When lotuses are blooming in Astrakhan, thousands of touristsrush to the Volga delta to see this miracle with my own eyes. Indeed, this is one of the most beautiful plants of our planet, from which it is impossible to look away. Here it is called the Caspian rose. The Volga delta is the northernmost place where they grow in the wild, and in Russia they can be found only here and in the Far East. Scientists did not manage to figure out how the sacred flowers of the East got here. There are different versions: either the birds moved their seeds, or the wandering Kalmyks brought them here.
Astrakhan lotuses
The lotus valley in the Volga delta occupies more than onethousand hectares and is considered the largest in the world. Just imagine the endless sea of pale pink flowers with saucer leaves growing right in the water. The spectacle is truly fascinating, and it is not for nothing that the blooming lotuses in Astrakhan are considered to be one of the most beautiful natural phenomena and one of the main local attractions.
In the lower reaches of the Volga delta, there are other rareplant species, but it is the Caspian lotus that attracts attention. It belongs to the relic and is known from the Cretaceous period. The Astrakhan lotus is different from the typical one, therefore it was isolated in a separate form.
Эти цветы были обнаружены в низовьях Волги в the beginning of the 20th century, in 1912, when an expedition was sent here to study the natural resources of the delta. Then it was a small area, occupying no more than a quarter of a hectare. In order to preserve a rare plant, a biosphere reserve was created here. By 1967, the area of lotus fields reached 67 hectares. Later, due to the start-up of the Volga Hydroelectric Power Plant and a decrease in water flow during the flood period, avandelta overgrown with aquatic plants, among which there was a lotus flower, as well as overgrowth redistribution. In the 70th year, the area was 200 hectares, in the 78th - 1000, in the 84th - 1500, nowadays it has reached 5000 and continues to grow.
The Caspian lotus grows in bays, ilmenyas, on the coast, on the banks of numerous Volga ducts.
It grows to two meters or more in height, itsflowers reach a diameter of 10-15 cm. The flowering time of a single flower is two to three days, then its petals fall. But every day new ones are revealed, creating the impression of endless blooming. After it fades, a nodule is formed with so-called lotus nuts, which first have a milky ripeness and are enclosed in a green shell, then it hardens and becomes brown. They say that these nuts resemble peanuts in taste, but only birds can eat them.
The leaves of the plant have a unique quality, which is called the lotus effect: the water immediately rolls off from them, like mercury, so the leaves remain dry.
The Caspian lotus is listed in the Red Book andprotected by the state. From the moment a small island of flowers was discovered, it has grown a lot, but scientists believe that it is impossible to predict what area will be covered with pink flowers in a particular summer. It is possible that it will begin to disappear as quickly as it has grown, so they are not going to delete it from the Red Book.
Flowering season
Wishing to see an unforgettable sight for sureShe wonders when lotuses are blooming in Astrakhan. This happens once a year and lasts about two months. The season when lotuses bloom in Astrakhan is the second half of summer - the beginning of autumn. To be precise - from mid-July to early September.
How to see
Время, когда цветут лотосы в Астрахани, считается best for relaxing in the lower reaches of the Volga. Therefore, every year in July and August, a large number of tourists come here from all over Russia, and travel agencies offer guests sightseeing trips to the river delta.
Going to the lotus valley via a travel agency is the most convenient and easy way. Buses depart from Astrakhan and Volgograd every weekend.
Travel agencies develop special excursionprograms that operate in the period when lotuses are blooming in Astrakhan. This ticket can be booked in advance. As a rule, tourists leave the city by bus, arrive at the recreation center, transfer to boats and go on a two-hour walk to the lotus valley, during which they will learn about the flora and fauna of the unique Volga delta.
You can get to the lotus fields on the boat, which departs from the Astrakhan embankment. Then book a boat trip in the biosphere reserve.
На пути к лотосовым полям расположены турбазы, where they will be happy to provide escort services to travelers. The largest thickets are located at the mouth of the river delta. It will take two hours to get there and it can be done only by motorboats.
A few tips
- The best time to travel to the blooming lotuses is in the early morning when the flowers are completely open, and in the evening they will start to close.
- In the case of a very warm summer lotus blossoms in Astrakhan may begin earlier and the first buds will appear at the end of June.
- Tearing lotus flowers is strictly prohibited.
Lotus myths and legends
There are many myths about this sacred flower andlegends created by the peoples of the East in antiquity. The lotus is a symbol of all the best that can be on Earth - life and immortality, health and longevity, wealth and fertility, purity and glory. Its roots are in the mud, and the flowers are always above the water and reach for the sun. Leaves and petals covered with a thin wax coating repel water, dirt does not stick to them, they are capable of self-cleaning, therefore the lotus is a symbol of purity.
He also symbolizes time: the future, and the present, and the past. Indeed, in one plant there are not opened buds, and flowers, and seeds.
The lotus has a connection with all the elements: in the ground there is its rhizome, in the water - the stem, and in the air - flowers and leaves. Therefore, he personifies the whole world and associates the flower with its creation.
Let's sum up the results
Говорят, что аромат лотоса оказывает на the human body has a positive effect: improves mood, gives a charge of vivacity. Therefore, if there is such an opportunity, be sure to go to the lotus valley in Astrakhan when these magnificent plants bloom to see them live.
