When lotuses bloom in Astrakhan, thousands of tourists flock to the Volga delta to see this miracle with their own eyes. Indeed, this is one of the most beautiful plants on our planet, from which it is impossible to look away. Here he 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 have not been able to find out how the sacred flowers of the East got here. There are different versions: either the birds carried their seeds, or they were brought here by nomadic Kalmyks.
Astrakhan lotuses
The lotus valley in the Volga delta occupies more than one thousand hectares and is considered the largest in the world. Just imagine an endless sea of pale pink flowers with saucer leaves growing directly in the water. The spectacle is truly bewitching, and it is not for nothing that the blooming lotuses in Astrakhan are considered one of the most beautiful natural phenomena and one of the main local attractions.
There are other rare species of plants in the lower Volga delta, but the Caspian lotus is especially noteworthy. It belongs to relict and is known since the Cretaceous. The Astrakhan lotus is different from the typical one, therefore it has been isolated.
These flowers were discovered in the lower Volga at 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 plot, occupying no more than a quarter 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 Station and a decrease in water runoff during the flood period, the avant-garde overgrown with aquatic plants, among which there was a lotus, as well as a redistribution of thickets. In the 70th year the area amounted to 200 hectares, in the 78th - 1000, in the 84th - 1500, today it has reached 5000 and continues to grow.
The Caspian lotus grows in bays, ilmeni, on the coast, on the banks of numerous Volga channels.
It grows up to two or more meters in height, its flowers reach a diameter of 10-15 cm. The flowering time of one flower is two to three days, then its petals fall off. But every day new ones are revealed, giving the impression of endless flowering. After it fades, a small egg is formed with the so-called lotus nuts, which first have milk ripeness and are enclosed in a green shell, then it hardens and turns brown. They are said to taste like peanuts, but only birds can enjoy them.
The leaves of the plant have a unique quality, which they called the lotus effect: water immediately rolls off from them, like mercury, so the leaves remain dry.
The Caspian lotus is listed in the Red Book and is protected by the state. Since the moment when a small island of flowers was discovered, it has grown greatly, but scientists believe that it is impossible to predict what area will be covered with pink flowers in a given summer. It is possible that it will begin to disappear as quickly as it was growing, so they are not going to be deleted from the Red Book.
Flowering season
Those wishing to see an unforgettable sight are surely interested when lotuses bloom 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 more precise - from mid-July to early September.
How to see
The time when lotuses bloom in Astrakhan is considered the best time to relax in the lower Volga. Therefore, every year in July-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 through a travel agency is the most convenient and easy way. Buses depart from Astrakhan and Volgograd every weekend.
Travel agencies are developing special excursion programs that operate during the period when lotuses bloom 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 ship, which departs from the Astrakhan embankment. Then book a boat tour in the biosphere reserve.
On the way to the lotus fields there are camp sites where they will be happy to provide escort services to travelers. The largest thickets are located on the estuary near the river delta. It will take two hours to get there and this can only be done on motor boats.
Some tips
- The best time to travel to blooming lotuses is in the early morning, when the flowers are fully open, and towards the evening they will begin to close.
- In the case of a very warm summer, blooming of lotuses in Astrakhan may begin earlier and the first buds will appear at the end of June.
- Picking lotus flowers is strictly prohibited.
Lotus myths and legends
About this sacred flower there are many myths and legends created by the peoples of the East in antiquity. 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 silt, and the flowers are always above the water and stretch to the sun. Leaves and petals covered with a thin wax coating repel water, dirt does not adhere to them, they are able to self-clean, so the lotus is a symbol of cleanliness.
It 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 earth is its rhizome, in the water - the stem, and in the air - flowers and leaves. Therefore, he personifies the whole world and connect the flower with its creation.
To summarize
It is said that the aroma of a lotus has a positive effect on the human body: it improves mood, gives a boost of vigor. 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.