke, photo
In one place (if you rely not on the harvest, but on decorativeness), it can grow happily ever after for about 20-30 years. Propagated by tubers in spring or autumn.
What does Jerusalem artichoke love
- fertile loamy (or sandy loamy) loose neutral soils;
- enough space for growth: between plants - 35-40 cm, row spacing - 60-70 cm.
- compacted soils;
- waterlogging;
- places after sunflower.
This tall plant is suitable for creating hedges, it will be visible from afar even in the background of mixborders.
3 interesting facts from the life of Jerusalem artichoke:
- Jerusalem artichoke - the ancient food culture of the American Indians - was recognized by Europeans only at the beginning of the 18th century;
- the Dutch and Belgians adopted it as "underground artichoke"; Sternbergia yellow, photo
- sun;
- dry summer cottages.
- waterlogging;
- dense soils.
- the name of the genus is given in honor of the famous German botanist Sternberg;
- there are sternbergias with white flowers, for example, sternbergia whitest (S. candida).
Every year in October I look forward to its appearance from the ground: it reminds me of the first autumn in the Crimea. The plant is up to 15 cm high, up to 8 cm wide. It has very beautiful dark green leaves up to 25 cm long. Golden funnel-shaped flowers up to 4 cm in diameter. Propagated by daughter bulbs in spring or autumn, after flowering.
What does yellow sternbergia like
It is interesting in the autumn border, small groups in rockeries are beautiful; can be grown in container culture.
2 interesting facts from the life of yellow sternbergia:
Dangerous plants of the Crimea should be known not only to the inhabitants of the peninsula, but also to those who came to visit. Every traveler unknowingly can rip poisonous flower or eat a life-threatening berry.
Crimean nature is very beautiful, but to the same extent it can be dangerous if you do not know the dangerous plants of the Crimea. We have already talked about some of them, this article provides ten of the most beautiful dangerous plants of the Crimea, which can lure with their wonderful flowers or bright berries.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - dope ordinary
Those who read Bazhov's fairy tales in childhood can remember the famous stone flower - the ideal bowl that the master Danil created according to the almost unattainable image of the Datura flower.
The inhabitants of Crimea have appreciated its beauty for a long time. Datura, which grows everywhere in the Crimea, is often used by local residents as an ornamental plant.
Even more often in the Crimean gardens and parks you can find large white Indian Datura gramophones. But this poisonous plant became famous not only for its beauty, but also for its other properties.
alone folk names, which point to them, what they are worth: dope grass, mad potion, bad drunk, crazy grass ...
And all these names are well deserved, since the plant is poisonous and is a strong hallucinogen. Therefore, shamans and priests of some tribes and peoples, knowing safe dosages, took it to enter a trance.
In India, there was even a profession - a dope poisoner. The “professional” blew powder from dope seeds into the nose of a sleeping person through a tube, which made him fall asleep even more soundly, and thieves easily, without any obstacles, carried property out of the house.
But, like many other well-known poisons, Datura alkaloids in the correct proportions have been used in medicine since ancient times.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - Colchicum
Light purple or pink flowers that open their buds in autumn, on the eve of winter cold and gave the name of the flower - colchicum. But their innocent defenselessness is very deceptive - the flower is very poisonous. There are over 20 toxins in Colchicum sap, some of which are deadly.
Even gardeners are advised to work with colchicum with gloves.
The literature describes cases of death of people who were treated as prescribed by healers with its decoction. Another name for this plant is colchicum.
According to ancient Greek myth, this plant sprouted from the drops of blood of Prometheus, who was chained to Caucasus mountains and was tormented by an eagle, and adorned the garden of the goddess Artemis in Colchis.
On the peninsula, there are two similar species of colchicum: shady, which blooms in autumn, and winter Ankara. Moreover, the first of them is often confused with the more common, but harmless plant that also blooms in autumn - the beautiful crocus.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - the flower of "Hamlet" or henbane
The very name of this plant in many causes a clear association with the brilliant work of the great English playwright William Shakespeare. After all, it was henbane that poisoned the king.
This plant, common for the peninsula, with not very catchy, but very attractive flowers, is also associated with the Russian expression: “Are you overeating henbane?”. And indeed, the symptoms of poisoning with it are so expressive that the famous physician and scientist Avicena wrote: “Herbane poison, which often causes insanity, deprives memory and causes suffocation and demonic possession.”
A common cause of poisoning is the similarity of henbane seeds to safe poppy seeds, which are especially attractive to young children. Dr. Mettesi noted:
Children, having eaten henbane, fall into such folly that their relatives, not knowing the reasons, begin to think that these are the machinations of evil spirits.
However, using precise dosages, henbane is included in some anti-asthma medications and is also used as a pain reliever.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - aronnik or forest pencil
In April-May, an exotic aronnik flower, a bit like kala, appears in the forests of Crimea. Its only petal is compared with a wing, hence the name of the rarest of the three species growing on the peninsula - white-winged aronnik.
Despite the peculiar decorative effect, the Crimean aronnik did not receive popularity due to a sharp and very unpleasant smell.
However, to flies - their pollinators, the ambergris that comes from these flowers seems to be a very attractive aroma. Unusual flowers of the eastern aronnik have two flowering phases - male and female.
Flies, having visited a plant with male period flowering, after a while they sit on the female and slip inside. At the same time, filamentous outgrowths, which are directed downwards, prevent them from getting out of the flower. The flies have no choice but to crawl along the cob located at the base of the flower, pollinating it with the pollen brought.
After that, the aronnik enters the male phase of flowering, removes all its traps and releases the flies to freedom. And everything repeats again.
All types of Crimean aronnik are toxic. In summer, their cobs ripen and are covered with attractive orange berries. If you eat them, at least a few pieces, then there is a strong inflammation of the oral cavity and appear characteristics poisoning.
In some places of the Crimea, aronniks are called forest pencils for the ability of the rod located in the center of the inflorescence to color surfaces. Such an interesting property attracts children, who, playing with "forest pencils", expose themselves to serious danger.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - wrestler or aconite
In the beech forest of Crimea, you can find a very beautiful perennial herbaceous plant from the buttercup family with bright blue or purple flowers. Its most popular names are aconite or wrestler.
By ancient Greek mythology, the wrestler appeared from the poisonous saliva of the formidable guardian of the underworld of Hades - the three-headed dog Cerberus, whom he brought to earth great hero Heracles. This suggests that the plant has long been considered one of the most poisonous.
The ancient Greeks used the plant to carry out death sentences. There is even a case when the legionnaires of the Roman emperor Mark Antony, having eaten several tubers of aconite, lost their memory and soon died.
According to one of the ancient legends, the famous conqueror Tamerlane died, poisoned precisely by the poison of aconite, with which his skullcap was soaked. The juice poisonous plant used in those days for the manufacture of poisoned arrows. That is why in many countries the very possession of aconite root was considered a serious crime and was punishable by death.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - yew berry
A tree covered with ancient legends, a long-lived tree, a welcome decoration of Crimean parks. However, such popularity could not protect the yew berry from cruel extermination.
In ancient times, entire forests of yew berry grew in the Crimea, but at present there are very few old trees left. The age of the yew berry can be very respectable - some trees have more than a thousand years.
The widespread destruction of the yew led to its beautiful, durable, almost eternal wood, painted in different shades of red. That is why it is also called redwood. In ancient Egypt, sarcophagi were made from it, and later in Europe, very expensive furniture.
The best bows were made from the viscous wood of the yew berry. But due to the toxicity of the tree, those who processed it lived very little.
Ancient legends have been preserved that in the old days beautiful cups were created from yew berry, which were then presented as a gift to enemies in the hope of poisoning them. In fact, the toxicity of the yew berry was known even to Pliny the Elder.
Everything is poisonous in a tree: wood, seeds, needles, bark, roots. The exception is berry-like juicy shells. Sweetish, but not distinguished by exquisite taste - they are completely harmless. The danger lies in the fact that if they are eaten together with the fruit (bone), poisoning is inevitable. There is evidence that even those who trim yew branches get headaches.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - peony
It is unlikely that any other flower in the Crimea can compete with the bright splendor of shapes and colors with the highest light of the world of flora - luxurious peonies. As befits aristocrats, they have been leading their history in park culture since ancient times.
Already two millennia ago, their delicate peony flowers adorned the imperial gardens of China. They were brought to the court from the south of the country in specially made bamboo baskets, and to protect against withering, each stem of the flower was covered with wax.
The ancient Greeks valued the peony not only for its beauty, but also for its amazing healing properties. Even doctors in those days were called peonies. There is a myth about Peon, a disciple of the god of healing Aesculapius, who surpassed the abilities of his mentor. This angered the god, and he ordered Hades to poison this talented young man.
However, the last moment the lord of the underworld took pity on the dying young man and turned him into a flower of extraordinary beauty. Like many medicinal plants of the Crimea, peonies are poisonous. Everything in it is toxic - from the rhizome, petals, seeds. Therefore, the accuracy of the dosage of preparations based on them is vital. Vegetable world peninsulas are decorated with two types of peonies, which compete with each other with their splendor. But, unfortunately, their number is decreasing throughout the Crimea.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - heracleum or flower of Hercules
White caps of inflorescences against the background of beautiful carved leaves already clearly distinguish this plant from all others. But even more impressive is its majestic size.
Under favorable conditions, some species of hogweed grow up to 4 meters with a leaf area of up to 1 square meter. In this case, the diameter of the inflorescence often reaches 60 centimeters.
For such a powerful and very high growth rate - 10-12 centimeters per day, he received his Latin name - Heracleum.
Surprised by his extraordinary appearance, the inhabitants of central Russia brought his seeds from the Caucasus, the Urals and other regions. Having settled in a new place as an ornamental plant, the cow parsnip soon got out of obedience and, conquering the surroundings of the peninsula, began to displace many local species, becoming a malicious weed.
But later it turned out that the handsome man is not only prolific, but also very poisonous. Even touching this plant can cause a serious chemical burn, so remember it well and during the flowering period try to admire its beauty only from the outside.
Dangerous plants of the Crimea - buttercup or Ares flower
The affectionate-sounding name of the plant "buttercup" actually comes from a formidable, even ferocious epithet - fierce. Its bright yellow, varnished flowers have received another popular name - night blindness.
This happened, apparently, due to the irritating effect of the juice on the mucous membranes, including the eyes. Of the beautifully flowering toxic plants of the Crimean peninsula, in terms of the number of species - he is a true champion - out of 23 species, all are poisonous.
Contact of the plant with the skin can cause severe dermatitis, and the likely outcome of its ingestion is fatal. In antiquity, the buttercup was a symbol of malevolent banter and served as the emblem of the formidable god of war Ares.
In the Ottoman Empire, ranunculus leaves were widely used in greenhouses and became a symbol of the greatness of the sultans. AT Ancient Russia he was considered the flower of the Thunderer Perun. And according to one of the Christian legends, escaping from the archangel Michael, Satan hid among the buttercup thickets, which is why the flower became so evil.
Lily-of-the-valley is popularly called a flashlight for gnomes. This plant from the lily family, despite its modest appearance, has won the hearts of all many peoples. Medium-sized snow-white, sometimes pink graceful lily of the valley flowers, like magic bells, exude a delicate, refined aroma that leaves no one indifferent.
By the number of legends and myths, he is unlikely to have competitors. In a Christian legend, lilies of the valley grew on the tears of Mary that fell to the ground, mourning her crucified son.
In Russian legends and epics, his appearance is associated with Volkhva, the sea princess. The love of the sea maiden was rejected by Sadko for the sake of an earthly girl named Lyubava. And her bitter tears sprouted in tender and a little sad flowers.
According to another legend, on the contrary, lily of the valley flowers are the happy laughter of Mavka in love, scattered like pearls through the forest.
In Western Europe, it was believed that lily of the valley flowers serve as lanterns for gnomes, and miniature elves hide in them from the rain.
Lily of the valley flowers are still loved today. In France, on the first Sunday of May, the lily of the valley is celebrated, and the Finns even consider it their national flower. Medicinal properties of lily of the valley have been widely known since ancient times. In medieval Europe, it became a symbol of medicine.
However, lily of the valley is completely poisonous.
Few people know that this plant ripens bright red, appetizing-looking fruits in the fall, which, if eaten, can seriously poison you. There are even fatal cases when water was accidentally drunk in which there was a bouquet of lilies of the valley.
