Every country has its own symbols, there are a lot of them in the Ukrainian state. We hear them mentioned in Ukrainian songs. Their image we see in drawings, embroideries, in paintings of jugs, houses. Plant symbols of Ukraine: poplar, kalina, willow, oak. Among them there are flowers, they have long pointed to the beauty and uniqueness of the Ukrainian land. The project Plants - symbols of Ukraine gives an opportunity to learn more about them. People used to know everything about the properties of flowers, each plant had a meaning, medicinal or even magical power. The appearance of flowers is associated with spring warmth, love and hope. Therefore, in Ukrainian culture, giving flowers to loved ones is a sign of wishing good.
Sunflower
Among the plant symbols of Ukraine is the sunflower. This incredibly bright flower is a sign of the sun. It brings people strength and prosperity, is considered to be the embodiment of solar energy, good life, good health. It is hard to imagine a Ukrainian village without these flowers. Sunflower is very similar to the heavenly luminary and constantly turns its golden head after him. Moreover, it symbolizes the Motherland, wherever we are, we always come back to Ukraine in our thoughts, we are drawn to it like a sunflower to the sun. Since ancient times Ukrainians plant it near fences and in the vegetable garden. It is not for nothing that this flower is a symbol of Ukraine, as well as wheat fields, sunflower fields remind us of the colors of the national flag. By the way, our state ranks second in the world in the cultivation of sunflower seeds. In Ukraine there are a lot of legends about plants-symbols of Ukraine, and in particular about sunflower
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The legend of the sunflower
Once upon a time, the sun rose to earth with its daughters. They were on earth during the day and returned to heaven in the evening. One day the youngest of them forgot her wreath of flowers, went back to get it and saw a boy. She fell in love and wanted to stay with him on earth. Over time, the man paid less and less attention to her, the girl missed the sky very much. When she wanted to return, she saw that her feet were stuck to the ground. Then the beauty turned into a flower, which longed all the time for the homeland, gazed into the Ukrainian sky, turning its head to the sun;
Plants symbols of Ukraine: periwinkle
Ukrainian land is also called periwinkle land. The name of these flowers indicates that they are very colorful. They are a national plant symbol. A decoration of such flowers adorns a Ukrainian wedding loaf, they were woven into hair, grown near a Ukrainian house. Barvinok constantly green, even in winter under the snow retains its color, so it was still considered a symbol of eternal love, immortal soul. Young people in Ukraine believed that a girl and a guy should eat flower leaves together, then passionate love would surely burst out between them.
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Ukrainians have always revered nature, believing that it is alive, and in the existence of good and evil forces in it. People wanted to protect themselves from evil and created magical amulets from periwinkle flowers. Plants-symbols of Ukraine hung over the door, so that the evil force could not enter the house, and did not throw away, even when dried up, and let it go on the water. The smell of periwinkle flowers was supposed to frighten evil spirits and keep people away from everything bad.
Meaning of Ukrainian wreath colors
Plants symbols of Ukraine were both an amulet and a decoration. The ability to properly weave a Ukrainian wreath of flowers was passed from mother to daughter for thousands of years. It was necessary to know what to do with flowers, what to soak them in to keep them fresh longer. For little girls, the jewelry was woven by older sisters or mothers. Gathering flowers and weaving them into wreaths were accompanied by ritual songs. In Ukraine, it was believed that if you put a headdress of flowers under your pillow, you will see a dream. A special magical power was in flowers gathered by a pregnant woman, they gave fertility to fields and all livestock. Each plant had its own meaning:
- Chamomile is a symbol of love, fidelity;
- romachka is a symbol of love, fidelity;
- poppy is the flower of maiden's dreams, fertility, youth, beauty;
- Hairs - indicate the kindness of the heart;
- malva - love of the motherland.
- Mint - an amulet for children, their health;
- The mother is a symbol of a mother's love;
- divyasil - gives a person health, nine strength;
- apple or cherry color - devotion to the mother;
- Mortar - strong health, healing;
- Calina - a symbol of femininity, love of home; - a symbol of femininity, love of home;
- Hops - intelligence, flexibility;
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Girls wore Ukrainian wreaths from the age of three, their mother made them and bathed them in dew after sunset. Among the flowers were 
Смотреть фото в полном размереblackwort, they prevented headaches. Also added forget-me-nots and periwinkle to have a good effect on eyesight and chamomile to soothe the heart. In Ukraine they used to dress a girl with such an amulet of flowers on Spasovskie holidays, and also gave her a consecrated apple and wished: "Let a healthy body have a healthy spirit". A four-year-old child walked in another Ukrainian wreath, the flowers had the tips of the petals dissected, immortelle, apple leaves were added. In Ukraine, six-year-old girls wore wreaths with woven flowers of cornflowers and poppies, which guaranteed a good sleep, kept calm thoughts. Wreath of seven flowers with the color of the apple tree was awarded at the age of seven, the father put this Ukrainian symbol on the daughter's head and said: Mother apple tree, do not spare the health and good fortune for my child.
From the age of 13, the Ukrainian wreath of love was woven from flowers of calamus, it also included daisies, apple blossom, cherry blossom, and hops. During a long separation from the beloved, girls gave guys a special wreath of cornflowers and lover's flowers, it symbolized devotion. The guy wrapped it in a silk handkerchief and always kept it near his heart. The wreath of Ukrainian flowers gave hope that the boy was loved, welcomed in Ukraine and always remembered;
Kalina is a symbol of Ukraine
In Ukraine, when a son became an adult and left home, his mother blessed him and asked him not to forget the kalina, a symbol of home. It is associated with the family and the place where we were born - Ukraine. This plant, like our state, is very hardy, its berries do not lose their beauty, taste and medicinal properties even after a harsh winter. It is said that without it there is no Ukraine. Kalina reminded people of the fiery trinity: the sun, the moon and the stars. It probably got its name from the name of the Sun - Circle. Indeed, the berries of the plant have the shape of a circle, and it in turn symbolizes eternity, it is eternal maiden beauty and eternal memory of parents, Ukraine. Kalina also means love, the seeds of this plant are heart-shaped;
Ukraine is a picturesque land where we were lucky to be born and live, where our native people live, where our ancestors have lived for centuries, and where our children should live happily! Let us preserve Ukrainian folk symbols and traditions associated with them, then there will be luck and happiness in our lives!
