It is diverse, its flora is rich. Of the 3,500 plant species in the European part of the USSR, about 2,300 species grow on the peninsula, of which more than 1,700 species grow on the South Coast and partly in the overlying plant belts of the southern slope of the Main Mountain Range.
The plain Crimea and the Kerch Peninsula are characterized by grassy steppe vegetation. Its character changes depending on changes in soil conditions. On the low-lying coast of the Karkinitsky Bay and in the southwestern part of the Kerch Peninsula, salt-tolerant vegetation is widespread: various saltworts (solewort, sarsazan, sweda), some cereals (volosnets, beskilnitsa, coaster, solonchak wheatgrass), and leguminous plants - thin-leaved sweet grass and wastelander. To the south and deep into the peninsula there is a dry, fescue-wormwood steppe. It is followed by a typical steppe, the grass of which is dominated by grasses: various feather grasses, fescue, wheatgrass, and bluegrass viviparous. A typical steppe is also characteristic of the northeastern part of the Kerch Peninsula.
The hills of the Tarkhankut Peninsula and the northeastern part, composed of limestone, are occupied by rocky steppe, in which fescue, coastal brome, Caucasian wormwood, thyme, and white Dubrovnik grow. Closer to the foothills there is a mixed-herb shrub steppe, which is characterized by shrubs: thyme, or thyme, Tauride savory, rock alfalfa, gorse and others.
Territory steppe Crimea Almost entirely plowed and developed for grain (wheat, barley, corn, oats), industrial crops (sunflower, essential oil plants), and in irrigated areas for vegetables. Large areas are occupied by young vineyards and orchards. IN last years rice began to be grown here.
The foothills are occupied by forest-steppe with a mosaic alternation of treeless and forested areas. The forest of the foothills is low-growing, sparse, formed by oak, field maple, ash, elm with hazel and dogwood in the undergrowth. The most common shrubs are mackerel, hawthorn, blackthorn, rose hip, buckthorn and others. Treeless areas in their natural state are characterized by grassy grass-forb steppe vegetation of feather grass, fescue, wheatgrass, wheatgrass, saffron, sage and other species.
Currently, the steppe areas of the foothills are mostly plowed, many are used for plantations of tobacco and essential oil plants, and horticulture has long been developed in the river valleys. In recent years, the area under vineyards has also expanded greatly in the foothills.
Above the forest-steppe, the mountain slopes are occupied by low-stemmed coppice oak forest, giving way up the slope to a tall oak forest with an admixture of ash, field maple, linden, hornbeam, beech, with an undergrowth of hornbeam, dogwood, hazel, rowan, hawthorn, and mackerel. Even higher on the slope there are tall beech and hornbeam forests, rare areas of Crimean pine, and on the southern slopes there are groves of tree-like juniper and isolated yews. Above 1000 m there is a low-growing beech forest and rare areas of Scots pine.
The Yaila highlands are, as a rule, treeless and occupied by grassy meadow-steppe.
Drought-resistant trees and shrubs, as well as dry-loving herbs and subshrubs, grow there. Low-growing and sparse forests are formed by fluffy oak, tree-like juniper, hornbeam, wild pistachio, Crimean pine, wild strawberry; bush thickets are formed by low-growing forms of downy oak and hornbeam, pine tree, mackerel, sumac, shaggy pear, dogwood, butcher, cistus and others. In the eastern part of the South Coast, due to the increasing continentality and dryness of the climate, the forests characteristic of the region are gradually becoming poorer and are being replaced by shrub thickets. Open, dry and rocky areas are covered with dry-loving grasses and shrubs.
The parks, especially in the western part of the South Bank, contain cypresses, cedars, spruces, pines, sequoias, fir, magnolias, palms, laurel, cork oak, sycamore and others.
Large areas on the southern coast of Crimea are occupied by vineyards, orchards, and tobacco plantations.
The southern slope of the Main Ridge above the oak-juniper forest of the Southern Bank is occupied by a forest of Crimean pine; its distribution to the east is already island in nature, and to the east the pine forest is replaced by a forest of fluffy oak, hornbeam, tree-like juniper, and dogwood. Above 900-1000 m there is a forest of beech, Scots pine, oak, maple, hornbeam, and linden.
Crimea can rightfully be called “little Australia”. Firstly, on this unique peninsula there are three climatic zones: the temperate continental climate of the steppes, the mountain belt and the subtropics of the southern coast. Secondly, it grows here great amount endemic plants and many endemic animals. Thirdly, in a relatively small area (just over 26 thousand sq. km) there are about 50 salt lakes and 257 rivers.
The high Crimean mountains, the proximity of two seas at once - the Black and Azov, ancient cities - all this determined the uniqueness of the nature of Crimea.
Flora of Crimea
The flora of the Crimean peninsula is very unusual and unique. Its diversity is amazing. Thus, there are over 2,500 plant species on the peninsula. For comparison: only 1,500 species of vegetation grow in the European part of Russia. In addition to endemics, there are many relict plants here - those that have not been modified for many millennia. A main feature Crimean flora is that it changes significantly from north to south.
In the north of Crimea, where the Kerch Peninsula is located, there is a kingdom of hilly steppes. Most of them are plowed under agricultural land. Only areas unsuitable for growing grain remained uncultivated: salt marshes, ravines, ravines, rocky plains. In this part of Crimea, cultivated plantings and grain crops predominate.
If we move south from here, we will find ourselves in the foothills zone, where the steppe gives way to forest-steppe. Linden, ash, mackerel, hornbeam, and a lot of juniper, pear, and hawthorn trees 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’s territory. Among the varieties, the most popular are sessile, downy, pedunculate oaks. The oak forests in Crimea are very light, sparse, with luxurious undergrowth and tall grass.
A little higher in the mountains there are rich 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 thick, dark, without undergrowth or grass, only a sea of fallen leaves envelops the roots of the trees. And only on the very peaks of the Crimean Mountains are beech trees small and gnarled. And here they are often interspersed with hornbeams.
In the rocky damp places thickets of yew berries have been preserved - a relict tree that has been preserved since the Tertiary period.
However, the very peaks of the Crimean Mountains are usually called yayla. Yayla is a chain of unique 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 to the south the descent to the sea begins, and the flora in these places is simply amazing with its bright greenery and diversity. On the southern slopes of the mountains, beech forests are replaced by pine forests. Even further south begins the shibliak belt (sparse tree-shrub forests), where fluffy oaks, junipers, pistachios, strawberries, Pontic larch, dense thickets of dogwood and thorny trees are found.
But it should be noted that on the southern coast of Crimea shiblyak has been preserved in its original form only in some places: in Laspi Bay, on capes Martyan, Aya. Basically, this part of the peninsula has undergone significant changes due to human activity. It is here that all the health resorts and resorts of Crimea are located, and 80% of the plants in this part of the peninsula are imported. But many have been growing here for centuries. For example, birch is an extremely atypical tree for Crimea. It was brought here from Russia only some 200-250 years ago.
In total, the area of Crimean parks stretches over 2 thousand 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.
Animal world of Crimea
Uniqueness geographical location the peninsula also determined the uniqueness of the fauna. There are many endemic animals in Crimea, but at the same time the fauna is much poorer than, for example, even in neighboring regions of Russia and Ukraine.
Research has shown that ostriches and giraffes once lived in Crimea. Then, with climate change, reindeer and arctic foxes moved to the peninsula. Thus, the fauna of the peninsula is an amazing conglomerate of a wide variety of species, many of which have adapted to local living conditions.
The ichthyofauna is richly represented: sea 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. IN fresh waters Zoologists have counted 46 species of fish in lakes and rivers, with 14 species being “natives”. The rest, such as carp, pike perch, perch, crucian carp, silver carp, grass carp, were brought and perfectly acclimatized in the Crimea.
The most common amphibians are lake and tree frogs, toads and newts. And of the 14 species of Crimean reptiles, only the steppe viper is poisonous. Lots of snakes, copperheads, yellow-bellied snakes, four-striped snakes and leopard snakes. Only one species of turtle lives in Crimea - marsh turtles. They inhabit mainly mountain reservoirs. But there are 6 species of lizards at once, among which the most common are Crimean, rock and sand lizards.
There are more than 200 species of birds in Crimea. More than 60% of them nest on the peninsula, about 17 species fly to the peninsula for the winter. Large birds of prey have chosen mountainous areas for their habitat. These are eagles, ospreys, imperial eagle, golden eagles, vultures, black vultures, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, eagle owls, saker falcons, and griffon vultures. In the floodplains of river valleys there are waders, larks, and quails; in the steppe there are bustards and little bustards. On the coast of Crimea you can see pelicans. But mainly seabirds live here: 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 in Crimea. They live mainly in nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and mountainous areas. Their predators include weasels, foxes, badgers, and martens. Hares and ferrets live in the steppes and forests. Red deer and wild boar live in the mountainous areas and foothills. Fallow deer and mouflons were 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 Crimea, but the last of the wolf tribe disappeared at the beginning of the last century.
On the coast of Crimea there are 4 representatives of marine animals: monk seals and three species of dolphins.
Climate in Crimea
The range of the Crimean mountains protects the peninsula from air masses, coming from the continent, and therefore on south coast saved tropical climate With warm summer, hot sun, plenty of greenery and warm sea water.
Spring in Crimea is incredibly beautiful and varied. Heavy rains and fogs are often replaced by clear, sunny days. The swimming season already opens in May. Summer is not hot, as sea breezes significantly cool the air. The temperature “ceiling” is observed at the height of July, when the air warms up to +36°C +38°C.
Until mid-October, the coast reigns Warm autumn- sunny, velvety. And only at the end of December winter sets in - not cold, often with above-zero temperatures, rain and very rare snowfalls. But in the mountains, winter reigns with might and main, sweeping up tall snowdrifts. In the mountainous regions of Crimea, winter lasts 100-120 days.
Many people saw it in Crimea. But few tourists have been outside the popular tourist places. But in vain... For example, they are very interesting. But they are not the only ones. You may well be interested in others. For example, the Crimean steppes. The Crimean steppes are a natural zone in which cereal crops predominantly grow, which are not too demanding on the soil layer and can withstand drought and local winds. Plants of the steppe Crimea, the names and characteristics of which we will consider today, are also found in other parts of the planet that are similar to the conditions characteristic of the steppe and forest-steppe zones. But here, thanks to the proximity to the sea, their perception is different. Let's talk more about them. So, what is the flora of the steppes of the Crimean peninsula?
Climate characteristics
The northern part of the Crimean peninsula is a steppe zone. The climate of the Crimean steppes is temperate continental. It is characterized by hot, long summers, and winters here are mild and short. The area is subject to invasion of air masses from almost all sides. Winds blow from the Atlantic, Arctic and tropics. The Crimean steppes are characterized by droughts and hot winds. The humidity threshold here is quite low. In this regard, cereal crops predominate in this climatic zone. Let's take a closer look at the vegetation of the steppe Crimea.
Plants of Crimea - description
Medicinal plant feather grass
Various varieties of this herb grow on the Crimean peninsula. More than 15 of them are protected due to population decline. This plant is a perennial plant from the cereal family; it looks like spikelets, reaching a height of 50 to 100 cm. Flowering begins in May and ends in June-July. The feather grass blooms very beautifully - it forms delicate panicles light shades– from gray-green to silver.
Medicinal plant fescue
This grass has another name - Wallis fescue; it also belongs to the cereal family and is quite common in the CIS countries. However, fescue can be seen in its original wild form only in the Crimean Askania-Nova Nature Reserve. Wallis fescue makes an excellent forage for horses and other grazing animals. It develops equally well both in arid soil and in well-irrigated meadows. Externally, it is a plant with a height of 20 to 40 cm with a dense, thin and smooth stem, from which numerous shoots extend. During the flowering period, they resemble spreading panicles and have a bluish tint.
Medicinal plant wheatgrass
This perennial plant is also a cereal and is a fodder crop. It prefers chernozem soils of the steppes, which is why it is widespread in the Crimea, its steppe part, but it can also grow on sandy or rocky soil. Zheat grass tolerates arid climates well. Externally, it is an erect stem about 50 cm high with spikelet inflorescences. The fruit of the wheatgrass is an oblong grain. The grass has a powerful long root, which sometimes reaches two meters and goes deep into the ground.
Medicinal plant steppe tonkonog
Tonkonoga is a grass from the bluegrass family. About seven species of this plant are common on the Crimean peninsula. Among them are the short thin-legged, the combed thin-legged, and in the area of the Kerch Strait there is a variety - the sandy thin-legged. This grass is quite tall - reaches up to 80 cm. Vegetative shoots up to 35 cm extend from the thin and strong stem. Thin-legged shoots bloom in June, then short-haired shoots with panicles at the ends form on it. Panicles up to 10 mm in diameter, up to 9 cm long, fluffy, have a slightly purple tint. Fruits in July.
Medicinal plant goose onion
Yellow goose onion or bird's onion is a plant belonging to the Liliaceae family. A relatively low species - from 3 to 35 cm with a thin stem and narrow, erect basal leaves, which usually grow long - above the inflorescences. The leaves in peduncles are numerous and short. Umbrella-shaped inflorescences with varying numbers of flowers yellow color. The flowers of the plant resemble stars in appearance. When flowering stops, the entire above-ground part of the plant dies. Methods of propagation of goose onions are seed and bulbous.
Medicinal plant stonefly
Stonefly is an annual plant and is a medicinal plant. Grows in the steppes of Crimea and other regions. Stoneflies can be found almost everywhere - near roads, in weedy areas. In medicine, all parts of the herb except the rhizome are used for medicinal purposes. Stonefly reaches a height of 3 to 30 cm. Its leaves are pubescent, oblong in shape with a slightly bluish tint. The flowers have small sepals containing 4 bipartite white petals. Stonefly blooms very early - in March, and sometimes even at the end of February.
Flowers of the Crimean steppes
In addition to various cereal crops, many flowers grow in the Crimean steppes, for example, irises and tulips.
Irises are perennials belonging to the Iris family. Irises have thin roots that can remain in the ground for many years, while the flower stalks die off every year. The leaves of irises are dense, long, pointed. One or more flower stalks may form on the plant. The number of petals is six, three of which, the lower ones, are slightly inverted. Irises come not only in lilac or purple, but also in white, orange, pink and other shades. This diversity is probably why the flower got its name, which literally means “rainbow.”
We looked at some plants of the Crimean steppe. Of course, this natural area is quite rich in vegetation, but mainly cereal plants predominate here.
PLAN
Vegetation of Crimea. Northern Crimea and Sivash region
Steppe type of vegetation
Vegetation of the yayla
Vegetation of the southern slope of the Crimean Mountains
General characteristics of the vegetation cover of Crimea
The flora of any corner of our planet can be described using only two important concepts - flora and vegetation.
Flora is a collection of plant species living in a given territory (water area).
We can talk about the flora of long-past geological eras or a certain territory, for example, about the flora of Europe, Ukraine, Crimea and even Evpatoria.
The flora of Crimea is exceptionally rich and has over 2,700 species. higher plants. For comparison, we point out that the flora of Sakhalin Island, whose area is almost three times larger than the area of our peninsula, has 1,400 species of higher plants.
The co-growth of different species is never accidental. Depending on soil and climatic conditions and on the relationships between species, a completely definite set of plants growing together is always created.
A stable natural grouping of plant species growing together and interacting with each other is called a phytocenosis.
Let us remember the wonderful oriental legend by M.Yu. Lermontov “Three Palms”:
"In the sandy steppes of the Arabian land
Three proud palm trees grew high.
A spring between them from barren soil,
The murmur broke through as a cold wave,
Kept under the shade of green leaves,
From the sultry rays and flying sands..."
What can you say about the flora and phytocenosis of this oasis? The list of flora will be extremely short here: palm tree. Let’s call the phytocenosis a palm grove.
The totality of phytocenoses growing in a certain territory constitutes the vegetation of this territory.
The territory in which a certain plant species grows under appropriate conditions is called its habitat.
Plants whose range spans all continents are called cosmopolitans.
Most cosmopolitans are aquatic plants, and this is no coincidence, since living conditions in water are the most stable. The spread of such plants is facilitated by waterfowl, which carry seeds or parts of vegetative organs. Apparently, this is how the common reed became cosmopolitan (Phragmitesaustralis), duckweed ( Lemnaminor) and some other plants.
Sometimes weeds that become widespread due to human activity become cosmopolitan. Examples of such plants include large plantain, dandelion, and various types of nettle.
But the vast majority of species have clearly limited habitats in specific geographic areas. They can be solid or broken. For example, the common oak has a continuous range covering almost all of Europe. But the most beautiful orchid, Comperia Compera, is found only in the mountains of Crimea and Asia Minor.
In total, in Crimea, about 190 plant species have fragmented habitats (Crimea - Caucasus, Crimea - Balkans, Crimea - Asia Minor). The study of such areas sometimes makes it possible to reconstruct the geological past of the Earth. Thus, studying the ranges of Crimean species, scientists hypothesized that in the pre-glacial period, on the site of the modern Black Sea, there was a large land mass (Pontida), connecting Crimea with the Caucasus, the Balkans and Asia Minor. The habitats of all plant species were continuous, i.e. connected to each other. But due to gigantic catastrophes, Pontida plunged into the depths of the sea, and the habitats were torn apart.
Some species have minor habitats. Such plants are calledendemic. In May-July, an amazing plant covered with silvery fluff blooms on the yayas of the Crimean Mountains - Bieberstein's geranium, which is sometimes called the “Crimean edelweiss”. Large delicate flowers of the yayla form a continuous white carpet in some places of the yayla. In the Belogorsk region, between the villages of Bogatoe and Topolyovka, the forested Kubalach massif rises. This is the only place on our planet where you can find the amazingly beautiful plant Kuznetsov’s cyclamen.
Its pink, rarely white, lightly fragrant flowers appear at the end of February and last until the end of March. Unfortunately, this rare plant is being rapaciously destroyed by local flower traders and is on the verge of extinction.
Only on Karadag can you see Poyarkova’s hawthorn. This is a small shrub, or less often a tree three to six meters high. Large, tasty, sweet and sour fruits ripen in September. They are rich in vitamins (especially vitamin C). In total, there are about a hundred endemic species in Crimea; they need protection.
The composition of the flora is not established once and for all. Following changes in landscape and climatic conditions that occur over hundreds, thousands and even millions of years, as well as as a result of changes in the plants themselves, some species are gradually replaced by others. But some ancient species are sometimes preserved as living witnesses of the distant past. Such species are called relicts.
Relics are ancient plants preserved in a given area from the distant past.
In Crimea, ginkgo is grown as an ornamental plant, a small natural habitat of which has been preserved in Eastern China, classified as a relic. However, among the Crimean flora there are many species that are pre-glacial relics. These representatives of the vegetation of the Ancient Mediterranean have lived here for at least 20 million years. With the onset of glaciers, the ancient southern flora became greatly impoverished, and northern species took its place. Some of them have remained in Crimea to this day.
Pre-glacial relics are comperia compera, small-fruited strawberry, yew, and silver birch.
Small-fruited strawberry is an evergreen deciduous, low tree (5-6 m), often with a curved trunk. Belongs to the heather family and grows only on the southern coast of Crimea. Drooping clusters of greenish-white flowers bloom in April–May. But it is not this event that attracts people's attention; in the summer in June - July, the upper layer of the bark cracks and falls off, exposing the young light green bark. The fruits, wrinkled berries, ripen late - in October - December. They are edible and slightly sweet in taste.
Yew berry is a shade-tolerant and moisture-loving gymnosperm plant, most often growing on shady slopes and in river valleys, both in oak forests and beech forests. In ancient times, yew branches were worn as a sign of mourning. The poisonousness of this plant was pointed out by the ancient Roman scientist Gaius Pliny the Elder (23-79), who tragically died during the famous eruption of Vesuvius. He called the yew tree of death because... its needles, bark, and wood are poisonous.
Once, in one of the lakes in Switzerland, archaeologists discovered a stone ax of a primitive man. The surviving wooden handle was made... from yew. Having lain for thousands of years, the wood practically did not succumb to rotting. This quality was the reason for the massive cutting down of yew. It began in the 14th century, when shipbuilding was intensively developing in Europe, and continued until the 19th century. Back in the 18th century, peasants living in the territory of what is now the Ivano-Frankivsk region had to pay part of the tribute to the feudal lords in yew wood. Currently, on the territory of Ukraine, yew is found extremely rarely in the Carpathians (the largest tract in the Kolomiysky forestry enterprise, Ivano-Frankivsk region) and somewhat more often in the Crimea. Single copies of it are found from the Baydar Gate to Karabi Yayla. By the way, the largest yew in Ukraine grows in Crimea near Ai-Petri. At the age of 1200 years, the height of the tree barely reaches 10 meters with a trunk diameter of 122 cm. Small yew groves have been preserved in the area of the Grand Canyon, in the valley of the Belbek River and on the slope of Mount Tyrke.
The last grove is the largest - it has more than 800 trees. The description of silver birch was first made by A.S. Pushkin.
At the beginning of September 1820, he and Raevsky rode on horseback to the Shaitan-Merdven mountain pass (“Devil’s Staircase”), leading to the Baydar Basin. Holding on to the tails of their horses, the travelers overcame a steep climb. “We crossed the mountains,” A.S. Pushkin later wrote, “and the first object that struck me was the birch! My heart sank: it was a northern birch!”
Currently Birch Grove, which struck the poet, unfortunately died. The relict birch was preserved only on the steep northern slopes of Babugan, in the inaccessible Yaman-Dere gorge. The trees are in an extremely depressed state and produce almost no viable seeds.
Vegetation of Crimea
The flora of Crimea includes 134 families. The largest species in terms of number of species are (arranged in descending order of number):
1. Compositae.
2. Legumes.
3. Cereals.
4.Pink.
5. Cruciferous.
These families include more than one hundred species each. But there are also families that are represented by one or two species: the dogwood family - common dogwood and southern yew, and the yew family - only berry yew.
The distribution of both individual species of these plants and phytocenoses over the land surface depends on soil and climatic conditions and terrain.
Distribution and shift plant communities in accordance with wide changes in soil and climatic conditions is called zonation.
In the mountains there's a change climatic factors influences the absolute altitude above sea level.
The vertical distribution of vegetation in the mountains is called zonality.
This means that when moving from the foot to the tops of the mountains, belts of vegetation are replaced, consisting of phytocenoses formed by increasingly moisture-loving and cold-resistant species.
The flora of Crimea has also been enriched due to directed human activity. More than 1,000 plant species were brought from different parts of the planet and are cultivated on the peninsula.
More Greek colonists who settled in Crimea in the 7-6 centuries BC. they brought laurel, walnut, fig tree, pomegranate and many others. plants. A characteristic feature of Crimean gardens for many centuries was the combination of imported fruit and local wild plants. Same mixed type The small palace parks of the Crimean khans in Salkhat (Old Crimea), Karasubazar (Belogorsk) and Bakhchisarai also had vegetation.
The emergence of large park ensembles in Crimea dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, when, after joining Russia (1783), nobles flocked here and created their residences on the Black Sea coast. This is how large estates with palaces and parks of Count Vorontsov in Alushta, Count Pototsky in Livadia (later passed to the Romanovs), Duke Richelieu in Gurzuf and many others arose. In the 19th century, the landscape style was firmly established in Russian park construction, which could not help but be reflected in the created ensembles of Crimea, but at the same time, Crimean parks have a number of characteristic features:
due to the mountainous terrain, the parks have a terraced design (typical of Italian ensembles);
the use of natural and decorative elements (pile of rocks, grottoes, enclosed lawns);
use of wild plants;
poverty of decorative water elements;
use of archaeological sites as decorative elements (the ruins of a Genoese tower in the park on the Gurzuf Rock, the remains of a Roman trading post on Cape Ai-Todor).
The first attempt to breed valuable ornamental plants in Crimea dates back to 1786, when, by order of Prince G.F. Potemkin, Italian pine, Judas tree, several types of oak, cedar, laurel, pomegranate, plane tree, chestnut and other plants were purchased from Turkey.
They were placed in the Stary Krym nursery. But the first attempt at breeding these plants ended in failure, because... many plants died, unable to withstand the harsh winter. The foundations of ornamental gardening were laid only in 1812, when, by order of the Duke of Richelieu (at that time the governor of the Novorossiysk Territory, which included Crimea), a botanical garden was founded in the village of Nikita. The work was supervised by H.H. Steven. The newly created institution was given three main tasks:
1) planting experimental plantings to test the possibility of growing imported trees, shrubs and herbs;
2) creation of nurseries for propagation of decorative planting material;
3) personnel training.
Currently, the Nikitsky Botanical Garden covers an area of 280 hectares and consists of four parks - Upper, Lower, Primorsky and Montedor. The garden has two branches - Stepnoe (Gvardeyskoye village), Primorskoye (Partenit village) and a quarantine nursery in Dzhankoy.
Northern Crimea and Sivash region
In the very north of Crimea and in the Sivash region, there are a narrow strip of communities that are also found in separate areas on the low-lying shores of the Karkinitsky Bay and on the Kerch Peninsula and look very much like desert ones.
This type of vegetation is formed under conditions of extreme lack of moisture, which is caused by either a small amount of precipitation or high salinity of the soil.
The phytocenosis characteristic of these places is sarsazan. Sarsazan is a rather unique, highly branched subshrub that can tolerate severe soil salinity. Between the “cushions” of sarsazan there are other types of salt-tolerant plants, which have a very high osmotic pressure of cell sap, which allows them to obtain water from saline soils.
Another adaptation to lack of moisture is the reduction of the leaf blade, and even its complete absence. An example of such a plant is European saltwort. It is small, up to 30 cm, herbaceous plant with succulent, jointed shoots. It is curious that in the absence table salt and even with a decrease in its concentration, plant growth slows down. Another common sarsazan plant is Solyanka.
“In autumn, in October - November,” writes Professor N.I. Rubtsov, “under the influence of low temperature, all these hodgepodges take on a wide variety of colors - from lilac and crimson to pink and lemon yellow. At this time, the vegetation of the salt marshes resembles a motley colorful carpet. The air is saturated with the bitter smell of sea salts, white coating which covers the soil everywhere.”
Steppe type of vegetation
On the flat part of Crimea, steppes stretch in a wide strip, occupying most of the peninsula. Up to 70% of this fertile plain is plowed and occupied by grain and industrial crops, orchards and vineyards. The rest is used as pasture.
It is possible to judge the natural vegetation that covered the steppe before its economic development only from small areas of preserved virgin soil.
The dark chestnut soils of the northern wild steppe were occupied by wormwood phytocenoses. Dense grasses in these communities were arranged in several tiers. The upper one was dominated by wormwood and feather grass, which is often called tyrsa. In the lower part there are different types of grasses, of which fescue is the most common. In the virgin lands being developed, it is easy to trace how the steppe has changed as a result of human economic activity. With intensive grazing, the cereals are eaten and trampled, and the hardy Crimean wormwood takes their place.
To the south, on chernozem soils, phytocenoses of wormwood steppes are replaced by feather grass, characterized by a wide variety of grasses. The upper layer is dominated by Lessing's feather grass and feather grass, and the lower layer is dominated by fescue.
The steppes are especially beautiful in spring, when yellow and red flowers of the Schrenck tulip and bright red flowers of thin-leaved peony appear against the background of greenery.
The thin-leaved peony, like other types of Crimean peonies, was rapaciously destroyed by flower traders for a long time and needs protection.
Not better fate and the tulips. All five species of Crimean tulips (Biberstein, mountain-loving, Koktebel, Calle and Shrenka) need protection, and three of them (Schrenka, Callie and Koktebel) are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
By mid-summer, the merciless southern sun mercilessly burns out all the colors of the virgin steppe, leaving only two: brown and yellow.
Plants characteristic of the Crimean steppes (kermek, kachim, katran, spreading cornflower), named “tumbleweeds” for their method of seed dispersal, have a spherical shape and at the end of autumn, torn off by gusts of cold wind, roll for many kilometers, scattering ripened seeds along the way .
In the ravines and on steep slopes there are often thickets of shrubs: steppe thorn, rose hips, hawthorn, blackberries.
The steppe takes on a slightly different character on the rocky soils of the Tarkhankut and Kerch peninsulas.
Along with the usual steppe plants, semi-shrubs are typical here - thyme, gorse, etc. The grass stand is very sparse, and it is dominated by different types of feather grass.
In small areas north coast On the Kerch Peninsula, on the Arabat Spit and in the coastal strip between Evpatoria and Lake Donuzlav, there are sandy steppes with grasses characteristic of local communities - Dnieper feather grass, fescue, Colchis sedge. In the upper tier there is Tamarix four-stamen.
A description of the Crimean steppe would be incomplete without mentioning the element of the landscape created by human hands. Forest strips stretch for many kilometers, consisting of black locust, which is often called white acacia, apricot, tamarix, and oleaster, the fruits of which have long been used as a fixative for gastrointestinal disorders. Many wild species of animals and plants found refuge in forest shelter belts, escaping from humans.
The Crimean steppes are the main area of agricultural production of the autonomous republic. In the second half of the 80s of the last century, about 2 million tons of grain were grown here per year. Unique soil and climatic conditions make it possible to grow exceptionally valuable durum wheat varieties of high quality, the crops of which will expand in the future. But the areas allocated for corn and soybean crops, due to the high energy intensity of these crops and the adverse environmental consequences associated with the technology of their cultivation, Crimean scientists propose to reduce to the minimum requirements (18 and 14 thousand hectares, respectively). At the same time, it is proposed to expand the crops oilseeds(sunflower and winter rapeseed), because There is a great demand for vegetable oil in the country.
In all steppe regions there are the necessary conditions for the development of vegetable growing. With rational distribution of vegetable production and the lowest transport costs, the districts of the north-eastern zone (Nizhnegorsky, Sovetsky, Kirov and Leninsky) will produce products for the needs of the local processing industry and supplying residents and resorts of the cities of Feodosia, Sudak and Kerch, and the districts of the Central zone (Krasnogvardeisky, Prevomaisky and Dzhankoysky) - to provide for residents and vacationers of the southern coast of Crimea and the cities of Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yevpatoria and Yalta, as well as the processing industry of this region. In the northwestern part of the peninsula (Krasnoperekopsky and Razdolnensky districts) it is advisable to develop melon and potato growing.
The Tarkhankut and Kerch peninsulas, as well as the western coast of Crimea, are considered the most promising areas for the development of viticulture. For the needs of the Autonomous Republic, the gross berry harvest must be increased to 600 thousand tons per year. The new gardening regions will apparently be Chernomorsky, Leninsky and Sakisky.
Essential oil production can become the “currency workshop” of Crimea. On the poor soils of the Saki, Pervomaisky and Black Sea regions, which are unsuitable for cultivating other crops, lavender and lemon wormwood can be grown. To maintain the ecological purity of reservoirs, it is most rational to place rose plantations along rivers and lakes, ponds and reservoirs. In general, it is rational to expand the area under essential oil crops to 30 thousand hectares.
Vegetation of the northern slope of the Crimean Mountains
The Crimean mountains stretch in a picturesque arc from Balaklava to Feodosia. The length of this arc is almost 150 km, and the width is from 30 to 50 km. It consists of three parallel ridges (Main, Internal and External), which descend in giant steps to the north. The highest (1200-1400 m above sea level) is the Main Ridge, the highest point of which, Roman-Kosh, reaches 1545 m. The peaks of the Main Ridge are smoothed and look like wavy plateaus, which are called yayla.
The forest-steppe belt occupies the entire Outer and part of the Inner ridge up to 300-350 m absolute height, as well as the intermountain depression between them. Here are the cities of Sevastopol, Bakhchisarai, Simferopol, Belogorsk, Old Crimea, Feodosia. Most of the forest-steppe territory is plowed and occupied by grain and essential oil crops, orchards and vineyards. The basis of natural vegetation, preserved only in some areas, consists of meadow steppes combined with shrub and forest communities. The grass stand is very dense, and species composition distinguished by great diversity. Most often, several types of feather grass predominate, six of which are listed in the Red Book of Ukraine: fescue, wheatgrass, wormwood, as well as common meadowsweet, etc.
On dry rocky soils in the vicinity of Belogorsk there are areas with a predominance of beautiful, with rather large white flowers, collected in a thick brush, plants from the lily family - Crimean asphodelina. A related species of asphodeline yellow, growing throughout the mountainous Crimea, is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine. On poor soils in the vicinity of Feodosia, areas of fescue-thyme communities with an abundance of fescue and thyme species are typical. Permanent members of these communities are gorse and milkweed. The surviving shrub communities in the western part of the forest-steppe are represented by downy oak, blackthorn, blackthorn and hawthorn species, and in the central and eastern parts - hawthorn in combination with dogwood and downy oak. The height of the bushes is 2.5-3 meters.
Within the forest-steppe, small islands of forest, the so-called “oak trees,” are occasionally found. In addition to downy oak, English oak, field maple and elm species grow here. Hawthorn, blackthorn, and pear are common on the edges of oak trees. Due to the large shading, the grass stand is poorly developed and consists of shade-tolerant plants, among which single specimens of kupena stand out.
Economically, this area is promising for gardening, viticulture, cultivation of essential oil crops and tobacco growing. Soil and climatic conditions allow for the cultivation of exceptionally valuable varieties of tobacco, such as Dubek and American. To revive tobacco growing in Crimea, it is necessary to expand the tobacco planting area to 6.5 thousand hectares. This will help not only increase the gross harvest to 8 thousand tons, but will also provide additional jobs, which will contribute to economic specialization.
From an absolute height of 300-350 meters, the forest-steppe gives way to oak forests, which cover the slopes of the Inner and Main ridges, reaching heights of up to 700 meters above sea level. The total area of all forests in Crimea is 340 thousand hectares, which is 13% of the entire territory of the peninsula, including 58% of the total forest area in oak forests. The upper tier in these forests (10-12 m) is formed by downy oak and tall ash. Oak trunks are usually curved. This suggests that most of them are of coppice origin. Timber harvesting in the Crimean forests was carried out intensively for several centuries. Oak wood, along with grain, honey, fish and leather, was exported from medieval Kafa (Feodosia). From here the timber was transported to Constantinople and further to the cities of Italy. Back in 1784, trying to preserve the oak groves, Prince Potemkin gave a strict order: “Cross the destruction of the forest...”. However, during the construction of the Black Sea Fleet, and in subsequent years, the forest was intensively cut down. In addition, animals willingly eat not only acorns, but also young shoots. Therefore, regeneration of oak is extremely difficult.
In the shrub layer of oak forests, which rises up to 3.5 meters, the hornbeam and whole line other shrubs (rowan, hawthorn, hazel, mackerel, several types of rose hips).
Of particular note is the decoration of the Crimean forests - the common dogwood. There is a beautiful legend about the origin of this plant. The founder of Rome, Romulus, having chosen a place for the future city, outlined the boundaries with a spear, and then forcefully stuck it into the ground. From this spear a dogwood bush developed. Juicy dogwood fruits are not inferior in vitamin C content to black currant fruits. The ancient Greeks and Romans made sword handles, spears and arrows from durable wood. Since time immemorial, residents of Crimea have been treating intestinal diseases with a decoction of dogwood leaves.
The herbaceous layer, due to strong shading, is poorly developed and is represented by feather grass, fescue, and hedgehog grass. Occasionally there is a perennial herbaceous plant with a fluffy stem and alternate imparipinnate leaves - capitola ash. More often this plant is known as “burning bush”. Beware of him! Even from a distance, this plant causes skin rashes. And if you pick it up, you will get very painful burns that take a long time to heal. This happens because the plant secretes essential oils having a characteristic odor. If you bring a lit match to an ash tree, the ethereal vapors flare up, but the plant is not damaged, hence the name “unburnt.”
From a height of 550 meters, downy oak is replaced by sessile oak. In the community with this oak grow ash, linden, and sometimes even beech. In the second tier there are abundant shrubs (hornbeam, dogwood, euonymus, mackerel). Due to the dense first two tiers, the grass cover is poorly developed. It is dominated by oak wood bluegrass, kupena, and ash.
From a height of 750 meters, oak groves give way to a belt of beech and beech-hornbeam forests. Beech forests stretch in an intermittent strip from Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla to Stary Krym. Botanists have no consensus regarding the species of beech. Some believe that it is an independent Crimean species, others attribute it to the oriental beech, and a major expert on the flora of Crimea, Professor E.V. Wolf believed that there are two species in our forests: eastern beech and European beech, as well as transitional forms between them.
Quiet and majestic beech forests, where trees reach 30 meters in height, and twilight reigns forever. For the nutritional value of beech nuts, C. Linnaeus gave the name to this plantFagus, which translated means “feeding.”The valuable beech forests of Crimea have been under protection for more than 70 years, and, nevertheless, their fate raises serious concerns.
The fact is that young beech trees are intensively destroyed by animals, especially deer. To ensure the regeneration of these forests, it is proposed to fence off the beech undergrowth for a period of 5-10 years, until the young trees rise above the heads of the animals.
Dense woody beech often forms together with common hornbeam. On slopes with good soils, linden and Stephen's maple become companions of beech. The undergrowth in beech forests is covered with a litter of decaying leaves and is almost devoid of grasses.
Above 1000 meters, the beech forest gives way to crooked beech forest, consisting of low-growing plants with crooked, sometimes creeping shoots.
Vegetation of the yayla
The flat, slightly hilly peaks of the Main Ridge are called yayla. From west to east, a continuous plateau with a width of 500 m to 10 km stretches from Baydarskaya, Ai-Petrinskaya, Yalta, Nikitskaya, Gurzufskaya and Babugan-yayla, on which the highest point of the Crimean Mountains - Roman-Kosh - is located. Western Yailas are located at altitudes from 700 to 1500 meters above sea level. To the east the mountains become lower. They are torn apart by tectonic faults into separate massifs: Chatyrdag, Demerdzhi, Dolgorukovsky massif and Karabi with absolute heights of 600-900 meters. Especially, near the Old Crimea, the easternmost massif rises - Agarmysh, the slopes of which are covered with forests, and the top is occupied by yayla.
The total area of all yayls is 34.6 thousand hectares. About 930 plant species grow in a relatively small area. The richest flora is Ai-Petri (600 species) and Chatyrdag (520 species).
About 50 species of yayla plants are endemic. Therefore, it can be said with good reason that yayla, with its special soil and climatic conditions, is a natural center for the formation of new plant species.
Yaila grasses are usually arranged in three tiers. The upper layer is formed by tall (up to 60 cm) grasses - coastal brome, vaginal foxtail, stone-loving feather grass and some others. In the middle, the most dense, fescue dominates, and the lower one is formed by low-growing grasses, often low sedge. Something is always blooming on the yaila. At the end of April, when there is still snow in the hollows, pale lilac flowers of the Crimean crocus appear. Later they are replaced by crimson peonies, golden-yellow adonis, yellow and purple irises. In June, mass flowering of forbs begins, and bright spots of various tones and shades appear on the green background. The violet-blue flowers of the alpine violet are especially spectacular. But this riot of beauty does not last long and already in August the green background gives way to the yellow-brown tones of autumn. And at the end of August, purple flowers of the beautiful crocus appear. Disputes about the reasons for the lack of forest on the Yailas have been going on for about two hundred years. Some scientists believe that on the slopes of the Crimean Mountains there is a natural border of alpine meadows, and the forest never rose above this border, and therefore the yayla was always treeless.
However, the Yayla plateaus are located on different levels- from 600 m to 1500 m. It is difficult to agree that in the small territory occupied by the Crimean Mountains, the climatic boundary would be at different levels. In addition, many yaylas are located in steps, and the forest grows well between them.
A different point of view was held by the famous researcher of the Crimean flora, Professor E.V. Wulf. He believed that the lack of forests on the villages was the result of human activity. Cutting down, burning, and excessive grazing destroyed the forest. The lower yailas suffered the most, as they were more accessible and also had better grass stand. Countless herds of sheep, goats, and cows were brought here not only from Ukraine and Moldova, but even from distant Romanian Transylvania. And the villages lost not only trees, but also grasses, which led to soil erosion.
But yayla needs forest. It is estimated that each hectare of forest would provide an additional 1000 cubic meters. m of clean water, which is so necessary for Crimea. But the beech forest does not show a tendency to move onto the yayla. Great hopes are placed on artificial plantings of pine and birch. In 1960 alone, 30,000 seedlings were imported from the Zhytomyr region. Later, planting material was taken from the Volyn and Chernigov regions, but little success was achieved. Forest cultivation is hampered by strong winds and weak soil cover.
Vegetation of the southern slope of the Crimean Mountains
The southern slopes of the Crimean Mountains drop steeply to the sea. Natural landscapes at the foot of the slopes and in the narrow coastal strip give way to gardens and vineyards, shady parks and sanatorium complexes. Here are the cities of Yalta, Alushta, Sudak.
The distribution of natural landscapes on the southern slope clearly shows zonality; Here three belts can be distinguished: the coastal shiblyak belt, the belt of pine forests and the belt of beech-pine forests.
The belt of shiblyak communities stretches from Sevastopol to Feodosia. Its upper boundary lies at 350-400 m above sea level. Shiblyaks are sparse communities of secondary origin that arose on the site of cleared large-trunked oak, oak-pine and oak-juniper forests.
The first tier of shibliaks is formed by downy oak, which is often adjacent to tall juniper and Crimean pine. In terms of the abundance of bactericidal substances released, juniper has no equal. Suffice it to say that 1 hectare of juniper forest releases so many substances that kill bacteria that they would be enough to clean the air of a big city. The only trouble is that this tree does not tolerate gases and air pollution. Sometimes small-fruited strawberry is found in these forests. This small (5-6 m) evergreen tree within Ukraine is found only in Crimea. It grows in single specimens or in small groups from Cape Aya to Mount Kastel (west of Alushta). The second tier is dominated by hornbeam, dogwood, rosehip species and the bush-like form of pistachio. The latter in Ukraine is found only on the southern coast of Crimea from Balaklava to Karadag and in the foothills from Sevastopol to Bakhchisarai. Pistachio has exceptional drought resistance. The roots, in search of moisture, grow 30-40 meters in circumference. During the hot summer, one plant uses 20 tons of water. It lives up to 500 years, and in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden there is a specimen that has reached 1000 years of age.
The herbaceous layer is represented by cereals. Orchard grass, Mediterranean grass, etc. are common. In early spring, the first to bloom is a tiny stonefly from the cruciferous family. In the area of Sevastopol and east of Alushta, the species composition of shibliaks is greatly depleted and is represented only by downy oak and orchard tree, and the herbaceous cover is either too weak or completely absent. To prevent soil erosion, large-scale afforestation of mountain slopes is necessary. For this purpose, you can use downy oak, Crimean pine, pistachio and pear.
The lower border of the pine forest belt passes at an altitude of 350-400 meters. In many places this border coincides with the Alushta-Yalta highway. Above the track - pine forests, below - Shibljaki. Crimean pine predominates in these forests. Its bark is dark gray, and not red, like that of Scots pine. In addition, Crimean pine is much longer and has larger cones. Its crown is flat, umbrella-shaped and very reminiscent of the crown of Italian pine. The second tier is dominated by downy oak. The third (shrub) is formed by almost the same plants as shiblyaki. Rowan berries, dogwoods, various types of rose hips, juniper, etc. grow here. The herbaceous layer is dominated by rhizomatous grass - short-legged rock grass, and other herbs - oregano, clover, oregano, and ash.
At an altitude of 900-1000 m, beech-pine forests begin, which extend to the border with the Yayla. This belt can only be observed in the area from Yalta to Mount Babugan. The main forest-forming species are beech and Koch pine. There is almost no undergrowth; the grass stand is dominated by low sedge.
At the very upper reaches of the forest there are short pines with strongly curved trunks and branches. This is due to the action strong winds and heavy snowfalls. The fire danger of pine forests is extremely high. Fires in 1970, 1971, 1982, 1993, 1994 and 2004 in the Yalta region destroyed over 2000 hectares of mountain forest. It takes at least 100 years to restore it, and even more on steep slopes. Deforestation leads to rapid soil erosion. Now on the coast between Alushta and Feodosia, about 5 million square meters are washed into the sea annually. m of soil and topsoil.
February 19th, 2017 admin
Spring is the most best time to visit Crimea, this is the time when the peninsula especially pleases the eye with the bright and fresh greenery of forests, fields, plains, gardens and parks. The flora of Crimea is very unusual and diverse. There are 2,500 varieties of wild plants on the peninsula. There are 250 endemics in Crimea, that is, unique plants that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Crimea is rich in relics - plants that have been preserved for millions of years and have survived to this day without any changes.
In Crimea there are a lot of plants related to the neighboring Black Sea regions, since over the course of thousands of years the Crimean peninsula was separated from the mainland many times, then rejoined by land isthmuses from the Caucasus, or the East European Plain. Of course, such geographical changes led to modifications in the flora and fauna of Crimea. We should also not forget that more than a thousand species of exotic plant specimens were brought to Crimea over the past thousand years of the history of this land. All these factors that influenced the nature of Crimea created the amazingly diverse and colorful world of vegetation that we see today on the peninsula. 
Many unique plants of Crimea are under state protection and more than 250 plants of the horsetail, gymnosperm, angiosperm, moss and algae families have long been listed in the Red Book. Let's list just a few of them: River horsetail. The bone is elegant. North Costenz. Juniper deltoid. Stephen's maple. Ira is graceful. Oak cuff. The onion is reddish. Hawthorn cuneifolia. Meadow sage. Crimean dandelion. Bibirstein Tulip. Forest grapes. Sea damask. Cystoseira bearudata and many others.
Among the diverse vegetation of Crimea there are quite a few plants that are quite attractive in appearance, but very dangerous for humans. As long as these plants and flowers grow in Crimean forests and fields, they are completely safe. Danger arises when their sap, roots, leaves or other parts come into contact with humans. Not only residents of the peninsula, but also those who come to visit us should know about dangerous plants. Every traveler, unknowingly, can pick a poisonous flower or eat a life-threatening berry.
In general, look at them carefully and avoid mindlessly tearing these plants.
1. Delphinium or larkspur
Larkspur causes depression of the central nervous system with a simultaneous effect on gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system. With toxic doses, respiratory paralysis occurs, accompanied by heart damage.
2. Hemlock (lat. cicuta)
A perennial herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae family, with the scent of parsley or celery. This plant looks so innocent: white flowers gathered in idyllic umbrellas. But when drinking the juice of this plant, it will begin strong pain in the abdomen, drooling, vomiting and diarrhea, followed by convulsions that can lead to respiratory and cardiac arrest.
3. Spotted hemlock (lat. Conīum maculātum)
This poisonous plant with an intoxicating odor, it should be collected only with rubber gloves. Hemlock have long been used for two opposing purposes: with the help of tincture, death sentences were carried out, or they were prepared from it medicines. Once in the human stomach, hemlock juice (or decoction) causes nausea, often vomiting and diarrhea. There is a loss of sensation and gradual paralysis, starting from the legs. It takes hemlock only two hours to kill its victim.
Most often, foxglove appears in Agatha Christie's detective stories. In her story “Dead Grass,” foxglove causes the death of a young girl and the illness of other characters. The plant was mixed with onions, and the resulting mixture was stuffed into the duck.
The plant, especially the leaves, contains the well-known atropine, as well as asparagine, then lime and other alkaline substances. Belladonna is highly poisonous to humans, although herbivores eat it with impunity.
6. Wolfsbane or fighter
IN beech forest In Crimea you can find a very beautiful perennial herbaceous plant from the ranunculaceae family with bright blue or purple flowers. Its most popular names are aconite or fighter.
Ancient Greek mythology tells that a wrestler emerged from the poisonous saliva of the formidable guardian of the underworld, Hades - three-headed dog Cerberus, who was brought to earth by the great hero Hercules. This suggests that aconite has been considered one of the most poisonous plants since ancient times. The ancient Greeks used aconite juice to carry out death sentences. 
There is a known case when legionnaires of the Roman Emperor Mark Antony, after eating several aconite tubers, lost their memory and soon died. In many countries, the mere possession of aconite root was considered a serious crime and was punishable by death. According to one of the ancient legends, the famous conqueror Tamerlane died, poisoned precisely by the poison of aconite, which was soaked in his skullcap. Aconite juice was used in ancient times to apply it to arrows. The ancient Germans compared aconite flowers with the helmet of the god Thor,
they soaked weapons - spears, swords and daggers - in aconite juice before going into battle or hunting. The plant contains a deadly poison - aconitine.
This flower is an ideal candidate for decorating any summer cottage. Unfortunately, Colchicum is extremely poisonous. Moreover, all parts of the plant are poisonous, both external and underground. Even when picking up a flower, you should wear gloves to avoid getting burned. Light purple or pink flowers, which bloomed their buds in the fall, on the eve of the winter cold, gave the flower its name - colchicum. But their innocent defenselessness is very deceptive - the flower is very poisonous. Colchicum sap contains more than 20 toxins, and some of them are deadly. Gardeners are recommended to work with crocus while wearing gloves. The literature describes cases of death of people who were treated as prescribed by healers with a decoction of colchicum. Another name for this plant is colchicum. By ancient Greek myth, this plant sprouted from drops of the blood of Prometheus, who was chained to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains and tormented by an eagle. Colchicum, according to legend, decorated the garden of the goddess Artemis in Colchis. On the Crimean peninsula there are two similar species of colchicum: shady, which blooms in autumn, and winter Ankara. Moreover, the shady colchicum, which blooms only in autumn, is often confused with a more common harmless plant in the Crimea - the beautiful crocus, which blooms only in spring.
The plant is dangerous from the roots to the tips of the leaves, but the most dangerous part is the bud. The consequences of ingesting even a piece of this plant will be the same as those of consuming potassium cyanide! Choking, loss of consciousness, convulsions, rapid pulse, drop in blood pressure and even death - this is the price of careless handling of this cute flower.
When bringing a bouquet of daffodils into your home, know that if you taste it, the consequences can be sad: nausea and vomiting, convulsions and loss of consciousness; with increased sensitivity, paralysis and death are possible.
If you taste any part of this plant, sad consequences will not keep you waiting. The first symptoms will be drooling and tearing, then all this will turn into vomiting, a slow pulse and a drop in blood pressure.
Crimea is a completely unique and amazingly beautiful place, striking with its extraordinary richness of flora. There are not many places on our planet that could boast of such a wealth of species of flora, imported from other regions and successfully taking root in a new place.
11. Datura common
Anyone who read Bazhov's fairy tales as a child can remember the famous stone flower - an ideal bowl created by master Danil in the almost unattainable image of a datura flower. Residents of Crimea have long appreciated its beauty. Common datura growing everywhere in Crimea local residents often used as an ornamental plant. A dangerous plant in Crimea is the common datura. Even more often in Crimean gardens and parks you can find large white gramophones of the Indian datura. But this poisonous plant became famous not only for its beauty, but also for its other properties. The popular names alone that indicate them are worth it: stupefying grass, crazy 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 - dope poisoner. The “professional” blew dope seed powder into the sniffling man’s nose through a pipe, which made him fall asleep even more deeply, and the thieves easily, without any obstacles, carried the property out of the house. 
12. Henbane.
The very name of this plant evokes a vivid association among many with the poison discussed in the brilliant work of the great English playwright William Shakespeare “Hamlet”. After all, it was henbane poison that poisoned the king, the father of Prince Hamlet. In Russian folklore, the name henbane is associated with the expression: “Have you eaten too much henbane?”, which is undoubtedly associated with the expressive symptoms of henbane poisoning. The famous doctor and scientist Avicena described the characteristic symptoms of poisoning: “Henbane is a poison that often causes insanity, deprives memory and causes suffocation and demonic possession.” A rather bright and noticeable henbane flower is often found in Crimea, a plant with not very flashy, but very attractive flowers. Also, a common cause of poisoning is the similarity of henbane seeds, which are similar to safe poppy seeds. Dr. Mettesi noted: “Children, having eaten too much henbane, fall into such extravagance that their relatives, without knowing the reasons, begin to think that this is the machinations of evil spirits.” In pharmacology, henbane is used to prepare some anti-asthmatic drugs and painkillers.
13. White-winged arum
In April-May, an exotic arum flower, slightly similar to kala, appears in the forests of Crimea. Its single petal is compared to a wing, hence the name of the rarest of the three species growing on the peninsula - white-winged arum. Dangerous plant of the Crimea - arum Despite its unique decorative effect, the Crimean arum did not gain popularity due to its pungent and very unpleasant odor. However, flies, their pollinators, find the amber that comes from these flowers to be a very attractive aroma. 
Unusual Oriental arum flowers have two flowering phases - male and female. Insects Having visited a plant with a male flowering period, after a while they sit on a female one and slide inside. At the same time, they are prevented from getting out of the flower by thread-like outgrowths that are directed downward, and they have no choice but to crawl along the cob located at the base of the flower, pollinating it with the pollen brought. After this, the arum enters the male flowering phase, removes all its traps and releases the insects to freedom. 
All types of Crimean arum (Arum italicum) are toxic
. In summer, their ears ripen and are covered with attractive orange berries. If you eat at least a few of them, severe inflammation of the oral cavity occurs and characteristic signs of poisoning appear. In some places in the Crimea, arums are called forest pencils for the ability of the rod located in the center of the inflorescence to color surfaces, for which it is called “forest pencils.”
14. Yew berry
In ancient times, entire forests of yew berry grew in Crimea, but at present there are very few old trees left. The age of yew berry can be quite respectable - some trees are more than a thousand years old. The widespread destruction of yew was caused by its beautiful, ever-durable wood, painted in different shades of red, which is why it is also called mahogany. In Ancient Egypt, sarcophagi of Egyptian pharaohs were made from yew. In ancient times, the best bows were made from the unusually durable wood of the yew tree. But craftsmen working with toxic yew wood did not live long, and those who cut yew branches felt a severe headache. Ancient legends have been preserved that in the old days beautiful cups were created from yew berry, which were then presented as gifts to enemies in the hope of poisoning them. In Europe, yew wood was used to make very expensive furniture. Pliny the Elder mentioned the toxicity of yew berry. Everything about a tree is poisonous: wood, seeds, needles, bark, roots. The exception is the juicy shells that look like berries. Sweetish, but not distinguished by an exquisite taste, they are completely harmless. The danger is that if they are eaten together with the fruit - the seed - poisoning will inevitably occur. 
15. Peonies
Like many medicinal plants Crimea, peonies are poisonous. Everything about it is toxic – from the rhizomes, petals, seeds. The flora of the peninsula is decorated with two types of peonies, which compete with each other in their splendor. Peonies are listed in the Red Book, as their number is decreasing throughout the Crimea. Two thousand years ago, delicate peony flowers decorated the imperial gardens of China. Peonies were brought to the emperor's court from the south of the country in specially made bamboo baskets, and to protect them from withering, each flower stem was covered with wax. In Ancient Greece, the peony flower was considered a symbol of longevity. There is an opinion that the Greeks valued peony not only for its beauty, but also for its amazing healing properties; the flower got its name from the Greek word “paionios”, which in translation sounds like healing. Ancient Greek doctors were called "Peonies". In ancient Greece, there was a myth about the student of the god of healing Aesculapius - Peony, who surpassed his mentor in the art of healing. This aroused the anger of the god Zeus, and he ordered Hades to poison Peony, however, the ruler of the underworld took pity on the dying young man and turned him into a peony flower of extraordinary beauty.
15. Heracleum L., hogweed
- a large umbrella plant.
The white caps of inflorescences against the background of beautiful carved leaves in themselves clearly distinguish this plant from all others. But it is even more impressive with its majestic size. A dangerous plant in Crimea is Heracleum. Under favorable conditions, some types 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 growth and a very high growth rate - 10-12 centimeters per day, it received its Latin name - Heracleum. Surprised by its extraordinary appearance, residents of central Russia brought its seeds from the Caucasus, the Urals and other regions. Having settled in a new place as an ornamental plant, hogweed soon became uncontrollable and, conquering the surroundings of the peninsula, began to displace many local species, becoming a malicious weed. It soon became clear that the handsome Heracleum
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 from afar. 
16. Buttercup (Ranunculus oxyspermus).
The affectionate-sounding name of the plant “buttercup” actually comes from a formidable, even ferocious epithet - fierce. The bright yellow flowers of the buttercup, as if lacquered, received another popular name - night blindness . This was apparently due to the irritant 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, the buttercup is a true champion - Of the 23 species of this plant, all buttercup flowers are poisonous. Contact of the plant with the skin can cause severe dermatitis, and the likely outcome of ingestion will be fatal. In antiquity, the buttercup was a symbol of unfriendly teasing and served as the emblem of the formidable war god Ares, and in In ancient Rus', the buttercup was considered a flower thunderer Perun . And according to one of the Christian legends, fleeing from the Archangel Michael, Satan hid among the buttercup thickets, which is why the flower became so evil. Ottoman Empire Ranunculus leaves were widely used in greenhouses and became a symbol of the greatness of the sultans.
17. Lily of the valley
This plant from the lily family, despite its modest appearance, has won the hearts of all many nations. Since ancient times, the medicinal properties of lily of the valley have been widely known. In medieval Europe it became a symbol of medicine. However, lily of the valley is completely poisonous. Few people know that this plant produces bright red, appetizing-looking fruits in the fall, which, if eaten, can cause serious poisoning. There are even known cases of death when water containing a bouquet of lilies of the valley was accidentally drunk.
Small, snow-white, graceful lily of the valley flowers, like magic bells, exude a delicate, refined aroma that leaves no one indifferent. In terms of the number of legends and myths, it is unlikely that it will have competitors. In the Christian legend, lilies of the valley grew from the tears of Mary that fell to the ground as she mourned her crucified son. In Russian legends and epics, the lily of the valley is associated with the appearance of the sea princess Rusalka. Fairytale hero Sadko rejected the love of the sea maiden for the earthly love of Lyubava. The bitter tears of the sea princess sprouted into delicate and slightly sad flowers - lilies of the valley, intoxicating with their scent. Little Russian legends talk about this. that lily of the valley flowers appeared from the happy laughter of Mavka in love, and scattered like white pearls throughout the forest. In Western Europe, it was believed that lily of the valley flowers serve as lanterns for gnomes, and miniature elves hide under lily of the valley flowers from the rain. Lily of the valley flowers are still loved today. In France, on the first Sunday in May, the lily of the valley holiday is celebrated, and the Finns even consider it their national flower.
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