In mid-May, snow-white fragrant flowers appear between the trees in the forest, like magic pearls. The lilies of the valley are blooming.
Today we will be cheered up by photographs with these beautiful flowers.
In Russia, the appearance of these magical flowers is told in a legend, the main character of which is the water princess Volkhova. She passionately fell in love with a beautiful young man and a wonderful singer Sadko. But the water princess found out that Sadko loved the simple earthly beauty Lyubava. Volkhova realized that she could not become Lyubava’s rival, she would not be able to make Sadko fall in love with her. Suffering from unrequited love, Volkhova decided to leave the water ashore for the last time, to see her beloved once again, to say goodbye to him, and to remain forever in the river waters. On the shore, where she often saw Sadko, he was not there. In search of her lover, Volkhova wandered for a long time through coastal meadows and forest paths, listening carefully to the voices of people. And suddenly she heard the voice of her beloved. Among the birch trunks turning white in the darkness, she saw two figures tightly embracing each other, walking along a forest path. These were Sadko and Lyubava. She wanted to rush to her beloved Volkhov, but her pride did not allow her to do so. The proud princess of the sea turned away from the lovers, decided to return to the river waters and stay there forever. Tears dripped from the eyes of Volkhova in love and fell onto the forest grass. By morning they turned into fragrant lily of the valley flowers, which symbolize love and sadness from unrequited love.
And here is another legend about the lily of the valley. Spring did not share a young man named Lily of the Valley with love for life, and he always thanked her with warm, affectionate words. Spring fell in love with Lily of the Valley, but not for long. Forever young, she is very restless. Traveling all her life from south to north, she finds no peace for herself and, scattering affection to everyone, does not stay long with anyone. In passing, she caressed Lily of the Valley. However, she soon left and left the spring flower for the hot summer. The young man Lily of the Valley cried so much about his beloved Spring who had left him that his tears turned into white flowers, and the blood of his heart colored the berries.
There is also a legend according to which lily of the valley flowers are pearls that appeared from the happy laughter of a loving Nymph. Many people remember the fairy tale about Snow White from childhood. When Snow White was fleeing from her evil stepmother, she accidentally scattered her necklace, which turned into fragrant flowers. They serve as lanterns for gnomes. Little forest people - elves - live in them. Sunbeams hide in lilies of the valley at night.
Many poets praise lily of the valley flowers in their works. In these poems, flowers most often symbolize the best human qualities: spiritual purity and innocence, tenderness, loyalty and love.
There is a belief that on bright moonlit nights, when the whole earth is in deep sleep, the Blessed Virgin, surrounded by a crown of silver lilies of the valley, sometimes appears to those lucky mortals for whom she is preparing unexpected joy. When the lily of the valley fades, a small round berry grows - combustible, fiery tears with which the lily of the valley mourns spring, a traveler around the world, scattering her caresses to everyone and not stopping anywhere. The lily of the valley in love also silently endured his grief, just as he carried the joy of love. In connection with this pagan legend, a Christian legend may have arisen about the origin of the lily of the valley from burning tears Holy Mother of God at the cross of her crucified son.
The Celts believed that this was nothing more or less than the treasure of the elves. According to their legend, young hunters, having ambushed wild animals in the thicket of the forest, saw an elf flying with a heavy burden in his hands, and tracked his path. It turned out that he was carrying a pearl to a mountain of pearls that rose under an old spreading tree. Unable to resist the temptation, one of the hunters decided to take a tiny pearl ball for himself, but when he touched it, the mountain of treasures crumbled. People rushed to collect pearls, forgetting about precautions, and at the sound of their fuss, an elven king flew in, turning all the pearls into fragrant white flowers. And since then, elves have taken revenge on greedy people for the loss of their treasure, and they love lilies of the valley so much that every time they rub them with napkins woven from moonlight...
Lilies of the valley belong to shade-tolerant plants, so they grow well in forests. Lily of the valley clumps are often found in clearings and forest edges. Sometimes its flowers can be seen in meadows.
Under natural conditions, lilies of the valley are found almost throughout Europe, the Caucasus, China, Asia Minor and the North American continent. In Russia, wild lilies of the valley are found in the forests of the European part of the country, as well as in the vast expanses of Siberia and Far East.
The plant has a somewhat unusual appearance. On the fragile-looking peduncle there is a whole row of flower buds that begin to open from the bottom. Thus, the lower flowers are already open, and the upper ones are just about to bloom. Bees and bumblebees actively fly to lily of the valley flowers to collect the first spring nectar, and at the same time pollinate the flowers. Later, in place of the pollinated flower, a fruit grows, first green, and when ripe, orange-red. The ripened fruits of the lily of the valley are eaten with pleasure by birds, thus the seeds of the lily of the valley are carried far from the mother plant. The color of the ripe fruits of the lily of the valley is also reflected in the legend, according to which the lily of the valley was so sad for the passing spring that the blood that flowed from his sad heart colored his tears red.
The above-ground part of the lily of the valley consists of a peduncle and two hard large leaves, and in the soil there are long thin rhizomes, which contain the nutrients the plant needs for active development and flowering in early spring.
Although the plant is poisonous, it also has medicinal properties. The pharmaceutical industry uses lily of the valley leaves and flowers to make medications that regulate heart function and reduce nervous agitation.
Due to the small amount of active substance, the natural components of lily of the valley are not used in the perfumery and cosmetics industry. For the manufacture of cosmetics artificially synthesized substances with the smell of lily of the valley are used.
Lilies of the valley take root well in the garden. Wild lilies of the valley are perfect for growing in the garden. To obtain planting material, you need to go to the forest in early autumn and, among the bushes and tree trunks, find a plant with yellowed wide leaves hanging from a strong, low stem. Lilies of the valley must be dug out carefully, along with a lump of earth. Young peripheral roots remain in the ground, from which new plants can later grow. Returning home, a lump of earth with lily of the valley rhizomes is buried in the garden, so that the plants are in light partial shade during the summer.
In addition to growing outdoors, many gardeners grow lilies of the valley as houseplants. Planting is carried out in the fall. For indoor cultivation, rhizomes with well-formed two- or three-year-old shoots are selected. Selected rhizomes are planted in wide, low pots filled with forest soil; it is advisable to add a little sand to the mixture. The planted plants are watered several times for two or three weeks, and then the pots with lilies of the valley are transferred to a cool, darkened room. At the end of January, the pots are moved to a warm room and placed on windowsills, protecting the plants from direct sunlight. Lily of the valley is watered occasionally, preventing the soil from drying out. In just a few weeks you will be able to admire fragrant flowers, despite the frost and snowstorm outside the window. In addition, lily of the valley flowers fill the air in the room with phytoncides that have a tonic effect. nervous system of people. A person breathing air with such phytoncides improves his mood and increases his productivity.
Fragile, dressed in soft white and sometimes pale pink petals, lilies of the valley intoxicate everyone with their drunken aroma. Rare of their kind, they are listed in the Red Book.
Beautiful lilies of the valley become a kind of muse for florists, inspire artists to create still lifes, and photographers for a new type of photography - professional photography of flowers. Their name is given to perfumes, pets, household appliances, cafes and restaurants.
Photos of lilies of the valley, roses and daffodils in flower shop windows are especially popular. Widely used in perfumery.
Short story
They are also popularly known as: konvaliya, May and field lilies, mayweed, cherry.
The plants owe their name to the works of the outstanding botanist Carl Linnaeus. The literal translation of the flower is “lily growing in the valley.”
There are several possible origins. According to one of them, the name is borrowed from the Polish word “lanuszka” due to the similarity of the leaves with the ends of the ears of a wild deer. In other words, these are combinations of two words “incense” and “breathe” because of the pungent and fragrant aroma.
Lily of the valley is a forest perennial plant that grows in the Northern Hemisphere. Most often found in cool or damp places.
Walking through the forest, you can sometimes come across entire clearings of lily of the valley leaves, but the bells themselves are not visible. The whole reason is that the maximum life span of the rhizome is up to 21 years.
Bloom
The first flowering occurs at 7-8 years, at 10-12 years they lose this opportunity. New dark green leaves are formed every spring, the ability to bloom appears after 2-3 years.
The powerful smell and pollen attract bees and bumblebees. The fruit of the flower is a round orange or red berry. The plant itself is poisonous, but is widely used in modern medicine. It has been used for a long time.
Cultivation and propagation of lily of the valley should be done very carefully, observing the usual safety measures.
Application in medicine
- improvement of heart function
- strengthening blood vessels
- insomnia and neuroses
- included in allergy medications
- at high temperature and headaches
- for the treatment of cholecystitis and relief of inflammatory processes
- psychiatric disorders
Take medications based on medicinal flowers only after consulting a doctor and strictly observing the dosage of use.
Downsides of blooming lilies of the valley
A bouquet of lilies of the valley should not be kept in a small, cramped and closed room. Especially in the bedroom or room of a small child. Fans of this plant often need to ventilate the room. Due to the strong aroma, you can simply get poisoned.
Symptoms of poisoning
- headache and frequent dizziness, up to loss of consciousness
- nausea and vomiting
- drowsiness and general malaise
- tearfulness and the first signs of allergies
- darkening of the eyes
- cramps and numbness of the limbs
- temperature rise and sudden pressure surges
If you notice the first symptoms, immediately seek medical help, as the consequences can be fatal.
Before the doctors arrive:
- throw away the flowers, use water or a solution of potassium permanganate to induce a gag reflex and cleanse the stomach;
- drink any sorbent (activated carbon, sorbex) drug to cleanse the body from the inside;
- Give an enema until clean water comes out completely.
The smell of the forest dweller is fresh, with a tart aftertaste, with a barely noticeable note of tenderness. Pairs well with jasmine, lily and wild roses.
It is easy to find in the forest because of its strong aroma; it usually grows in groups or entire clearings.
Caring for lilies of the valley
Lily of the valley adapts well to any weather conditions. But it does not tolerate drafts and direct sunlight.
It is very easy to plant a flower at home. Planting lilies of the valley can be done using their own berries or by dividing the rhizome. The artificial breeding of new varieties is actively used.
The downside is low frost resistance and late flowering. In the first case, after 6 years, in the second, after 3 years.
The best time for planting is mid-autumn. The soil is prepared in advance; fertilizers can be used. Each housewife plants in her own way, but in general terms, each flower should be planted at a distance of 10-15 cm, 15 cm deep into the ground and sprinkled with 1-2 cm of light soil.
Water thoroughly room temperature. In winter, cover with any materials to maintain warmth. Planting can also be done in the spring, but such a flower will be painful and will not bloom this season.
They don't need any care. You just need to maintain moisture, remove weeds and loosen the soil around from time to time.
Lilies of the valley are very aggressive plants; in the overall bouquet they crowd out and lead to rapid withering and death of other flowers.
Fertilizers
- The first fertilization is carried out at planting; you can use egg shells;
- Second, 30 days after planting, add good rotted organic matter;
- At 2 and 3 years of life, organic fertilizers with a small amount of nitrogen;
- Later, every June, feed for increase and growth.
Photo of lily of the valley
Delicate lilies of the valley have long been considered a symbol of spring. In May, wonderful flowers appear in the forests, reminiscent of scatterings of snow-white pearls - lilies of the valley. They grow on the edges of mixed forests, forming entire carpets of thickets. They are not only perfect in their beauty, but also have a dizzying aroma of spring.
This beautiful May flower has managed to win the hearts of many peoples, thanks to its bells with the most delicate aroma. The wide green leaves resemble deer ears and this is probably where its name “lily of the valley” comes from. This is translated from the Old Polish language as the ear of a deer.
It is also believed that the name comes from the church incense incense. When burned, it releases an aroma reminiscent of lily of the valley.
This is perennial herbaceous plant, which reproduces using roots. Its roots are not thick and creeping. The leaves, two in number, grow from a basal rosette and are shaped like a deer’s ear. Between them there is a bud from which a sprout grows and bells are formed, and then berries.
The stems are erect and die back in early summer as soon as the flowers stop blooming. On one stem there are an average of 14 bells with a delicate aroma. The color of the bells changes from white to pale Pink colour. Lilies of the valley are very strong flowers that easily conquer new shady areas. Temperature changes are not scary for him. The flowering stem itself is leafless.
Lily of the valley blooms in May and continues to delight the world about a month. After flowering, small red berries appear on the stem, which serve as a treat for birds living in the neighborhood. The fruit is a round red berry with a diameter of about 7 mm, filled with round seeds.
In flower beds, a carpet of lily of the valley leaves looks wonderful, but when this carpet is covered with white flowers, it seems that fairies live in some of the bluebells.
Exist different kinds lilies of the valley growing within Russia:
- Transcaucasian.
- May.
- Keiskeya.
- Silver.
- Pink.
All this diversity is vigorously used in medicine. Lily of the valley quickly spread throughout Europe and won the hearts of people so much that people not only collected bouquets, but also used it in the treatment of heart and other diseases. Deforestation also led to the disappearance of flowers, but the flower does not grow in the bright sun.
Lilies of the valley began to disappear from the surrounding forests, and were soon listed in the Red Book. There is a belief that if you pick one flower from a common flowering carpet, then after some time all the others will disappear.
In order not to pick lily of the valley flowers in the forest every year, people began to grow them in their flower beds. After all, this does not require any main move; the main thing is not to dig up this area. The whole secret is to choose a suitable area in the flower garden.
The best place is in the shade of trees with slightly moist soil. The key to long flowering of lilies of the valley is coolness and shade.
In a couple of years, the roots will spread so much that this place will no longer be enough for the flowers, and it will lay claim to a new territory.
The plant lives in one place for about 10 years, so you need to prepare a post rich in organic matter. To do this, you need to fertilize with already rotted manure and dig the flowerbed to a depth of 25 cm in such good conditions the plant will live for a very long time. After which, the planting of rhizomes will need to be renewed so as not to lose the flower. Soil preparation should be carried out a year before transplanting lily of the valley rhizomes.
It is best to plant in September or April so that it takes root well. It is not advisable to replant in the summer, since it may die during the heat. After planting, the rhizome must be watered intensively until the plant takes root.
There are two options for propagating lily of the valley:
- seed method;
- root method.
The second way to grow is faster and more convenient. To do this, the rhizome is dug up and cut into pieces about 10 cm long. The main thing is that there is a growth bud on this segment. Place the cut pieces of rhizomes into pre-dug grooves to a depth of about 3 cm and cover with earth without trampling it.
Do not plant the sprouts too close to each other at the very beginning, because due to their density, gray rot can affect the new shoots.
When propagated by seeds, sprouts will appear only in the second year if the seeds are not collected by birds or mice. It will be tightly pulled leaves and no flowering. In the second spring the rhizome will grow and only in the third year flowers will appear.
Caring for lilies of the valley is quite simple. In the summer heat, they are watered, preventing the soil from drying out. The plant is frost-resistant and therefore should not be covered additionally. It goes well in flower beds with lungwort and ferns.
Diseases and pests
Lily of the valley can be affected by fungal diseases. It can also be susceptible to nematodes and sawflies. Remove diseased plants from the flowerbed and burn them on your own site. Treat the remaining plants with special preparations sold in garden centers.
Lily of the valley is also known as a forcing plant. In order to drive out the plant, in September the rhizomes are dug up and stored in a box and covered with peat. It should be stored in a cool place at a temperature from -3 to +5 degrees.
At the beginning of December, they are planted in boxes or pots in pre-prepared loose, fertile soil. The bowls with planted rhizomes are placed in a room with a temperature of up to 24 degrees Celsius and watered a little. A month later, the lily of the valley begins to sprout, and already in February it begins to bloom.
Lilies of the valley - healing properties
Since the times of Copernicus, lily of the valley has been considered an excellent medicinal plant, and thanks to this it has become a symbol of healing.
Do not forget that lilies of the valley are a medicinal plant that helps people get rid of diseases such as:
- diseases of the nervous system;
- arrhythmias;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- fever;
- physical stress;
- rheumatism;
- headache.
For people with diseases of the stomach, kidneys and liver, extracts from this medicinal plant cannot be accepted. For them, it will be tantamount to taking poison. After all, a beautiful flower with an unforgettable aroma can be poisonous to humans. Therefore, under no circumstances should you make decoctions without a doctor’s prescription.
If you need to collect this plant, then you cannot do it within the city limits. Since due to gasoline vapors and other chemical substances the plant will not be suitable for use for medicinal purposes. Therefore, these plants are collected in forests far from megacities.
This plant is harvested during flowering, cutting it off near the rhizome with scissors so as not to damage it. Everything is collected for medicinal purposes: leaves, flowers, and berries. All this is collected in May, early summer, while the lilies of the valley are blooming and the leaves are in their sap.
Drying is done in the shade with good ventilation. Drying is also carried out in special drying cabinets, where the temperature is set to 60 degrees. Medicines can also be prepared from only picked lily of the valley flowers.
Lily of the valley tincture
Fill any container three-quarters full with picked flowers and add 90% alcohol. All this is infused in a dark, cool place for 3 weeks. Take 20 drops five times a day.
Tincture of dried lily of the valley flowers
1 tbsp. dried flowers pour 200 g. boiling water, wrap it up and let it brew for half an hour. Take one tablespoon every 2 hours. This drug is great for conjunctivitis.
For heart rhythm disturbances
Mix 10 ml valerian, 10 ml lily of the valley tincture, 5 ml hawthorn extract. and menthol 0.05 ml. apply 25 drops three times a day.
Pharmacies also sell drugs made using lily of the valley:
- Zelenin drops;
- various cardiotonic drugs;
- drug "Convaflavin".
But we must remember that lily of the valley is poisonous and its overdose threatens poisoning. And when using medications, you must strictly adhere to the recommendations given by your doctor.
Toning face mask
Grind 2 tablespoons of red berries, add one yolk. Apply the resulting mask to your face, after 15 minutes you will need to rinse it off with warm water and wipe it off with a warm napkin soaked in milk. By making masks weekly, after a month and a half, fine wrinkles will smooth out and your complexion will noticeably improve.
- The aroma of lilies of the valley is used in the preparation of perfumes, soaps, and shampoos. It is difficult to obtain an extract from flower buds, so for perfume industry the smell was chemically removed.
- In Russian legends, lily of the valley flowers are called the tears of the sea princess Volkhov. She, who fell in love with the beautiful guslar Sadko, who did not reciprocate her feelings, and therefore, alone at night, shed tears of her lonely love, which by morning turned into wonderful lily of the valley flowers.
- There is also a legend that when the first mermaid fell in love, her laughter scattered like white pearls across the clearing near the lake.
- Many people remember from childhood the fairy tale about Snow White, how she, running away from her stepmother, scattered her pearl necklace. And they turned into white lilies of the valley. And now they work as lanterns for little gnomes.
- Sunbeams also spend the night in these bells.
- Wedding bouquets are often made from lilies of the valley - after all, they are a symbol of untouched purity.
In order to enjoy lilies of the valley and take a break from daily difficulties, it is not necessary to go to the forest and pick flowers, disturbing their ideal clearings. It is better to plant them in your flower garden and admire this miracle of nature every year.
With the help of a bouquet of these flowers, you can always confess your pure love for a person, and it would be good to do this on May 1, because in France on this day they celebrate the day of lily of the valley and spring.
How to pick lilies of the valley and keep the bouquet fresh?
Everyone agrees that lilies of the valley are the most fragrant spring flowers. They are listed in the Red Book. But, to be honest, finding yourself in the May forest, hardly anyone can resist picking a bouquet.
As experts say, damage to lilies of the valley can only be caused by improper collection of the flower itself. To prevent the plant from dying, you should carefully pull out the flower itself without leaves from its middle and try not to damage the rhizome. Much more harmful to the spread of this plant, unique in its beauty and aroma, are rough forest clearings, tractor tracks and unharvested branches.
Lily of the valley tends to grow quickly, and those gardeners who plan to grow it need to remember this. Within a few years, the plant can fill a significant part of the garden. Nowadays, the cultivation of double and pink lilies of the valley has become widespread among gardeners. But most plant connoisseurs prefer the pure, white, porcelain color.
You should know that lily of the valley fruits, which appear at the end of summer, are very poisonous. They look attractive, so it is necessary to warn children about the dangers of consuming them.
A silver lily of the valley grew at the edge of the forest.
White bell of delicate beauty.
A small gift from Spring - girlfriends -
There are modest flowers on the green carpet.
The light wind will gently touch the bells,
They will ring with merry music.
And the birds will pick up the song diligently
Festive orchestra of the Maiden of Spring.
May lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) how many tender smiles this flower evokes. And he has many names, here are some: vannik, smoothy, convallia, hare's ears, forest tongue. Lily of the valley belongs to the lily family. The Latin name for lily of the valley literally means “lily of the valleys, blooming in May.”
A beautiful spring flower, there are many poetic legends about its origin. An old Russian legend tells about the hopeless love of the water princess Volkhova for the daring Sadko. Having learned about his faithful love for the simple girl Lyubava, she went ashore to listen to the songs and playing the harp of her beloved for the last time. Volkhova walked for a long time through the meadows and forest edges, but Sadko was nowhere to be found. Suddenly she saw two people among the slender birches - it was them, Sadko and Lyubava. The proud princess began to cry with grief, bitter tears rolled from her sea-blue eyes. They fell like pearls into the grass and turned into fragrant silver flowers - a symbol of fidelity, love and tenderness. Deprived of grief, Volkhova left forever for her cold underwater kingdom.
In Ancient Greece, there was a myth that told how once the goddess of the Hunt, Diana, sister of the radiant Apollo, hunted in an unfamiliar forest inhabited by fauns. Seduced by the girl's beauty, they began to pursue her. The slender huntress Diana ran away from them, but she had to run too far and fast, she was tired, her whole body was covered with droplets of sweat, which, falling to the ground, turned into fragrant silver bells of the lily of the valley.
O first lily of the valley! From under the snow
You ask for the sun's rays;
What virginal bliss
In your fragrant purity!
How bright is the first ray of spring!
What dreams descend in it!
How captivating you are, gift
Happy spring!
So the maiden sighs for the first time -
About what - it’s unclear to her, -
And a timid sigh smells fragrant
The abundance of young life.
(A. Fet)
Among the peoples Western Europe lilies of the valley are the homes of little forest people - elves, and the necklace of Snow White, who, running away from her evil stepmother in winter, lost it in the forest, and it turned into silver bells. According to other legends, these are gnome lanterns
Long, long ago, elves lived and lived in a dense forest. People hoard gold, and the elves hoarded their wealth - white pearls. One day, hunters wandered into the forest kingdom of the elves. They lay down to rest and saw an elf with a pearl flying somewhere. The hunters followed him and saw big mountain wealth. The hunters rushed to grab him, and the whole mountain fell apart. The pearls rolled through the forest in different directions. But the chief elf wizard did not want people to get this wealth, and turned the beads into white flowers, into lilies of the valley. Since then, elves have been caring for flowers, polishing flower leaves to a shine with a cloth woven from moonlight.
Since the deep Middle Ages, the “lily of the valley holiday” has been preserved in France. It is celebrated on the first Sunday of May. The day before, in the afternoon, villagers go to the nearest forest for lilies of the valley. Having collected bouquets, they return home in the evening. The next morning, collected lilies of the valley decorate rooms, windows and even doors. After a fun breakfast there is dancing. Each dancer has a bouquet of lilies of the valley. Girls pin it to their bodice, boys pin it in the buttonholes of their coats. Young people who like each other exchange bouquets.
The flowering of the lily of the valley coincides with the time of spring when it gradually turns into summer, and by mid-summer red drops of fruit form on it. There is a legend about this. When the lily of the valley blossomed, he saw Spring. She was so beautiful that the lily of the valley immediately fell in love with her and, no matter how much he looked, could not enjoy her beauty. And Spring itself was not indifferent to the small, elegantly dressed flower, hiding under a wide green umbrella. But Spring is a traveler around the world, she smiles at everyone, gives everyone affection, but does not stay anywhere for long.
All the problems with winter
settled so easily
they will rise like tiaras,
my forest lilies of the valley...
Silver-white,
shod in pointe shoes,
fragile, timid
in dew, like in diamonds.
And all the ravines, slopes
dress up unexpectedly
in green nylons,
and into the stems - fountains,
Secluded streams,
in pebbles and pellets
will cover the languid
porcelain lilies of the valley...
Under the smells of the forest,
the burden is lifted from the soul!
Oh, intoxicating lilies of the valley,
your time has come...
