Crimean grass with purple flowers. Crimean primroses, or Spring, beauty and love! interesting facts from the life of Japanese anemone

Unlike most Russian regions, April in Crimea is the height of spring - everything is blooming! Gardens, cities, steppes, mountains, every slope, front garden, gorge, everywhere there is some kind of flowering bush or flower nestled. Only May can compete with it in the number of flowering plants, and even then, thanks to the ubiquitous poppies and lilacs.

What blooms in April on the Crimean peninsula

The first thing that catches your eye is the white and pink clouds of flowering fruit trees and shrubs of the Rosaceae family.

They are diluted with yellow-blooming dogwood, barberry and jasmine (holofloral or bushy), as well as clumps of pale blue rosemary and bright red quince bushes:

What trees bloom in April in Crimea

Along the roads, gnarled almond trunks are hidden under the white foam of flowers. It is the first of the Crimean trees to bloom, 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, and hawthorn are not far behind them. The private sector of Crimean cities is becoming incredibly prettier and is literally buzzing with bees, diligently flying around numerous flowers.

Not all trees bloom brightly; many, like pistachio obtufolia, are very modest.

But their earrings, inflorescences, and cones also actively participate in creating that gentle charm that permeates the Crimean forests in mid-spring, when deciduous trees stand in a transparent greenish haze, and coniferous trees “powder” with their pollen at the slightest breath of wind.

Flowering begins in April. It is completely hidden under purple flowers, which cover even the trunks and large branches.

At the same time, sakura blooms (yes, you don’t have to go to Japan, just get to or).

There, on the South Bank, magnolia opens its huge flowers.

All this, at the same time, can be seen in the magnificent collection of the famous. Something is always blooming there, but mid-spring is one of the best times to visit it.

What blooms in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in April

The main event of April at the Nikitsky Botanical Institute is. Even those who visit this exhibition every year are in for a lot of surprises every time. It seems impossible to come up with new forms and shades, but breeders manage to surprise us again and again.

At the same time, many other plants bloom in the botanical garden. The heathers bask on the alpine hills:

Hellebores thrive in the shade under the spring sun

and periwinkle:

Bushes of forsythia, quince, lilac, rowan, cotoneaster, and honeysuckle are interspersed 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 Crimean cities have been decorated with more and more tulips. Flowerbeds are appearing where there have been none for decades.

The old-timers are touched - just like in Soviet times.

In the parks, lacquered yellow guillemot, pale blue periwinkle and pinkish-white daisies hide under the trees:

There are also a lot of fruit trees on the streets, and if in the summer tourists are surprised by the cherry plums and plums falling under their feet, then in the 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 another’s collections of flowers:

The variety of tulips and daffodils in them resembles the collection of a botanical garden.

Including because many Crimeans, having visited, try 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 ones - white, yellow and pink, and garden forms - dark and multi-colored.

and the royal crown are also typical inhabitants of personal plots:

Wild plants blooming in April

Crimea consists of several zones that differ markedly in climate and vegetation composition. Therefore, when magnolias bloom luxuriantly on the southern coast and lilacs begin to bloom, there is still snow in the mountains, and Crimean snowdrops - coltsfoot, galanthus, scillas, crocuses, primroses, goose onions - raise their heads in the thawed areas. A little lower on the yailas - the flat peaks of the low Crimean mountains - the dream grass is already blooming with might and main:

The mountain forests are dominated by kupena, chickweed, corydalis, geranium, strawberry, and speedwell:

This photo was taken in the vicinity of Sevastopol, and at the Yalta Uchan-Su waterfall you can find much rarer white catfish.
Another Crimean miracle blooms there in April - butcher's broom. Its inconspicuous flowers bloom directly on the leaves.

This is the outskirts of Bakhchisarai - the dogwood is blooming:

In the second half of April, orchids open in the forests. Yes, orchids do not only grow in the tropics. We also have a lot of them - orchis, lyubka, slipper, limodorum, steveniella, pollenhead. All of them are quite rare, because each lives in symbiosis with a certain type of mushroom. Almost all of them 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:

Steppe Crimea is a completely different flora, but it also has its own peonies - thin-leaved peony:

We photographed these beauties in Krasnaya Balka under the White Rock. You can also find Adonis (spring adonis) there:

In general, the steppe in April is dominated by ornithischians, cinquefoil, forget-me-nots, breaker, kozelets, muscari - mouse hyacinth:

And the low iris - large flowers on low stalks.

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 intermixed. Peeking out between the irises are stoneflies, fireweeds, forget-me-nots and miniature, pinky-nail-sized wild relatives of pansies:

In general, there are a lot of violets in Crimea - blue rock, pleasant blue, fragrant violet, white. And everything blooms in the spring.

At the same time, the feather grass blooms, covering the hills with silvery waves. Also in the steppe at this time you can find white poppies (the poppy is questionable), and in the East of Crimea the Schrenk tulip, the ancestor of all cultivated varieties of tulips, blooms. Several other 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, Crimea is unusually beautiful, and although it is a little early for the swimming season, it is a wonderful time for traveling, and if your vacation falls in the spring, come to Crimea, you won’t regret it!

How will a tourist who decides to relax here in June see the Crimean peninsula, what blooms in Crimea in the first month of summer? To be honest, there are so many things that it is impossible to list, so in this article we simply tried to convey the atmosphere of June in Crimea.

In the first half of the month, the main flower of fields and roadsides remains the self-seeded poppy. However, if you are lucky, you can meet its smaller and more delicate relative - the hybrid poppy.

If you didn’t make it in time for the poppies to bloom, don’t worry, Crimea has prepared many other places for photo sessions. These are bright yellow fields of mullein, rapeseed, and turnips:

White – coriander and chamomile. This photo was taken near Vulkanovka:

But the most popular, of course, is lavender.

Its lilac fields have been preserved near the village of Turgenevka near Bakhchisarai. And at the height of the flowering of this fragrant plant (approximately the first half of June), the real pilgrimage begins there.

What blooms in Crimea in June - trees, shrubs, flowers

At the same time, spreading a delicate honey aroma around, Eleven angustifolia (wild olive) blooms.

This is one of the most noticeable plants on the Crimean coast, practically the only one that provides shade on the beaches of the east and west of the peninsula. Loch is extremely unpretentious, heat and salt tolerant, so it feels great on the sand, literally at the edge of sea water.

Crimean roadsides are again in pink - April almonds and May tamarisk have been replaced by mackerel. Her clouds of all shades of pink will accompany you throughout Crimea.

However, the yellow color has not been forgotten - gorse is blooming, and in some places it is a continuous carpet.

A tree with a completely unpronounceable name, Kölreuteria paniculata (soap tree), blooms yellow.

Its round crowns bristle with large, loose clusters, which by autumn will turn into bright tricuspid boxes, similar to Chinese lanterns. By the way, Kölreuteria comes from China.

Flowerbeds are decorated with lavender, various sedums and other drought-resistant plants.

You can often find artichokes, and not only in flower beds. It seems that he approved of the Crimean climate, took root and decided to go wild.

Arriving in Crimea in June, you will definitely meet yucca, one of the plants that says - you are in the south!

The front gardens of local residents resemble branches of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden thanks to the many varieties of roses, lilies, daylilies,

Oriental poppy, rudbeckia, eschscholzia, bluebells, etc. are pleasing.

June is the time when mallows bloom, and this flower has an innumerable variety of shades - from white to black. By the way, wild mallow also grows in Crimea - the hollyhock, a modest yellow color.

Wild plants of June

Almost everything in the forests has faded, so we go out to the edges, to the steppe, mountains and ruins of archaeological sites. At this time of year they have cheerful chintz colors - the flowers are small and modest, but there are many of them and mixed together.

They were chosen by mullein and bruise. By the way, the bruise is not necessarily blue; in Crimea you can find a pale blue one - the Italian bruise and, much less often, the red Russian bruise. This one was found in .

Once upon a time, a carmine red dye for woolen fabrics was obtained from this plant.

In the mountainous Crimea in June, sage and thyme set the tone. More precisely, sages - whorled, meadow, gormin, oak nutmeg, etc., and thymes, of which there are 13 species in Crimea and not all of them have a pronounced aroma.

Mixed with them grow Austrian and veined flax, variegated nom, larkspur, wholeleaf, istod, St. John's wort, etc.

One of the Crimean orchids, Anacamptis pyramidalis, is sometimes found here:

Mariannik flowers (Ivan da Marya) are clearly visible in the meadow:

There are 21 species of broomrape in Crimea, but usually they are much less noticeable than this bush on the cliff.

Higher up on the rocks, the meadows are more modest; wormwood, thyme, flax, bindweed, and navels reign here:

And the feather grass spreads over them.

However, here you can also find large bright flowers, for example, glacium:

Crimean zopnik blooms nearby. These elegant bushes will turn into “tumbleweeds” by autumn.

Right on the bare rocks, the capitate plant, a modest plant from the Red Book, found a place for itself.

An interesting feature of June is the flowering thorns. At this time, all the future weeds - thistle, tartar, thistle, scolymus please with lush flowering:

Neighboring them, adding bright colors to the steppe, are Tatary lettuce, scabiosa, sage, and chicory:

Almost everywhere from the above places you can find prickly pear - a cactus that blooms with large yellow flowers in June, and by autumn it is covered with dark pink sweet fruits from which you can make compote or jam.

It was brought to us by the Italians, who after the Crimean War reburied their compatriots on Mount Gasforte under. Their combat positions were previously nearby. And as a memory of their homeland, they planted a prickly pear brought from Sicily in the cemetery. She liked it in Crimea, and gradually it spread throughout the peninsula.

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This is my story about our journey through the flowering fields of Crimea. Today is a new morning in Bakhchisarai. (This article gives prices for food, entertainment, accommodation, flights). Our path is not close: we need to see lavender and tea rose in Turgenevka. We must then drive through the “Miracle Donkey” in the Carolesian Valley, Lake Mangup, and the Baydar Valley.
And through the Baydarsky pass, welcome to Yalta for 2 weeks. Here she is - Turgenevka!! Morning.. There are a lot of cars on the square.. We asked the locals where it was, the famous lavender field. They showed us the direction. Beautiful, sunny. We drove to the very top.
The village is barely visible on the left. There is a lake below.. Next to the lake is a huge poppy field. It was possible not to enter the village, but at the bus stop turn left and drive up to the field outside the village. Since the flowering had not yet begun in full force, no one stopped us. Nearby (not at all far behind the ravine) a sage field was visible (I think so - from a distance a field of bright lilac color was visible). But we didn't go there. But in vain. Now I regret it. Although we found sage elsewhere...
A car with locals drove by, but our license plates of region 82 probably reassured the guards, and they safely made a lap of honor around us and left... They don’t like tourists here, they (tourists) trample the lavender fields and take away lavender in large quantities. The fields along the perimeter are plowed to prevent cars from entering them. Lavender is harvested when 50% of the flowers open. At this time the color and aroma are the strongest!! This is how funny they “shave” her in Provence.
Peduncles are cut to 10-15 cm and dried in a well-ventilated, dry, shaded place. And here is the Crimean harvesting of lavender. (Judging by the photo, this is Turgenevka..)
Lavender has the soothing properties of valerian and bactericidal -
sage!! Great plant. True, the smell is quite an acquired taste... I didn’t pick much for myself at all; I was afraid that during a long journey it would make me dizzy. Mosquitoes and ticks are not lovers of smell, so essential oil will do a good job here too. In addition, the smell of lavender is not liked by animals and insects that are considered carriers of evil - mice, rats, moths, etc.
Lavender helps with spasms of blood vessels in the brain, strengthens the body's resistance to fatigue and infectious diseases. I once brought this lavender from France (from Menton) for 1 euro.

In Crimea, too, grannies are selling bouquets everywhere!! In magic, lavender symbolizes love, protection, sleep, chastity, longevity, purification, happiness, peace of mind, money. It also attracts good forces and romantic love. To concentrate the forces of the human body in the fight against evil spirits, lavender is used in the form of incense and infusions.
Lavender is one of the common ingredients for a talisman bag (sachet). Let my “French girl” be like that.
On Midsummer's Day, witches threw lavender into the fire as a sacrifice to the ancient gods.
To maintain chastity, lavender was used together with rosemary, but, on the other hand, this plant is chosen to seduce men.
Lavender was worn to see spirits. And in ancient times, before separating from their lover, girls put lavender flowers under his pillow and made a wish, which would certainly come true in the future.

It has always been believed that lavender promotes self-knowledge, rapid restoration of strength, provides complete energy relaxation, reduces aggression, and helps to recover from envy. It also helps to induce dreams about a past life. However, lavender does not grow in such even rows as in Provence. .. In Crimea, lavender has been used since 1812 as an ornamental and essential oil crop. Industrial lavender plantations were established in 1930-1932 (Alushta essential oil state farm plant - 40 hectares; in the 1980s - 365 hectares). Lavender oil and lavender seeds are an export item; essential oils of lavender and rosemary are necessary raw materials for high-quality perfumes and are used in the pharmaceutical industry.
Timid start of flowering..June 12

Spring is late and cold this year!! I would be here in 7-10 days!! This is how we would see this field!!
They write that the best time to photograph lavender is from June 17 to July 17!
And now I recognize 1000 photos of lavender in Turgenevka on the Internet!!
The field is quite littered in some places, and at the bottom half of it is overgrown with poppies. We also met with alpine lavender near Mount Dzhemerdzhi. Here in the USSR there were lavender plantations. Lavender did not appear in Crimea on its own; it began to be bred in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden on the southern coast of Crimea. In Soviet times, the cultivation of lavender acquired an industrial scale, the Union was proud of the quality of its flowers, we were told that their quality for cosmetic products exceeded that of Provence, so France actively bought our lavender. (Below is a photo somewhere in the Dzhemerdzhi area. Alushta can be seen in the distance. But here the bushes are already in bloom, and we still have a few buds)

The collapse of the country also affected the lavender-pink theme; many fields were abandoned. Now only small, inconspicuous, and also not yet blooming bushes remain.

This is my photo in the area of ​​​​Mount Jemerdzhi.. Lavender is almost invisible here..

I love poppies too!! I tried to find what the poppy symbolizes.. It turns out there are so many good and bad.. But I liked this version better. A symbol of female unfading beauty...

Here is the next photo shoot in poppies, not far, somewhere along the road!! Poppy pink, lavender and sage fields have long been my dream!!
This June the dream came true. True, not to the extent we would like. Everything is “on the run.” And I wanted to slowly seize moments, meet sunsets and sunrises in the fields... Watch and listen to this Crimean color music of the sky, endless meadows and a riot of colors!!
I can’t take my eyes off this living flower carpet!! Poppies and rapeseed!! I can not!! Bright tongues of living flame tremble under gusts of wind and burn in the wind!!
The hands themselves continually press the button - removed!! Maybe come back?? And I can’t choose a photo!!
All of them with magnificent poppies!! Cow!!

What kind of soothing milk will she give after eating poppies to give to the children!!??
Well, that's it. Let's move on. On the other side of Turgenevka there is also a field of tea roses. This is only the very edge, but in general the field is quite large, you just need to turn left along the road.
Rose is not yet e bloomed this year. It usually fades before lavender!! Somewhere from May 20 to June 20!! We were lucky. They didn’t bother to film the entire plantation from a different angle..
In Provence = France, and more precisely in Grasse, the centifolia rose grows - centifolia. She is unique..
And it doesn’t grow anywhere else with such an aroma. Even there, fragrant petals do not occur on every bush. And it is not oil that is obtained from centifolia, but an alcoholic extract. Then it is evaporated to a small volume and used in perfumery. I wrote about this in a story about the Fragonard factory..
And here is the Crimean teahouse.. I had to stop again!! People walk along the rows, collecting petals by hand!!
Well then!! And on the road near the village of Dobroye (this is another trip to Simferopol) we got lost for a long time in search of a lilac field. We are driving along the highway.. A random glance into the distance.. It flared, hit the eyes with a bright color and disappeared!! We searched for a long time... Found it. We forded the river by car!!
Oh, the romance of Crimean roads!! A local guy in a Zhiguli drove across a ford in front of us. Well, we also took off in a Volkswagen!! What a landscape!! What space.
Meadows, fields and mountains in the distance and the sky of amazing color. We spied a photo session of local girls on horses!! Beautiful!!
These are the adventures. Thanks to my son for fulfilling my whim!! The kids were frolicking...
I was jubilant and again could not tear myself away from the “camera shutter” tablet.!! The joy of childhood!! In the lilac field!! However, I didn’t immediately realize that it wasn’t lavender!! I was just surprised - Well, even large flowers and leaves don’t smell. Only after looking on the Internet did I realize that it was sage!!

The wind blew, Thin branches in the field bent under its pressure. It promised to rain any minute!! How unfortunate!
Hurry up, quickly take off this lilac miracle!! Children in this lilac fog, mountains, clouds and the still clear blue bottomless sky!! I photographed the field, mountains, children!!
Andrey filmed me!! And the sky, meanwhile, began to seriously frown... Rain, although not serious yet, but rather unpleasant, deigned to happen. We ran into the car and drove further to Simferopol. A week later, driving by, we were surprised!! There was no more lilac miracle!! The field has gone out!! The sage has bloomed or has been mowed down!! One day, moving from Yalta to the New World through Simferopol, not far from Belogorsk we came across such a field of clary sage.
Pale-faced friend!! You, of course, are not as beautiful as your lilac brother, but you smell simply unimaginable!! I would even say - you stink!! But we also captured you in the photo.. The plant has pronounced anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, hemostatic, tonic properties, and sage can increase the secretory activity of the digestive tract, increase the secretion of gastric juice and reduce sweating. Sage is a good immune stimulant; in addition, it improves memory, enhances attention and increases performance. Sage has also found application in cosmetology: Sage essential oil is mainly used for aromatherapy. It is used as a stress reliever, soothes headaches, brings balance and a sense of satisfaction; Rinse your hair with a decoction of sage; it gives it shine, gets rid of dandruff and oily sheen, and stimulates its growth; Antibacterial properties make this plant an indispensable assistant in the treatment of juvenile acne. Salvia officinalis extract is included in many products for the care of young skin prone to oily skin; A compress of sage decoction on the eye area will help get rid of dark circles and make your eyes radiant;

It is known that there are many plants mentioned in the Bible. Some of them are widespread in Russia - wheat, barley, apple, daffodil, lily, sloe, wormwood, etc. Others can only be found in the south, including while vacationing in Crimea. The botanical identity of some is obvious, while others are still debated. For example, no one knows what kind of gopher this is from which Noah built his ark; some translate this word as acacia, others as Lebanese cedar, and still others as cypress. Therefore, we will not claim 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 any less interesting.

Which plants from the Bible grow in Crimea?

Fig tree(fig, fig). This plant is mentioned more than once in the Bible. It was fig leaves that Adam and Eve covered themselves with after they ate the forbidden fruit and realized that nakedness was not good. Jesus cursed this same tree near Jerusalem for lack of fruit.

The fig is ripening

In Crimea, figs thrive on the southern coast and in Sevastopol; in some places they have gone 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, mentioned in the Bible 75 times. For example, his bark prophet Moses ordered the rabbis to treat leprosy and disinfect circumcision wounds. It was used in the construction of the Jerusalem temples and may have been used to build Noah's Ark.

Primorsky Boulevard, Sevastopol

In Crimea, it can be found in almost all southern coastal parks and just on the streets.

Burning bush(fraxinella). Careless tourists will remember their encounter with this plant forever. The fact is that you cannot touch this beautiful flower, nor smell it, otherwise the next day bubbles will appear on the affected areas, as if from a burn, which will soon burst and expose bare flesh.

Yasenets near the Black River near Sevastopol

This plant is called unburnt for its interesting property - its fruits contain essential oils, and in such quantities that if, during the period of seed ripening in sunny, windless weather, you bring a match to the bush, the air around it will flare up for a second, and the plant will remain unharmed. Not all researchers agree that it is the ash tree that is mentioned in the Bible. They remind you that the bush there had thorns, which the ash tree 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 as if they were planted in biblical times:

Olive grove in Nikitsky Botanical Garden

This useful oilseed plant was apparently brought here along with grapes by ancient Greek settlers.

Olive trees in the park of the sanatorium named after. 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 gardens; oil was and is added to the ointment. A dove brings an olive branch to Noah, thereby showing that the flood is ending. She is held in the hands of the Archangel Gabriel, telling the Virgin Mary the good news.

Palm. The inhabitants of Jerusalem greeted Jesus Christ with palm branches. John the Theologian saw the saints before the throne of God with palm branches in their hands. On the southern coast of Crimea there are many palm alleys and separately growing trees. They tolerate short-term frosts and even snowfalls well.

Palm trees in Gurzuf, in the Pushkino sanatorium

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 palmaria is expanding and in recent years many new species have been planted.

One of the corners of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden

Grape. Only the olive tree is found more often than this plant in the Bible. Raisins, grapevines, wine, and vineyards are mentioned in the Holy Book in connection with a variety of events.

Grapes variety "Moldova"

For example, King David takes raisins on the road, and receives them from Abigail along with other gifts. Jesus on the cross is smeared with a sponge soaked in sour wine. Grapes are often used figuratively, for example, identifying Christ with the true vine, and his followers with its branches.

Old vineyard near the village of Chernorechye

Grapes have been grown in Crimea almost since biblical times, and therefore many autochthonous varieties have been preserved here, and 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 rituals that help to cleanse, whiten, protect, or anesthetize something. Now this phytoncidal plant is also used for medicinal and culinary purposes, and simply decorates the streets of southern cities. In Crimea, it can be found in a variety of places, in parks, squares, and flower beds.

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, researchers argue whether it was definitely a juniper or the translation is incorrect, and if it is a juniper, then what kind?

Junipers at Cape Sarych

Various types of junipers grow in Crimea, some of them are listed in the Red Book, so when buying products from its wood, tourists either pander to poachers or acquire fakes - products from other wood, soaked in pine 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 of aromatic plants next to spikenard, calamus, cinnamon and myrrh.

Crocus - one of the Crimean snowdrops

In Crimea, it can be found everywhere, in forests, on city lawns, and in the front gardens of local residents. Its delicate flowers can also be found in autumn - these colchicums:

Autumn saffron on Omega beach in Sevastopol

And these crocuses were taken at the Baydarsky Pass, where they, together with bright blue woods, bloom in early spring in mountain forests under the crowns of trees that have not yet bloomed:

Saffron on the Baydar Pass

Cypress 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 the desert with plants - cedar, myrtle, olive, cypress, sycamore... Nowadays it is impossible to imagine Crimean landscapes without these dark green candles. It’s hard to believe that they were created not by nature, but by people - they were bred by the ancient Greeks from a local wild form with horizontal branches. Most likely, the authors of the Bible had this in mind.

Alley of old cypress trees in Simeiz

In Crimea, pyramidal cypress was resettled twice. First, he arrived here with Greek settlers in the 1st millennium BC, and when they practically abandoned the peninsula, gradually the cypress trees also disappeared - the old ones died over time, and no one was involved in breeding new ones. After the annexation of Crimea to Russia in the 18th century, this phytoncidal plant was brought back again.

Judas tree(Purpleberry or Cercis europaea, Judea tree). Once upon a time it was brought to Crimea as an ornamental crop, but it went 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 directly on the trunks.

Flowers on the trunk of the Judah tree

There are two versions of the appearance of this name. According to the first, it was on its branches that Judas Iscariot hanged himself, according to the other, the homeland of this plant is Judea, and it was named after him.

The crimson flower is fading - Tree of Judah

By the way, there are many versions of how Judas hanged himself. This is an aspen, because of which its foliage still trembles with horror, a birch, whose trunk has turned white with fear, an alder, the wood of which, supposedly, has since acquired a reddish color, elderberry, rowan, etc. In general, almost every nation has its own version.

Adam's apple(Orange or apple-bearing maclura, false orange, inedible, Indian or Chinese orange, dye mulberry). This plant was brought to Europe from North America as an ornamental crop. First of all, its inedible but unusual fruits, reminiscent of 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 at 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 has tried the fruits of this tree, but few northerners have seen 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 exoticism is in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, which is located on the South Coast, 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. In particular, there is a version that Eve, seduced by the Serpent, treated Adam to a pomegranate apple, and not to the nasty mackerel.

There is a lot of mistletoe in Crimea. In summer it is almost invisible, but in winter its balls, covering trees that have long shed their own foliage in green, are visible from afar.