Rare plants of the Crimea. Red Data Book of Crimea: rare animals and plants Message about Crimean plants

The flora of Crimea is very unusual and diverse. There are 2,500 varieties of wild plants on the peninsula. This is an impressive number. It is necessary to note the uniqueness of the flora. There are 250 endemics here, that is, plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. In addition, the Crimea is rich in relics - plants that have been preserved without any changes for millions of years.

Historical digression

The plants of the Crimea have been thoroughly studied. But, nevertheless, discoveries of new species are regularly made. And the reason for this is the uniqueness of the peninsula. As we have already noticed, the plants of the Crimea are very diverse. An interesting fact is that everywhere on the peninsula plants are very different origin. Among them there are relics and endemics. In addition, there are a lot of related plants from completely different Black Sea regions: the Caucasus, the Balkans, Asia Minor. A similar phenomenon is associated with the history of the Crimea.

After all, initially it was a mountainous secluded peninsula, which over the course of thousands of years was joined and then separated by land isthmuses from the mainland (with the lands of the Caucasus, Asia Minor, the Balkans, the East European Plain). Therefore, the plants of the Crimea also changed. We should also not forget that more than a thousand species of exotic specimens have been brought by man over the thousands of years of the history of this land. So it turned out that the flora of the peninsula acquired such a colorful and diverse look.

Change of belts of vegetation

Another feature of the Crimea is a very clear change of vegetation from north to south.

The northern part of the peninsula is hilly steppes. At present, most of them have long been plowed up, and therefore these lands have lost their natural appearance. The original appearance was preserved only by those areas that are unsuitable for agriculture. These are solonchaks, beams, ravines, rocky plains.

In the area of the foothills, the steppes change into forest-steppes. Here, in addition to steppe plants, such species as juniper, fluffy oak, shaggy pear, wild rose, hornbeam, etc. grow.

With height, oak forests are replaced by beech ones. 200-250-year-old trees amaze with their power and primordial gloomy beauty. It is always very gloomy here, there is not even undergrowth and grass cover, there is only a thick layer of fallen leaves. At an altitude of about a thousand meters, huge mighty beech trees give way to gnarled, undersized trees.

At the very top, the forests give way to flat peaks, which are separated from each other by very deep passes. Outwardly, the yayla look like steppes. It is here that a quarter of all endemics of the peninsula are located.

Further, closer to the sea, there is a belt of beech-pine and pine forests, which consists of the Crimean pine and Scotch pine. There are also oaks, beeches, hornbeams here. natural pine forests are more pronounced on the southern coast, which cannot be said about the southeastern part.

South coast

Even further south, the shilyak belt begins, consisting of hornbeam, downy oak, juniper, small-fruited strawberry, pistachio and many others. In the southeast, the climate is very dry, so shilyaks are very rare.

But on the South Coast they are quite thick. In general, the vegetation of the South Coast is close to the Mediterranean, but very much changed by man. Most of the territory is occupied by health resorts, gardens, vineyards, roads. And also by human hands, extensive parks have been created here, in which species brought to the peninsula grow. Imagine that many plants have been living here for about 200 years. Currently, all parks have become an integral part, and among them are the famous Alupka, Foros, Livadia, Massandrovsky.

I must say that the parks themselves have long merged with evergreen natural thickets and form a single whole.

Reserves of Crimea

Crimean plants are protected by laws. Four completely new nature reserves and sixteen sanctuaries have been created on the peninsula. Natural monuments, reserved tracts, protected parks are also under protection.

Near the Nikitsky Botanical Garden is the Cape Martyan nature reserve. Also on the peninsula is Yalta in which are collected rare plants Crimea. This is just a small part reserved places this edge. All of them are unique and interesting in their own way, each has its own task of preserving relic and endemic plants. In our article we want to give a description of some of them.

Beech

Beech is a genus of the Beech family. Two species grow in Crimea: ordinary and eastern. Both of them have a regal appearance and play a great soil and water protection role. The tree lives from 250 to 350 years. It blooms for the first time at the age of 30, and maybe even at 60 or 80 years. It blooms in April with the simultaneous opening of the leaves. Nuts appear on the tree in autumn. They feed on squirrels, roe deer, wild boars, deer. Beech oil is very valuable, its properties are not inferior to olive oil.

Well, there is no need to talk about wood. Due to its special property, it is used for the manufacture of barrels for expensive wines, parquet, musical instruments, yachts. In the distant past, trees in the Crimea were mercilessly cut down. And now they are under protection. The grove on Ai-Petri is generally a protected area.

Oak

Oak belongs to the Beech family. In total, there are approximately 450 varieties of this plant in the world. The bark and wood of the tree are highly valued. In Crimea, there is a rather rare fluffy oak that has been living for more than a thousand years. Such a thousand-year-old plant is located near Foros. Its girth is five and a half meters. And in the Bakhchisarai region, a tree with a girth of eight meters was found. Back in 1820, a cork grove was laid in the Nikitsky Garden, which still feels great to this day. Scientists of the garden were settled throughout the South Coast. Now it is a plant of the Southern Crimea.

Strawberry small-fruited

Plants and animals of the Crimea are so diverse that they never cease to amaze. And the south coast unique place, a piece of the subtropics, where very special plants grow, which, in principle, could not take root in these parts, but thanks to the unique microclimate created by the mountains, they feel great here.

One of these plants is the small-fruited strawberry. It is an evergreen tree with more than twenty species growing in North America and the Mediterranean. In Crimea, the plant is found only on the southern coast. It has been preserved in these places since the Tertiary period, and is currently listed in the Red Book. The tree reaches a height of six meters. It is characterized by a bizarrely curved trunk and winding tips of branches. On the tree, fruits are formed that are very similar to strawberries. They are quite edible. Because plants have decorative look, they are cultivated in the parks of the peninsula. And in the vicinity of Gaspra there are several trees, whose age, according to scientists, is approaching a thousand years.

figs

Figs are also called differently. His homeland is the Mediterranean. I must say that this is an evergreen plant, there are more than 800 of its species. For a person, fruits are of particular value. They are eaten fresh, dried, and jam is made from them. In general, this is a very ancient plant on earth, it has been cultivated since time immemorial. However, it is not known exactly when and by whom this tree was brought in. Currently, there are 300 species of figs in the famous Nikitsky Garden. The tree has a strong root system. There are no flowers familiar to us on the tree. But the fruit looks like a bag with seeds inside.

cypress evergreen

It is a coniferous evergreen tree. It came to the Crimea from Greece. It acclimatized here in antiquity. But it became widespread in the 18th century, when many plants were brought on the orders of Potemkin. The evergreen cypress has a pyramidal shape. Its needles are very soft to the touch. The cones are small and round shape like a soccer ball. Cypress seeds are food for many birds: grosbeaks, woodpeckers, finches, robins. In addition, the tree is known for its medicinal properties.

Even the ancient Greeks noticed the positive effect of cypress on people with diseased lungs. Modern scientists have shown that essential oils trees have a strong bactericidal effect that can suppress staphylococcus aureus, Koch's bacillus and other bacteria. For medicinal purposes, tree cones are also used. The wood is particularly durable, resistant to decay and has a wonderful aroma. She has been valued since time immemorial.

Orchid

Orchids are very common in the tropics. This species includes the well-known spice vanilla and a great variety of cultivated species in greenhouses. In the Crimea, there are 39 varieties of this plant, 20 of which can be found in Laspi. According to meteorologists, this is the most warm place throughout the South Coast. It is also jokingly called "Crimean Africa". It is for this reason that many endemic plants are found here.

Red Book of Crimea. Plants included in it

Crimea is a completely unique place that has collected truly innumerable riches in the form of flora and fauna. Any tourist who has visited the peninsula for the first time never ceases to admire its beauties and amazing plants. And there really is something to see, something to admire. What is worth only the richest history of this region.

If we talk about unique plants peninsulas, many of them are under protection and have long been listed in the Red Book. The plants of the Crimea, the description of which we have given in the article, are very interesting and worthy of detailed attention. We would also like to dwell on those species that, for one reason or another, have already been included in the Red Book. There are more than 250 of them in total. We list just a few of them:

River horsetail.
The bone is graceful.
North Kostenets.
Juniper deltoid.
Maple Steven.
Ira is beautiful.
The cuff is oak.
Red onion.
Cuneiform hawthorn.
meadow sage.
Crimean dandelion.
Tulip Bibirshtein.
Forest grapes.
Sea rock.
Cystoseira bearded.

Instead of an afterword

Crimea is completely unique and amazing place. In addition to extraordinary beauty, it amazes with riches. flora. On the whole planet, perhaps, there are not so many places that can boast of such a species richness of flora brought from other regions and taking root in a new place.

The official status of the Red Book of the Republic of Crimea ensures reliable state protection of the biological species included in it and implies strict legal liability for persons causing damage to their populations.

This edition includes 297 species of vascular plants, 35 species of bryophytes, 18 species of macrophyte algae, 22 species of lichens and 33 species of macroscopic fungi. In this order, these groups are located in the book. Vascular plants are divided into sections of psilotophytes, horsetails, ferns, gymnosperms and flowering plants; further bryophytes into hepatic and leaf-stem mosses, algae into green, ochrophyte, red and characeae, and fungi into marsupials and basidiomycetes.

Within each division, orders, families, genera, and species are given in alphabetical order(according to Latin names). The Red Book of the Republic of Crimea takes into account the latest achievements of world science in the field of macrosystematics of vascular plants. In particular, the classification of flowering plants is given according to the APG III system (see Reveal and Chase, 2011), that is, their traditional division into monocots and dicots is not accepted in this publication. The systems of ferns (Christenhusz and Chase, 2014) and gymnosperms (Christenhusz et al., 2011) are also borrowed from the most recent publications.

Names of species of vascular plants are given for the most part on " natural flora Crimean Peninsula” (Yena, 2012). Deviations are mainly related to new information published in more later works(in particular, on many orchids, tulips, thin boletus), less often with the author's position of the compilers of essays (on hawthorns and Crimean cabbage). A small part of the species included in the Red Book, but not in the "Natural Flora of the Crimean Peninsula", was first discovered in the Crimea only in the last two or three years (Khaussknecht's kostenets, rocky hermitage, a number of species of dremliks).

Essays on each species include Russian and Latin names, conservation status taxon, brief information about its range, a description of the features of morphology and biology, threat factors and accepted and necessary measures protection.

The description of each species is accompanied by a color illustration (photo or drawing), the author of which is indicated at the end of the essay (in the case of two photographs, authorship is indicated in order from left to right)

The description of each species is also accompanied by a map with a grid designation of its locations on the territory of the Republic of Crimea. The basis of these maps is a map of the main landscape zones of the Crimea (Development of Priorities, 1999), reproduced here with symbols on the next page. The distribution of species is marked on maps in squares of 10*10 km. The red dots mark the squares within which the presence of the species is confirmed by modern finds made after 1994. blue dots mean that the species was present in this square according to the information received before 1994, and now either disappeared or the data on its presence after 1994 were not verified.

The Red Book of the Republic of Crimea includes all species listed in (2008; hereinafter referred to as the RF CC

Crimean flora is characterized by great diversity. In a small area there are forest, steppe, semi-desert and desert natural areas. Their distribution is related to the climate and topography of the peninsula. There are about 250 endemic plants in Crimea, some representatives of the flora are relics ice age. Mediterranean species have taken root well on the South Shore.

Below are some representatives of the flora of the Crimea with brief description and photo.

Colchicum Ankara

Corm perennial grows in the steppes and on the slopes of the mountains. The height of the plant is only 5 cm. There is a bluish bloom on the leaves of the lanceolate form. Flowering depending on temperature regime starts in January-March. Colchicum flowers of a pink-purple hue look like a crocus. However, unlike the crocus, the flowers and leaves of the plant appear at the same time. Colchicum belongs to poisonous plants, today it is listed in the Red Book.

Astragalus bristly

perennial herbaceous plant listed as an endangered species. At present, it has been preserved only in three regions of the southern coast of Crimea. The relic grows on rocks and slopes, its height is 15 cm. The shoots are covered with stiff hairs, the narrow foliage has soft pubescence. The plant has a high drought tolerance. Purple flowers bloom in May.

magnolia grandiflora

An evergreen tree grows up to 30 m. It has a thick trunk and a dense crown. The leathery leaves are pointed. Large white flowers are eye-catching. Magnolia blooms all summer and bears fruit in mid-autumn. Flowers and fruits contain a large number of essential oil. Today they are widely used in perfumery.

real lady's slipper

The Red Book perennial of the orchid family is found in the mountain belt, foothills and on the southern coast of Crimea. The length of the flowering stem is 60 cm, green leaves have an oval-lanceolate shape. The flower is shaped like a shoe, hence the name of the orchid. During the flowering period, the plant exudes a pleasant aroma, luring insects to it. Prefers shaded mixed forests and edges, less common in open areas. The main threat to the venus slipper population is the massive gathering for bouquets and digging up roots for transplanting into gardens.

Snowdrop folded

Perennial bulbous plant belongs to the Amaryllis family. It can be found on the edges of forests, among shrubs, in mountainous areas. The height of the snowdrop is 25 cm, dark green leaves are covered with a bluish bloom. The plant blooms in early spring, flowering lasts about a month. White single flowers exude a delicate aroma. At the end of spring, the foliage disappears until the next year, the vegetation continues in the underground part. The number of snowdrops has decreased significantly due to human economic and commercial activities.

Barberry ordinary

Branched and thorny shrub grows up to 1.5 m. Yellowish shoots acquire a gray tint with age. The leaves are located in the axils of the spines. In autumn, it becomes a rich red color, which gives the bush a decorative effect. Barberry blooms in May, the flowers are collected in a brush. Red berries of an elliptical shape ripen in September-October. Barberry is considered medicinal plant. Preparations based on it have a choleretic, antispasmodic and diuretic effect. The wood is used to make handicrafts and souvenirs.

Yew berry

Coniferous tree is a relic of the Crimea. It is found in forests and on the slopes of mountains, very rarely forms small groves. The yew grows very slowly, the annual growth is only 2 cm. The life span of the tree is amazing, some individuals are 4000 years old. Yew is the only representative of conifers that does not have resin. However, the bark, needles and wood are very poisonous. The tree is recognizable by its conical crown, reddish-brown bark, and bright red seedlings. Wood has been in demand since ancient times, it is heavy, resilient and resistant to decay. Today about economic use there can be no talk. All areas of the yew on Earth, including the Crimea, are reserved.

pistachio

The tree came to the island from . The life span can be 1000 years. The height of the pistachio reaches 8 m, it has a dense crown and ash-colored bark. The oval leaves are collected in a bunch, the flowers are inconspicuous. Fruits, spherical drupes, ripen at the end of summer. The plant is drought-resistant, tolerates highly saline soils, but needs intense lighting. Pistachio does not form independent plantations. In many fruits, the seeds simply do not ripen, which is why the tree does not reproduce well. The wood is very dense and heavy. The pistachio is listed in the Red Book, the limiting factors are human activity, cataclysms, unregulated recreation and erosion.

Walnut

The tree came to Crimea from Greece and gradually spread throughout the peninsula. Adult individuals reach a height of 30 m, the average life expectancy is up to 3-4 centuries. The walnut has a spreading crown with numerous branches. The girth of the trunk is 2 m. The walnut is distinguished by a powerful root system, which extends 20 m in different directions. The elongated leaves have a specific smell. The fruits are false drupes that contain one seed. Nuts ripen by early September. At the wood beautiful drawing, so it is highly valued in the furniture industry.

cypress evergreen

The coniferous tree has a pyramidal shape. The height of the trunk is 30 m. The dark green needles have a pleasant aroma, small cones are covered with a pattern. Most of all, cypress is common on the southern coast of Crimea. Here he forms groves and alleys, actively participates in the formation of a healing climate. Max Height the tree reaches the age of 100 years. It tolerates drought and significant temperature drops well.

Crimea can rightly be called "little Australia". Firstly, three climatic zones meet at once on this unique peninsula: the temperate continental climate of the steppes, the mountain belt and the subtropics of the southern coast. Secondly, here grows great amount endemic plants and many endemic animals. Thirdly, in a relatively small area (just over 26 thousand square kilometers) there are about 50 salt lakes and 257 rivers flowing.

The high Crimean mountains, the proximity of two seas at once - the Black and Azov, ancient cities- all this led to the uniqueness of the nature of the Crimea.

Flora of Crimea

The flora of the Crimean peninsula is very unusual and original. Its diversity is astounding. So, on the peninsula there are over 2500 species of plants. For comparison: only 1,500 species of vegetation grow in the European part of Russia. In addition to endemics, there are many relict plants - those that have not been seen for many millennia. BUT main feature Crimean flora is that it varies significantly from north to south.

In the north of Crimea, where the Kerch Peninsula is located, is the kingdom of hilly steppes. Most of them are plowed under agricultural land. Only uncultivated grain areas remained uncultivated: solonchaks, ravines, gullies, rocky plains. In this part of the Crimea, cultivated plantations and crops predominate.

If we move from here to the south, we will find ourselves in a zone of foothills, where the steppe is replaced by forest-steppe. Linden, ash, skumpia, hornbeam, a lot of juniper, pear, and hawthorn are more common here.

Even further south, the forest-steppe gradually develops into a strip of oak forests. Dubnyak, by the way, occupies more than 60% of the peninsula. Among the varieties, the most popular are rocky, fluffy, pedunculate oaks. Oak forests in the Crimea are very light, sparse, with luxurious undergrowth and tall grass.

A little higher in the mountains are the richest beech forests. These mighty trees grow at an altitude of 700 to 1200 m above sea level. Beech forests amaze with their grandeur and silence. They are dense, dark, without undergrowth and grasses, only a sea of fallen leaves wraps around the roots of trees. And only at the peak Crimean mountains beech trees are small and gnarled. And often here they are interspersed with hornbeams.

In rocky damp places, thickets of berry yew, a relict tree that has been preserved since the Tertiary period, have been preserved.

However, the very peaks of the Crimean Mountains are usually called Yayla. Yayla is a chain of peculiar table-like flat peaks connected by deep passes. Once upon a time there were beautiful pastures with lush grass and meadow plants. Most of the Crimean endemics grow on yayla.

And further south begins the descent to the sea, and the flora in these places is simply amazing with the brightness of greenery and diversity. On the southern slopes of the mountains, beech forests give way to pine forests. Even further south, the shilyak belt begins (sparse woody-shrub forests), where fluffy oaks, junipers, pistachios, strawberries, Pontic larch, dense thickets of dogwood and prickly derzhitree meet.

But it should be noted that on the southern coast of Crimea, shiblek in its original form was preserved only in some places: in Laspi Bay, on Capes Martyan, Aya. Basically, this part of the peninsula has undergone significant changes due to human activities. It is here that all the health resorts and resorts of Crimea are located, and the plants in this part of the peninsula are 80% imported. But many have been growing here for centuries. So, for example, birch is an extremely atypical tree for the Crimea. It was brought here from Russia only some 200-250 years ago.

In total, the area of Crimean parks stretched over 2,000 hectares. Here you can already find exotic plants brought to the peninsula from all over the world: cypresses, figs, crocuses, almonds, over 20 thousand species of orchids, ferns, tulips and cyclamens.

Fauna of Crimea

The uniqueness of the geographical position of the peninsula also determined the originality of the fauna. There are many endemic animals in Crimea, but at the same time animal world represented much poorer than, for example, even in the neighboring regions of Russia and Ukraine.

Studies have shown that ostriches and giraffes once lived in the Crimea. Then, with climate change, the peninsula moved reindeer and foxes. Thus, the fauna of the peninsula is an amazing conglomerate of the most diverse species, many of which have adapted to local habitat conditions.

The ichthyofauna is richly represented: marine fish There are over 200 species, many live permanently, more than 50 species are in transit, traveling along the coast of Crimea to the Bosphorus. AT fresh waters lakes and rivers, zoologists have counted 46 species of fish, and 14 species are "aboriginal". The rest, such as carp, pike perch, perch, crucian carp, silver carp, grass carp were introduced and perfectly acclimatized in the Crimea.

Of the amphibians, lake and tree frogs, toads and newts are the most common. And of the 14 species of Crimean reptiles, only steppe viper. There are many snakes, copper snakes, there are yellow-bellied, four-striped and leopard snakes. Only one species of turtles lives in Crimea - marsh ones. They inhabit mainly mountain waters. But at once there are 6 species of lizards, among which Crimean, rocky and nimble ones are more common.

Birds in the Crimea and more than 200 species. More than 60% of them nest on the peninsula, about 17 species arrive on the peninsula for wintering. Large birds of prey have chosen to live in mountainous areas. These are eagles, ospreys, imperial eagles, golden eagles, vultures, black vultures, sea eagles, peregrine falcons, eagle owls, saker falcons, griffon vultures. Sandpipers, larks, quails are found in the floodplains of river valleys, bustards and little bustards are found in the steppe. Pelicans can be seen on the Crimean coast. But mostly they live here. sea birds: gulls, terns, ducks, geese, gray herons, cormorants. And on the Swan Islands you can see a huge number of species of swans.

As for mammals, there are about 60 species of them in the Crimea. They live mainly in nature reserves, sanctuaries and mountainous areas. Their predators are weasels, foxes, badgers, martens. Hares and ferrets are found in the steppes and forests. In the mountainous regions and foothills, red deer and wild boars. Fallow deer and moufflons have been introduced recently, attempts are being made to revive the population of these animals, but so far to no avail. Once upon a time, wolves also lived in the Crimea, but the last of the wolf tribe disappeared at the beginning of the last century.

There are 4 representatives of marine animals on the coast of Crimea: these are monk seals and three species of dolphins.

Climate in Crimea

The ridge of the Crimean mountains protects the peninsula from air masses coming from the continent, and therefore on the southern coast remains tropical climate With warm summer, hot sun, abundance of greenery and warm sea water.

Spring in Crimea is incredibly beautiful and varied. Heavy rains and fogs are often replaced by clear, fine days. Opening in May bathing season. Summer is not hot, as sea breezes cool the air considerably. The temperature "ceiling" is observed at the height of July, when the air warms up to +36°С +38°С.

Until mid-October, warm autumn reigns on the coast - sunny, velvety. And only at the end of December, winter sets in - not cold, often with positive temperatures, rains and very rare snowfalls. But in the mountains, winter reigns with might and main, sweeping tall snowdrifts. In the mountainous regions of Crimea, winter lasts 100-120 days.

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 the South Coast and in Sevastopol, in some places they have run wild and grow on their 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 thing is, touching it 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 incendiary for 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 it 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 adorns the streets of southern cities. In Crimea, it can be found in the most different 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 Old Testament in the Song of Songs of Solomon listed as 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 front gardens. 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, along with bright blue scillas in early spring bloom 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 culture. 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.

Pomegranate(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.