Deciduous plants of the steppe. Types of steppe vegetation. Features of all kinds of plants in the steppe

The term "steppe" has a very broad meaning. From the point of view of geobotany, the steppe is a collective concept that unites the herbaceous vegetation of watershed spaces of a more or less dry-loving nature.

Steppes can cover flat watersheds (here they are almost completely destroyed), slopes, and hills. There are flat, hilly and mountain steppes. But the most typical for each region are flat steppes, occupying relatively flat watershed spaces. Usually the main characteristics of the vegetation of the zone are given specifically for such steppes.

When moving from north to south, the appearance of the steppes in flatland conditions reveals regular changes, the analysis of which allows us to identify several subzones of steppe vegetation.

Within the forest-steppe zone, on treeless watersheds, in the past, forb-meadow Steppes were ubiquitous. We can now judge their composition from small islands of protected steppes in the Central Black Earth Region. Humus-rich soils and sufficient moisture contributed to the development of a high and dense grass cover here, creating continuous retention. The grass cover of these steppes is especially rich in meadow-steppe forbs; in spring and early summer it forms a bright, colorful carpet, constantly changing its color.

Among the grasses of this subzone, loose-bush and rhizomatous plants with relatively wide leaf blades predominate: coastal brome, meadow bluegrass, ground reed grass, and steppe timothy. Of the feather grasses, only the most moisture-loving ones are found here, most often John’s feather grass and angustifolia.

The forbs are dominated by meadow sage, tuber grass, meadowsweet, mountain clover, sandy sainfoin, wood anemone, mountain grass, sleep grass, etc.

E.M. Lavrenko (1940) distinguished two variants of mixed-grass meadow steppes - northern and southern. A remarkable monument of the southern version of these steppes is the Streletskaya steppe under

Kursk, where V.V. Alekhin (1925) in flat conditions encountered up to 120 species on an area of ​​100 m2, and 77 on 1 m2. A distinctive feature of forb-meadow steppes is their extraordinary colorfulness, multiple changes of color in the spring and early summer, caused by alternating mass flowering of various types of herbs.

To the south of the forb-meadow steppes there is a subzone of typical (or true) steppes. The overwhelming majority of their herbage consists of narrow-leaved turf grasses, mainly feather grass and fescue, which is why these steppes received the name grasses, or feather grasses. Among the feather grasses, Lessing's feather grass and feather grass are predominant. In the south of Ukraine, in addition, Ukrainian feather grass is common, and in Northern Kazakhstan and Western Siberia - reddish feather grass.

Forbs in typical steppes play a subordinate role, as a result of which they are less bright and not as colorful as those more northern.

Turfy perennial grasses, which form the basis of the grass stand of typical steppes, never create a continuous sod of the soil. Between the tufts of cereals there are always areas of bare soil, the area of ​​which increases to the south. The reason for the increasing thinning of grass grass to the south is the lack of moisture in the soils of the steppe zone. The root system of turf grasses itself has an extensive network of very thin roots near the surface, capable of capturing moisture from even the slightest summer precipitation.

The proportion of grasses in the grass stand of typical steppes is very large. According to B.A. Keller (1938), in the feather grass steppes of the Central Black Earth Region, cereals provide more than 90% of the total mass of hay. In the fescue-feather grass association of the Askania-Nova Nature Reserve, their specific gravity ranges from 79 to. 98% of the total plant mass. Numerous ephemerals and ephemeroids find shelter between the tufts of cereals. These include common stonefly, various types goose onions, brightly blooming Schrenk and Bieberstein tulips.

In the life of typical steppes great value has the underground, root part of plants. In the upper soil horizons there are complexly branched underground parts of the plant community. At the same time, the plant mass of the underground part is much higher than that of the aboveground part. Thus, in the cereal steppes of Askania-Nova, 1 g of living above-ground parts accounts for from 8 to 30 g of root mass. According to the research of M. S. Shalyt (1950), from 37 to 70% of the total root mass is concentrated here at a depth of 0 to 12 cm. However, the depth of root penetration is not limited by the humus horizon. The roots of taproot perennials in the Askania-Nova steppes (for example, such as pyrethrum millifolia, some sedges) penetrate to a depth of 1.5-2.5 m.

Typical steppes, in turn, are divided into two main options. In the northern part of the subzone, on ordinary and southern chernozems, forb-fescue-feather grass steppes (“colorful feather grass”) are widespread. In these steppes, gradually decreasing northern forbs (meadowsweet, sleep grass, mountain clover) are mixed with drought-resistant forbs (steppe and drooping sage, angustifolia peony, crescent alfalfa, prickly sage, many-flowered capitula, real and Russian bedstraw, noble yarrow). There are still relatively few ephemeroids here.

The reference areas of forb-fescue-feather grass steppes are considered to be the Starobelskaya steppe in the Seversky Donets basin, studied back in 1894 by G.I. Tanfilyev.

Fescue-feather grass steppes (“colorless feather grass”) are developed on dark chestnut soils and partly on southern chernozems. On the Russian Plain they do not have a continuous distribution and consist of several massifs. But east of the Volga, and especially beyond the Urals, they stretch in a wide strip. Fescue and southern feather grass species dominate in these steppes. The forbs here are poor and very drought-resistant: hairy beetroot, Caspian ferula, thin-leaved yarrow, pyrethrum species. in spring important role ephemeroids play - tulips and goose bows. In the strip of fescue-feather grass steppes there are quite a lot of solonetzes and solonetzic soils with fescue-wormwood and wormwood groups. The standard of fescue-feather grass steppes of the Russian Plain is Askania-Nova. In other places west of the Volga they practically did not survive anywhere. They are best preserved in the Volga region, the Southern Urals and Kazakhstan.

To the east of the Volga, especially in Western Kazakhstan and the Trans-Urals, fescue (dry) steppes developed. V.V. Ivanov (1958) considered them an analogue of real tussock-grass low-forb steppes.

Characteristic features of fescue steppes that make it easy to identify them are:

• the undivided dominance of fescue, which is joined by the feather grass of Tyrsa, Lessing, Sarepta, occupying a clearly subordinate position;
• a sharp reduction in the role of forbs;
• the disappearance of common steppe shrubs of bean, spirea and chiliga from the grass stand of the flat steppe and their isolation in depressions;
• the appearance of xerophytic subshrubs (white wormwood, prostrate grass, millennial pyrethrum);
• weak soil salinity or even its complete absence(Ivanov, 1958, p. 29).

Fescue, like other more northern types of steppes, are now almost completely plowed. We can say that their typical lowland variants have now completely disappeared. Their structure can now be judged either from geobotanical descriptions of old authors, or from the pitiful patches of these steppes preserved near the slopes.

To the south of the steppe zone (already in a semi-desert on chestnut, less often on dark chestnut soils) a subzone of desert wormwood-fescue-feather grass steppes is distinguished. In the herbage of the subzone, in addition to narrow-leaved turf grasses (fescue, wheatgrass, feather grass), there are many drought-resistant subshrubs: wormwood, saltwort, and twig grass. The grass stand here is usually open. The vegetation cover is characterized by complexity and patchiness.

While studying these steppes, back in 1907 N.A. Dimo ​​and B.A. Keller (1907) introduced the concept of “semi-desert” into the literature. Clarifying it, Academician B.A. Keller (1923) wrote that semi-deserts should include “associations in which, due to sparseness, low stature, and the like, along with grasses of a steppe nature - fescue, feather grass, thin-legged grass - such dry-loving plants play a large role subshrubs, like sea wormwood and kochia” (p. 147).

There was great debate on the issue of identifying a subzone of desert steppes or “steppe deserts”. We mention them here only because the transition from steppes to deserts does not occur immediately, but gradually and sometimes, surrounded by real desert landscapes, you can find islands of steppes.

In general, when moving from north to south, the following regular changes in vegetation are observed, noted by V.V. Alekhine (1934) and his followers.

1. The grass stand is becoming thinner and thinner.
2. The beauty of the steppes is greatly reduced as the number of dicotyledonous plants decreases.
3. In the north, perennials reign supreme; to the south, the role of annuals increases.
4. The number of broad-leaved grasses is decreasing and they are being replaced by narrow-leaved grasses.
5. There is a change in the types of feather grasses - from large-turf to small-turf.
6. Species richness decreases from 80 species per 1 m2 in meadow steppes to 3-5 in desert steppes.
7. The seasonal dynamics of the steppe vegetation cover is becoming more and more arrhythmic. To the south, the spring burst of flowering is shortened.
8. The relative mass of the underground parts of plants in comparison with the above-ground parts increases to the south.

It remains to add that the appearance of the steppes changes not only from north to south, but also to no less extent from west to east. The reason for this is the already mentioned increase in continentality towards the center of Eurasia. Suffice it to say that in different sectors of the steppe belt they grow different types feather grass (Ukrainian in the Black Sea region, red in Kazakhstan, Krylova in Khakassia, etc.).

Toward the center of the continent, the species abundance of the steppes sharply decreases. Thus, in the meadow steppes of the Russian Plain there are more than 200 species of grasses, in Western Siberia - 55-80, Khakassia - 40-50. The vegetation of the dry steppes of Askania-Nova in the Black Sea region is formed by 150 representatives of the grass cover, and in Khakassia - only 30-35 species.

However, based on these comparisons, the inland steppes should not be considered impoverished. It would be more correct to say that the European steppes are enriched with meadow herbs. We must judge the authenticity of the steppe by the participation of true steppe plants - xerophytes - in the grass cover. Their share in the meadow steppes of the Southern Urals is about 60%, and near Kursk - only 5-12%.

The greater typicality, and therefore increased stability, of steppe ecosystems inside the continent compared to the outskirts can be judged by the degree of development of root phytomass, one of the main indicators of vegetation adaptability to steppe conditions. The root reserves of steppe plants to the east are steadily increasing. According to Siberian ecologists and landscape scientists, in relation to the local steppes, the notorious question does not arise: “...is the forest encroaching on the steppe, or vice versa” (Titlyanova et al., 1983). The positions of steppe vegetation, represented east of the Urals by typical xerophytes with thick turfs, exclude the encroachment of forests on the steppes. The steppes of the Russian Plain with moisture-loving European herbs are not so resistant to forests.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

The steppe zone is characterized by a hot and dry climate almost throughout the year. The steppe receives the required amount of moisture only in spring.

The main quality of plants that “live” in the steppes is endurance and ability for a long time do without rain.

Steppe vegetation consists mainly of various grasses.

Some plants have stems and leaves that are heavily hairy or have a rich waxy coating; other plants have tough stems covered with narrow leaves that curl up during periods of drought (cereals). There are also plants that have fleshy stems and leaves with a large supply of moisture.

Some steppe plants have root systems that penetrate deep into the ground, while others form bulbs or tubers.

Types and characteristics of steppe plants

Among the steppe shrubs, the most common are: steppe cherries, spirea, caragana and steppe almonds. They not only add variety to the steppe landscape, their fruits are food for many animals.

Various lichens, xerophilic mosses, and, less commonly, blue-green algae from the Nostoc family grow on the surface of the earth. During the heat, they all dry out, and after the rains they come to life and assimilate.

Among the inconspicuous, but no less important steppe plants, one can distinguish krupki and prolomyk. These are “pioneers” growing on hills, sandy mounds and ridges.

Krupka belongs to the cruciferous family. About a hundred of its varieties are found in Russia.

When talking about the steppe, many people associate it with such an interesting phenomenon as tumbleweeds.

This form includes plants that are torn off at the root collar as a result of severe drying out or rotting. They are carried by the wind across the steppe and, hitting the ground, scatter their seeds.

The most beautiful is the mixed-grass steppe. In early spring, as soon as the snow melts, the first flowers appear - lumbago bells. Then comes the turn of golden Adonis flowers and pale blue hyacinth buds.

Every day the steppe turns brighter and greener due to the growing grasses. In summer it turns purple due to the sage blooming. Chamomile, mountain clover and meadowsweet also grow in the steppe zone. Less common are crocuses, hyacinths, snowdrops or tulips. However, due to the climate, they bloom for only a short time. What is noteworthy is that steppe flowers store all the substances necessary for growth in their bulbs from autumn to early spring.

Another typical plant of the steppes is feather grass. It is often adjacent to cereal crops: fescue, keleria, wheatgrass and others. Feather grass is a drought-resistant grass with a peculiar root system that spreads widely and deeply throughout the ground, sucking out all the moisture. During the flowering period, feather grass forms a special fluffy and light feather.

In the feather grass steppe there are also quite large dicotyledonous crops - yellow pyrethrum, kermek, purple mullein. All these plants have long roots that allow them to reach water (ground).

In the northern Siberian steppes, many dicotyledonous plants can grow, but they cannot produce such a beautiful change of shades as in European forbs.

The steppe is a flat part of the continents, distributed in the temperate and subtropical zones of the planet's hemisphere. The main feature of the steppes is, in general, the complete absence of woody flora; the entire part of the steppe is covered with grasses, like a carpet. Basically, the carpet is formed by grasses such as bluegrass, tonkonogo, sheep, fescue, but the basis remains at all times types of feather grass. Such plants can easily withstand high temperatures in summer and unfavorable conditions during the growing season in spring and autumn.

Plants of these families are drought-resistant and actively go through the growing season either in the spring, when a large amount of water is in the ground after winter, or in the fall, when the temperature drops. Also, a large percentage of vegetation includes bulbous plants. Plants of the Liliaceae family quickly go through the growing season, and by the arrival of hot summer, I accumulate all the necessary elements for wintering in the bulb. These species include Tulip, Scilla bifolia, Snowdrop, Cockerel, etc. But the steppe does not have the same carpet of grasses everywhere.

Depending on the grasses, the steppe is divided into five types:

• Cryoxerophilous (mountain steppes, such as the steppes of the Caucasus and Crimea);
• Mesoxeroyl (forb steppes, most of the European
• Xerophilous (feather grass steppes, an example is the steppes of the southern part of the Orenburg region);
• Haloxerophilous (desertification, example of the Kalmykia steppe);
• Superxerophilous (desert, southern part of the Kalmyk steppes);

Most of the different types of steppes are located on the borders of forest-steppes and semi-deserts. The flora of these parts of the Earth is mainly represented by the families of Cereals, which grow in bunches, forming gaps between themselves. Bare soil is visible between such gaps. The most common inhabitants of steppe plants are still various types of feather grass. Common types of feather grass: feathery, Tyrsa, beautiful, Zalessky feather grass. These species very often cover most of the steppe.

Moreover, depending on the type of steppe, the same type of feather grass has different sizes. So, for example, on rich steppes it reaches large sizes and covers huge areas, but on dry, also called barren, steppes it is small in size and occupies a relatively small area. In second place after feather grass is Tonkonog, but not just one species, but the whole family of Tonkonog. They are distributed throughout the steppe and serve as excellent food for feeding sheep.

Characteristic species of the Thin-legged family are: Altai thin-legged, cranked, Askoldov, short, dubious, Caucasian, gray, Karavaeva, Litvinova, lobed, single-flowered, hard-leaved, glossy, pyramidal, half-naked, Scriabin, Tona. The herbs of the steppe include such species as: thyme, zopnik, speedwell, steppe alfalfa, licorice, kermek, prutyak or izeng, various types of wormwood, steppe onion, adonis, iris, ephedra, chickweed. A large number of spirea, Tatar honeysuckle, caragana, cherry, bean. But still, the supply of vegetation for grazing livestock in the steppe is significantly less than the same area of ​​the forest zone.

All plants of steppe zones are not distinguished by their colors. Usually these are gray, blue-green shades, the leaves, if present, are small, covered with a thick cuticle to reduce evaporation. But often protection from transpiration is the ability to roll up their leaves during periods of drought. Among the weeds of the steppe, there are also plants with special economic importance; as mentioned above, they are called fodder flora. But for humans, melliferous and medicinal herbs. Thus, flora The steppe zone has various advantages, but also its disadvantages in the low diversity of flora biota.

Steppe is a belt of plains in temperate and subtropical regions, covered predominantly with low grassy vegetation. The Eurasian steppe stretches 8,000 km from Hungary in the west through Ukraine, Russia and Central Asia to Manchuria in the east. Mountain ranges interrupt it, dividing it into separate fragments.

The steppe soils are rich in minerals but contain little organic matter due to little rainfall. Annual precipitation is approximately 960 mm (of which 460 mm is rain and 500 mm is snow) in the northern regions of the steppe and about 360 mm (of which 260 mm is rain and 100 mm is snow) in the southern regions. Summer lasts from four to six months, with average temperatures of about 21-23° C. Winter lasts for three to five months with temperatures ranging from -13° to 0° C. There are also few trees in the Steppe, so some of the strong and cold winds or dust storms.

Flora of the steppe

Steppe flora typically consists of plants such as small shrubs and grasses that can withstand drought and lack of soil nutrients. There are also trees, but only along the river banks. Tall grasses, growing up to one and a half meters in height, are found near trees near water sources. Shorter grasses - up to one meter in height - can be found in areas closer to deserts. Due to the dryness of the vegetation, sometimes in the summer the grass catches fire and fires spread very quickly, covering large areas.

The vegetation of the steppe is dominated by grasses, growing in small tufts, between which bare soil cover can be seen. Various types of feather grass are widespread, such as John's feather grass ( Stipa pennata). It often occupies vast territories. In densely overgrown areas of the steppe, feather grass species flourish, characterized by a much larger size. On arid, infertile steppes, small species of feather grass predominate. There are also various species from the genus Tonkonog ( Koeleria). They grow everywhere in the steppes, but are especially common east of the Ural Mountains, and some species serve as excellent food for grazing.

Since the steppe is very diverse, the flora growing in the steppes also varies greatly depending on the region. Regarding most plants, there is no general agreement which of them belong exclusively to steppe species.

The flora of the steppe differs, for example, from the forest, in its resistance to heat and drought. The color of the plants is usually grayish or bluish-green, the leaf blades are small, and the cuticles are thickened. In most cereal plants of the steppe, the leaves have developed an adaptation that allows them to curl up in dry weather, which provides them with protection from severe loss of moisture.

Among the steppe flora there are plants of great economic importance. This is mainly forage vegetation that grows in the steppe and forms pasture lands. Other steppe plants valuable to humans are honey-bearing and medicinal herbs. Cereals and legumes also deserve special attention, but among other plants, united by the concept of forbs, there are also valuable species.

Below is a list of some plants of the steppe zone with brief description and photo:

Common mullein

This biennial reaches one and a half meters in height, its leaves have felt pubescence. The spike-shaped inflorescences of mullein are dotted with yellow flowers. The flowering period lasts from July to September. All parts of the plant are widely used in medicine. Decoctions and infusions of the leaves are used as expectorants, analgesics, and anticonvulsants.

Adonis spring

Adonis vernatum is a rhizomatous perennial from the buttercup family. It tolerates strong temperature changes well and reaches 20 cm in height. The erect stems are covered with small green leaves. Bright yellow flowers stand out against their background. They open early in the morning and close in the afternoon, and on cloudy days they do not open at all. The flowering period occurs in April – May. The lifespan of a plant in one place is about 50 years. Adonis preparations have been used in folk medicine for more than a century for heart disease and diseases of the nervous system.

Thin-legged crested

A representative of the cereal family prefers dry fields. The height of the thin-legged comb is 65 cm. The lower leaves are pubescent, the stems have a dense base. The inflorescence is an elongated panicle, the shade of which varies from green to silver. The plant bears fruit abundantly. Infusions from the leaves have a wound-healing effect.

Schizonepeta multicut

It is a good honey plant and grows on hillsides and meadows. The plant has a woody root and a simple stem, the height of which can exceed 60 cm. The pinnately dissected leaves have 3–5 lobes. Schizonepeta, or anise grass, blooms from June to August. Purple flowers are collected in a spike. The plant has high nectar productivity. Schizonepeta has been used in folk medicine for many centuries: a decoction is used as an expectorant and anti-inflammatory drug. The plant is included in hypoallergenic cosmetics. In cooking it is used as a seasoning, especially for fish dishes.

Leafless iris

The herbaceous perennial is considered a rare species, therefore. Iris, or iris, is found in thickets of steppe bushes and along river valleys. The rhizome of the plant is short and creeping. The height of the peduncle is about 50 cm. The leaves, covered with a bluish coating, appear later and grow higher than the peduncle. The flowers themselves are large and purple in color. The middle is colored yellow. You can admire the irises in late May - early June. The fruit is a capsule that opens with flaps. Some forms are characterized by remontability, i.e. the ability to bloom again.

Cornflower blue

The plant belongs to the Asteraceae family. Its life span can be one or two years. During this time, the cornflower stretches 60 cm. The green mass is thin and pointed, covered with a felt coating, the lower leaves are trifoliate. Flower baskets are arranged singly. The edges are painted blue. The flowers in the middle of the plant are purple in color. The flowering period occurs in June – July. This species is considered a weed; its favorite habitat is rye crops. The fruits of cornflower are smooth achenes with a red tuft. The marginal flowers, colored blue, are often harvested and dried. They are the basis for various medicinal preparations. Powder from the seeds is used to treat skin inflammations.

Meadow bluegrass

A perennial plant from the grass family very quickly grows dense turf. Withstands waterlogging, severe frosts and drought. The bluegrass reaches full development in the fourth year of life. The rhizome of the plant does not penetrate deeper than 100 cm, so the bluegrass forms loose turf. The bright green leaves are narrow and rough. The spikelets form a pyramidal panicle. Meadow bluegrass is a valuable pasture plant. It is high-yielding, rich in proteins and vitamins.

White clover

A biennial from the legume family reaches a height of 2 m. The root is a taproot, up to two meters deep. Excellent honey plant. The plant is light-loving and very cold-resistant. The leaves are trifoliate, small white flowers are collected in racemes. The plant does not tolerate waterlogging and acidic soils; arid, rocky and saline steppes are an ideal growing area for sweet clover. The flowering period is from June to August; even in dry summers the plant produces a lot of nectar. White clover is widely used in medicine as an antiseptic, anticonvulsant, analgesic and antihypertensive agent.

Prairie sage

The perennial plant prefers meadows and grassy slopes of steppe and. The height of the pubescent stems is 80 cm. It blooms in the second year after planting. Purple flowers are collected in a tall inflorescence. These bright brushes stand out against the green grass. Sage blooms from May to July. The aerial part of the plant is used in medicine and cosmetology. The leaves of the plant are used as medicinal raw materials. They have anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and antimicrobial properties. In folk medicine it is used in treatment inflammatory diseases internal organs.

Feather grass

The perennial herbaceous plant belongs to the grass family. The height of an adult plant is 80 cm. A special feature is the silvery panicle inflorescences. Feather grass forms a dense turf. The plant has succulent stems, so it is widely used as feed for sheep and horses. The fruit, a grain, is equipped with upward-pointing hairs and a special spine. It carries seeds hundreds of meters from the mother plant.

The most valuable plants, typical of the steppes, are white and medicinal sweet clover, Siberian sainfoin, strawberry, Siberian snakehead, tuber-bearing cornflower, steppe and creeping thyme, steppe sage, fragrant schizonepeta, catnip, Siberian cornflower, Altai aster, common khama, and onion.
Less valuable are Danish astragalus, sickle alfalfa, Ural licorice, speedwell, yellow scabiosa, and steppe carnation. Weak honey plants - Siberian pomegranate, Morison's gorichnik, Baikal gorichnik, lumbago, starodubka.

Siberian hogweed, Puchka, Pikan - Heracléum sibíricum. Herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family. Siberian hogweed, despite the name, is predominantly a European species, common throughout Central Russia. It is also distributed in Central Europe, Ciscaucasia and Western Siberia (in its southern part it reaches Altai). Found in Crimea, Kazakhstan (Dzhungar Alatau). It grows in damp places - in meadows, between bushes. It grows in meadows (especially flooded ones), along the banks of rivers and streams, forest edges, roadside meadows, and […]

Weed plant. The species infests all types of crops and is found in fallows, orchards and orchards, as well as along roads, along ditches, and in fallow lands. Contains white milky juice. Strong honey plant and pollen plant. It releases nectar only in the morning, because... After lunch the flowers close. Intensive honey collection up to 380 kg per hectare. The honey crystallizes quickly and is dark amber in color. The pollen is dark yellow.

A perennial herbaceous plant 30–90 cm high from the Asteraceae family. It grows in various meadows, clearings, meadow clearings, along roads in many regions of Russia. It is well visited by bees, which, under favorable weather conditions, collect a lot of nectar and pollen from it. Honey productivity in terms of continuous tracts is over 100 kg/ha. The pollen is yellow.

Perennial honey-bearing herbaceous plant. Sandy cinnamon grows mainly on sandy soils, in dry copses, forest glades, hills, on fallow lands, rocky and sandy slopes everywhere. The hard scales of the inflorescence wrapper do not wither and do not lose color even when the inflorescences are cut off - hence the name of the plant immortelle.

Mediocre honey plant. It blooms in June - September, the fruits ripen in August - September. A perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows on sandy and loamy fresh and moist soils, in meadows, forest clearings, forest edges, in bushes, less often as a weed in crops. Prefers soils of average fertility and drainage.

A perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia. It grows in damp places, along the banks of rivers and mountain streams, in tall grass meadows, forest clearings and edges, and in thickets of bushes. Bad honey plant. There is no commercial honey from elecampane.

Perennial herbaceous plant. It grows on hillsides, in dry meadows, forest edges and clearings, on borders, in drier places. Distributed throughout forest areas. Honey plant, but provides bees with an insignificant collection of nectar. According to our personal observations, bees visit this honey plant in dry, hot weather. The honey is amber in color, very aromatic, and has the aroma of a flowering plant. Crystallizes quickly […]

Herbaceous perennial plant from the Crassulaceae family. Grows on dry grassy slopes. In dry bush thickets, in dry meadows, among rocky places. Good honey plant and pollen plant. Actively visited by bees and bumblebees. According to observations we made in the vicinity of the agro-biological station of the Uesuedi Pedagogical Institute, sedum flowers were visited by bees from morning to evening, collecting nectar and pollen. Nectar productivity of one flower [...]

Biennial herbaceous plant from the Apiaceae family. It grows near roads, in fields, in vegetable gardens, orchards. Secondary honey plant and pollen plant. Flowers are visited reluctantly by bees, but actively by flies. The nectar productivity of 100 flowers is 5.8-11.1 mg of sugar. Blooms in July-August.

Perennial herbaceous plant. It grows on roadsides as a weed among field and cultivated plants. Good honey plant and pollen plant. The flowers are readily visited by bees, who collect pollen in the morning and nectar by midday. According to N.N. Kartoshova (1955), in the Tomsk region it produces from 1 hectare to 200-250 kg of nectar containing 35-40% sugar.

A perennial herbaceous plant from the Rosaceae family. It grows in mixed-grass meadows, on the edges of mixed forests, among shrub thickets. It is known that meadowsweet leaves contain large quantities vitamin C (370 mg/%). Therefore, young shoots and leaves are used in food for preparing salads, and the flowers are used to make tea.

Burnet - Sanguisorba officinalis L. Perennial herbaceous plant. Grows in oak forests, bushes and dry meadows. On Far East Small-flowered and ferruginous burnet also grow - weak honey plants, but good pollen plants. Appearance Up to 60 cm in height, from the Rosaceae family. Stems are erect, branched, heavily leafy, pubescent with hairs. The basal leaves are large, odd-pinnate, glabrous on top, [...]