Forests on the territory of Russia are coniferous, broad-leaved and mixed. They are rich in a variety of beautiful vegetation. The plants of Russian forests are represented by different species of trees, shrubs and grasses.

Vegetation of coniferous forests

Coniferous trees, called evergreens, predominate throughout much of Russia and throughout Europe. These trees are called that because they have needles instead of leaves. Needles are small green needles that perform the same function as leaves, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Coniferous forests produce a lot of oxygen, thereby providing life for the entire planet.

The most common coniferous trees are spruce, pine, larch, fir and cedar. They grow in large tracts, in the taiga and forests. Such tree species live separately. There are parts of the forest in which only spruce trees grow - these are spruce forests. There are pine forests, only pine trees grow in them. Let's find out what other plants exist in the forest besides trees.

The flora of the coniferous forest is represented by a wide variety of plants. In addition to the coniferous trees themselves, shrubs, herbs, mosses and lichens grow in it. Herbaceous plants of the coniferous forest are: yellow acacia, red elderberry, nettle, strawberry, celandine and bracken fern. Flowers here include snowdrops, shepherd's purse and others. Coniferous forest grasses must be able to adapt to cold winters and not very sunny summers.

In fact, there are not many herbaceous plants in the coniferous forest. This is due to the fact that in such a forest there is little sunlight, it is absorbed by the high crown of trees. Therefore, the most resilient survive here. Mosses and lichens feel especially good here. Reindeer moss predominates among them. It looks like a small tree. Lichens are food for deer and other animals, so they are part of a single coniferous forest ecosystem.

Vegetation of mixed and deciduous forests

Towards the south of the taiga, mixed and broad-leaved forests begin. They consist of different trees. Birch, aspen, and linden trees grow here. The climate in this part of Russia is milder than in the north, so deciduous trees develop in full force, they mix and form mixed forests. In the very south in the forest zone, apart from pine trees, there are no coniferous trees at all. Their place is taken by broad-leaved species.

Trees in a broadleaf forest vary in height and grow in tiers. The highest are oaks and ash trees, lower are linden, elm, maple, and even lower are field maple, wild apple and pear trees. Shrubs grow under the trees: euonymus, hazel, elderberry, buckthorn, raspberry, viburnum. The grass cover is also very well developed here. A large number of medicinal herbs grow, and there are plants listed in the Red Book.

Moss in mixed forests is found only in dark and damp places. And the fertility of these forests is manifested in a wide variety of mushrooms and berries. There are many light-loving berry plants here: raspberries, wild strawberries, blueberries, stone fruits. Now you know what plants grow in coniferous and mixed forests.

Of the herbaceous honey plants typical of the forest zone, the most important ones are: in the spring - soft-fluffy lungwort; in early summer - common cyanosis; in the summer - snowweed, Siberian angelica, angelica, willowherb, forest sow thistle, latifolia sassurea.
Good, but secondary honey plants are kandyk, corydalis, wild rosemary, hogweed, Siberian skerda, spear-leaved ragwort, nettle, and Ural ribwort. Less valuable ones include: anemone, marin root, buttercups, meadowsweet.
These honey plants grow in forest meadows, clearings, in open clearings in the forest zone, partly in the forest-steppe in wet meadows and in birch groves. There are almost none of them in the steppe zone.

Published: March 24, 2018

A perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows in the 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 thickets of bushes. Listed in the Red Book. Bad honey plant. There is no commercial honey from elecampane.

Published: March 18, 2018

Ural ribbed plant - Pleurospermum uralense A two- or three-year herbaceous plant, a species of the genus Pleurospermum of the Umbrella family (Apiaceae). It grows in coniferous and birch-aspen forests, along their edges, in forest clearings, rarely in subalpine meadows, in ravines and near swamps. Secondary honey plant, produces up to 180 kg of honey per hectare.

Published: 28 Sep 2016

Belongs to the Umbrella family. Deadly poisonous biennial plant. It grows on forest edges, water meadows, limestone slopes, as a weed in crops and vegetable gardens, in fallow lands and wastelands, near housing, near roads and fences, in landfills, on the slopes of ravines, along railroad tracks. Bees visit hemlock well, taking nectar and pollen from it. Under certain conditions it produces a large amount of nectar.

Published: 03 Aug 2016

Bog thistle belongs to the Asteraceae family. Perennial or biennial plant. Grows in damp meadows, swamps, swampy forests, and bushes. Its stem is completely covered with thorns. Grows in Siberia. The honey productivity of one hectare is 250 - 300 kg. Sometimes it produces commercial honey.

Published: April 28, 2016

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.

Published: 27 Nov 2015

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 average soil fertility and drainage.

Published: May 06, 2015

Ivan tea grows in forests, clearings, fires, forest edges, etc. Fireweed is especially common in the taiga zone of Siberia. According to our observations, on fresh burnt areas one flower of fireweed released an average of 10 mg of sugar in the nectar. The nectar productivity of 1 hectare of fireweed phytocenosis was 297 kg of sugar with a projective cover of 70-100%, a number of 330,000 stems per 1 hectare […]

Published: 08 Dec 2012

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 amounts of vitamin C (370 mg/%). Therefore, young shoots and leaves are used in food for preparing salads, and the flowers are used to make tea.

Published: 05 Dec 2012

Black cohosh - C. dahurica (Turcz.) Maxim. Perennial herbaceous plant, up to 2.0 m in height, from the ranunculaceae family. It is also widespread in the south of the Amur region and Siberia. It grows along the edges, among bushes, and in deciduous forests. Appearance The stems are branched, bare from the base to the inflorescence, leafy. The lower stem leaves are large, twice trifoliate, light green above, the upper stem leaves number 1-3 […]

Published: 14 Feb 2012

Belongs to the Lamiaceae family. A perennial plant with a creeping rhizome, from which straight tetrahedral stems grow. It grows in sparse forests, along their edges and ravines, clearings, along river banks, like a weed plant - near housing.

Published: 06 Feb 2012

Belongs to the Asteraceae family. Perennial. Grows in tall forest meadows, clearings, burnt areas, near rivers and swamps. In folk medicine it is used as a medicinal plant. Bees visit this thistle well, taking nectar and pollen from it. This is a valuable honey plant. In places of abundant distribution, for example in the taiga zone of the Kemerovo region, it sometimes produces commercial honey. Honey productivity of one plant in [...]

Many herbaceous plants are edible. Most of them contain almost all the substances necessary for humans. Plant foods are richest in carbohydrates, organic acids, vitamins and mineral salts. Leaves, shoots, stems of plants, as well as their rhizomes, tubers and bulbs are eaten. The underground parts of plants, being natural stores of nutrients, are very rich in starch and are of the greatest value from the point of view of providing nutrition; plants with edible leaves and shoots are widespread. Their main advantage is the ease of collection, the possibility of eating raw, as well as in the form of salads, soups and additives to other products. The substances contained in herbaceous plants can partially restore expended energy, support the vitality of the body, and stimulate the cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems.

One of the most common forest plants is stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). Its stems are straight, tetrahedral, unbranched, up to one and a half meters high. The leaves are opposite, ovate-lanceolate, with large teeth along the edges. The entire plant is covered with stinging hairs. Nettle grows (photo 16) in shady damp forests, clearings, burnt areas, along ravines and coastal bushes. Due to its high nutritional value, nettles are sometimes called “vegetable meat.” Its leaves contain large amounts of vitamin C, carotene, vitamins B and K, and various organic acids. Nettle has been used as a food plant for a long time. Very tasty green cabbage soup is prepared from its young leaves. Scalded with boiling water, nettle goes into salads. Young, non-coarsened stems are chopped, salted and fermented, like cabbage. The inflorescences are brewed instead of tea. Nettle also has numerous medicinal properties. It is used mainly as a good hemostatic agent. Fresh juice (one teaspoon three times a day) and infusion (10 grams of dry leaves per glass of boiling water, boil for ten minutes and drink half a glass twice a day) are used to treat internal bleeding. Externally, fresh leaves or powder from dried leaves are used to treat festering wounds.

Also common in forest flora is dandelion (Taraxácum officinále) - a perennial plant from 5 to 50 centimeters in height with a thick vertical, almost unbranched root; oblong, pinnately serrated leaves and bright yellow flower baskets collected in a basal rosette (photo 17). Dandelion settles on weakly turfed soils - in floodplains, along roadside ditches, on slopes. Often found in forest clearings and edges, along the sides of forest roads. Dandelion can easily be classified as a vegetable crop (in Western Europe it is grown in vegetable gardens). The plant is rich in protein, sugars, calcium, phosphorus and iron compounds. All its parts contain a very bitter milky juice. Fresh young leaves are used to make salads. The bitterness is easily eliminated if the leaves are kept in salt water for half an hour or boiled. Peeled, washed and boiled roots are suitable as a second course. Boiled roots can be dried, ground and added to flour for baking cakes. Ground dandelion root can replace tea. The dug up and cleaned rhizome of the plant is first dried until the milky juice ceases to be released at the fracture, then dried and fried. To obtain an excellent brew, all that remains is to finely crush it.

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) grows in river valleys, along sandy coasts, in meadows in spruce, light coniferous, birch and mixed forests. In the spring, its pale spore-bearing stems emerge from the ground, looking like densely spaced arrows with brown tips, and a month later they are replaced by green “fir trees” that do not wither until autumn. This strange ancient plant (photo 18) is edible. Young spring spore-bearing shoots are used for food - they are used to prepare salad, cook soup or eat raw. You can also eat ground nuts - nodules that grow on horsetail rhizomes - they are rich in starch, taste sweet and can be eaten raw, baked or boiled. Horsetail grass (“Christmas tree”) is rich in valuable medicinal substances and has long been used in medicine. Having hemostatic and disinfectant properties, infusion (20 grams of horsetail per glass of boiling water), powder or juice of fresh herbs is used to treat festering and incised wounds. Horsetail infusion is used to gargle for sore throat and inflammation of the gums. All of the above applies only to horsetail; other types of horsetail contain alkaloids.

Among the many herbs of the forest, there is nothing more common than burdock (Arctium tomentosum). In hollows and ditches, in the forest, on bushy slopes to the river - everywhere you can find this green giant, sometimes exceeding human height. The trunk is sinewy, fleshy with a red tint. The dark green, arshin-length leaves seem to be covered with felt on the reverse side (photo 19). In Siberia, burdock has long been considered a vegetable plant. In spring, young tasty leaves are boiled in soups and broths. But the main thing about burdock is that it is a long, powerful root vegetable that can replace carrots, parsley, and parsnips. The fleshy roots of burdock can be eaten raw, as well as boiled, baked, fried, used in soups instead of potatoes, and made into cutlets. In camping conditions, burdock roots are thoroughly washed, cut into slices and baked over a fire until golden brown. Fresh burdock leaves are used as compresses for joint pain and bruises.

In the spring, when the buds on the trees barely begin to unfold in forest clearings and thickets, stems of primrose (Primula veris) appear along the banks of rivers and in thickets of bushes, looking like bunches of golden keys. This is a perennial plant with a straight flower arrow and large woolly, whitish, wrinkled leaves. The bright yellow corollas of flowers with five cloves are fragrant with honey. Primrose (photo 20) is grown in some countries as salad greens. Its leaves are a storehouse of ascorbic acid. It is enough to eat one primrose leaf to replenish the daily need for vitamin C. In early spring, fresh leaves and flower shoots of this plant are an excellent filling for a vitamin salad. Soothing and diaphoretic teas are prepared from the leaves and flowers of primrose.

One of the first spring grasses is wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella). This simple forest plant is unsightly and inconspicuous (photo 21). Oxalis has no stems. Fleshy, light green, heart-shaped leaves emerge immediately from the roots. Dense thickets of this grass can often be found under the trunks of spruce trees. It grows everywhere in shady and damp forests. Oxalis leaves contain oxalic acid and vitamin C. Along with sorrel, it is used to season cabbage soup and soups. Sour sorrel juice is very refreshing, so a sour drink is prepared from crushed sorrel, which perfectly quenches thirst. Oxalis can be added to salads, brewed as tea, or eaten fresh. When applied to purulent wounds, boils and abscesses, crushed oxalis leaves or their juice have a wound-healing and antiseptic effect.

At the end of spring, in forest clearings among the grass, it is easy to find a straight stem with a tassel of spotted flowers and oblong (like a tulip) leaves, also covered with spots. This is an orchis. From the Latin name it is clear that this plant is an orchid. Indeed, the first thing that catches your eye is the purple flower - an exact smaller copy of a tropical orchid. In addition to beauty, orchis (photo 22) has long attracted people with its juicy tuber, which is rich in starch, protein, dextrin, sugar and a whole range of other nutrients and healing substances. Kissels and soups made from orchis rhizomes perfectly restore strength and save you from exhaustion. 40 grams of crushed tuber powder contains the daily requirement of nutrients needed by a person. Orchis tubers, which have enveloping properties, are used for stomach disorders, dysentery and poisoning.

On wet edges, lowland and watershed meadows, grassy swamps, swampy banks of reservoirs, snake knotweed (Polygonum bistorta) grows - a perennial herbaceous plant with a tall, up to a meter, stem; large basal leaves as long as the palm of your hand, but much narrower and more pointed. The upper leaves are small, linear, wavy-notched, grayish below. The flowers are pink, collected in a spikelet. Snake knotweed (photo 23) is edible. Young shoots and leaves are mainly eaten, which, after removing the midribs, can be boiled or eaten fresh or dried. The above-ground part of the plant contains a fair amount of vitamin C. The rhizome of the plant is thick, twisting, resembling a crayfish neck, and is also edible. It contains a lot of starch, carotene, vitamin C, and organic acids. However, due to the large amount of tannins, the rhizomes must be soaked. They are then dried, pounded and added to flour when baking bread and flatbreads. Snakeweed root is used as a strong astringent for acute intestinal disorders. Externally, decoctions and tinctures are used to treat old wounds, boils and ulcers.

The very first newcomer to forest burnt areas is fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium). It lives on the edges, in tall grass meadows, clearings and slopes. This is a plant with a smooth, tall, ankle-shaped stem, on which alternate leaves, dissected by a network of veins, sit (photo 24). Fireweed blooms all summer - from a distance its lilac-red or purple flowers, collected in long brushes, are striking. The leaves and roots of fireweed contain a large amount of proteins, carbohydrates, sugars, and organic acids. Almost all parts of the plant can be used as food. So, young leaves taste no worse than lettuce. Leaves and unopened flower buds are brewed as tea. Fireweed roots can be eaten either raw or cooked, similar to asparagus or cabbage. Flour from dried rhizomes is suitable for baking flat cakes, pancakes and making porridge. An infusion of fireweed leaves (two tablespoons of leaves, brewed with a glass of boiling water) is used as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and tonic.

Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) grows on forest edges, along roadsides and wastelands. This plant (photo 25), introduced into cultivation long ago and moved into vegetable gardens, is known to everyone - everyone has tried its sour, spear-shaped leaves on long cuttings. The stem of the plant is straight, furrowed, sometimes up to a meter high. The leaves grow from a lush basal rosette. Just three weeks after the ground thaws, sorrel leaves are ready for harvesting. In addition to oxalic acid, the leaves contain a lot of protein, iron, and ascorbic acid. Sorrel is used to make soup, sour cabbage soup, salads, or eaten raw. A decoction of seeds and roots helps with stomach upsets and dysentery.

Another edible herb, gooseberry (Aegopodium podagraria), is often found in moist, shaded forests, along ravines and gullies, and damp stream banks. This is one of the very first spring grasses, appearing in the forest at the same time as nettle shoots. Dryweed (photo 26) is from the umbelliferous family - the inflorescences are mounted on thin spokes, which radiate like rays in radial directions. At the top of the plant is the largest umbrella, the size of a fist. In places where there is little light, the tree forms thickets, entirely consisting of leaves without flowering stems. In clearings rich in sun, the plant acquires a rather tall stem with a white umbrella. Even in the heat, the leaves of the plant are covered with droplets of water - this is perspiration that seeped through the water cracks in the green plates. Cabbage soup cooked from cabbage soup is not inferior in taste to cabbage soup. Young, unexpanded leaves and petioles are harvested. The stems, from which the skin is first cut off, are also eaten. Petioles and stems placed in the salad will give it a piquant taste. Wild greens, as a very nutritious and vitamin-rich product, were widely used by Moscow canteens in the spring of 1942 and 1943. Dozens of people went to the forests near Moscow to harvest this grass. In those difficult years, squash also came to the rescue in the winter - it was chopped and salted in advance, like cabbage. Snyti soup is prepared as follows: chopped and fried petioles of snyti leaves, onions, and finely chopped meat are placed in a pot, poured with meat broth and put on fire. Add crushed marigold leaves to the barely boiling broth and cook for another thirty minutes, and fifteen minutes before the end of cooking, add salt, pepper, and bay leaf.

One of the few forest plants whose leaves, stems, and rhizomes are edible is hogweed. Among our herbs there is hardly another such giant. The powerful ribbed trunk, covered with bristles, of this plant sometimes reaches two meters in height. The trifoliate leaves of hogweed are also unusually large, rough, woolly, dissected into large lobes. It’s not for nothing that the popular name for hogweed is “bear’s paw.” This is a common inhabitant of forest edges, forest meadows, wastelands, and roadsides. Its peeled stems have a sweetish, pleasant taste, somewhat reminiscent of the taste of cucumber. They can be eaten raw, boiled or fried in oil. In spring, hogweed (photo 27) is tender, and its young leaves with a carrot flavor are also edible. All types of hogweed contain essential oils and therefore have a strong smell. Hogweed greens are usually first scalded in order to reduce the pungent odor, and then placed in borscht or stewed. Hogweed decoction resembles chicken broth. The sweetish rhizome of the plant, containing up to 10% sugar, is not inferior in calorie content and taste to garden vegetables and corn. The juice of some hogweeds contains furocoumarin, which can cause skin burns. Therefore, care must be taken when collecting this plant.

In clearings and fires, in damp and shady places, large areas are often covered with luxurious fans of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Its thick brown rhizome is overgrown with thread-like roots; Large pinnately complex leathery leaves emerge from the top of the rhizome (photo 28). Bracken differs from other ferns in that the sacs with spores are placed under the folded edges of the leaves. As a food product, bracken is widely used in Siberia and the Far East. Its young shoots and leaves are boiled in plenty of salt water and washed thoroughly to remove all scales from the leaves. Soup made from bracken shoots tastes like mushroom soup.

Another inhabitant of the forest, migrated and cultivated in vegetable gardens, is rhubarb (Rheum). In rhubarb, long-petioled leaves with more or less wavy plates, collected in a rosette, extend from the underground shoot (rhizome). It grows on forest edges, along streams and rivers, on hillsides (photo 29). Fleshy leaf cuttings are used for food, which, after peeling, can be eaten raw, boiled, or prepared into compote or fruit juice. In England they make soup from rhubarb.

Along the banks of rivers, swamps and lakes in the water you can find dense thickets of cattails (Typha angustifolia). Its black-brown inflorescences, resembling a ramrod on long, almost leafless stems, cannot be confused with anything else (photo 30). The fleshy rhizomes containing starch, proteins and sugar are usually used for food. They can be boiled or baked. Pancakes, flat cakes, and porridge are baked from cattail roots dried and ground into flour. To make flour, the rhizomes are cut into small slices, dried in the sun until they break apart with a dry crack, after which they can be ground. Young spring shoots, rich in starch and sugar, are eaten raw, boiled or fried. When boiled, cattail shoots taste very much like asparagus. The yellow-brown flower pollen, mixed with water to form a paste, can be used to bake small loaves of bread.

One of the most beautiful plants in the forest is the white water lily (Nymphaea candida). It grows in quiet reservoirs, in standing and slowly flowing waters. The leaves of the water lily are large, their upper side is green, the lower side is purple (photo 31). Its highly developed rhizome is eaten boiled or baked. The roots are also suitable for making flour. In this case, they are cleaned, divided into narrow strips, cut into centimeter-long pieces and dried in the sun, and then pounded on stones. To remove tannins from the resulting flour, it is filled with water for four to five hours, draining the water several times and replacing it with fresh water. After which the flour is scattered in a thin layer on paper or cloth and dried.

Another inhabitant of water bodies, the chilim, or water chestnut (Tgara natans), is also edible. It is an aquatic plant with large greenish leaves, very similar to currant leaves. Long thin stems stretch from the leaves to the very bottom (photo 32). If you lift them, then under the leaves on the stem you can see small blackish boxes with five spines. Chilim is similar in size and taste to chestnuts. The local population sometimes collects it in bags in the fall. In some countries, water chestnut (Tgara bicornis) is widely cultivated. Chilim can be eaten raw, boiled in salted water, baked in ashes like potatoes, or made into soup. Bread is baked from nuts ground into flour. Boiled fruits of this plant are sold everywhere in China.

The bog grass has long been called the bog grass (Calla palustris). This conspicuous inhabitant of swamps is short and, being a relative of exotic callas, has many similarities with them. “The leaves are on long petioles - flush with the stem. Each plate is wide, pointed, with a contour like a heart, sparkling with lacquered greenery... But first of all, this plant stands out for its spadix, in which small flowers are collected. Such cobs among the thickets of marsh grasses turn white like a stearine candle. The cob of the whitefly rises one and a half, or even three centimeters, putting forward the cover - the covering leaf. This leaf is fleshy, pointed, snow-white on the inside and green on the outside,” this is the description of the calliper (photo 33) given by A.N. Strizhev and L.V. Garibova. All parts of the plant and especially the rhizome are poisonous. Therefore, before eating, the calliper root is cut into small slices, dried, ground, and the resulting flour is boiled. Then the water is drained and the grounds are dried again. After this treatment, the flour from the root of the calliper loses its bitterness and toxic properties and can be used for baking bread. Bread made from white butterfly flour is rich and tasty.

Along the banks of rivers and lakes, in swampy meadows, susak, nicknamed wild bread, grows. An adult plant is large - up to one and a half meters in height, usually lives in water (photo 34). On its straight, erect stem, umbrellas of white, pink or green flowers stick out in all directions. There are no leaves on the stem, and that is why the flowers are especially noticeable. The triangular leaves of susak are very narrow, long, and straight. They are collected in a bunch and rise from the very base of the stem. The thick, fleshy rhizomes are edible. After peeling, they are baked, fried or boiled like potatoes. Flour obtained from the dried rhizome is suitable for baking bread. Rhizomes contain not only starch, but quite a lot of protein and even some fat. So nutritionally it is even better than regular bread.

On the territory of Russia there are such forests as coniferous, mixed and broad-leaved. These forests are rich in a variety of beautiful vegetation. Various species of shrubs, trees and grasses are represented in Russian forests.

Vegetation of broad-leaved and mixed forests
Closer to the south of the taiga, broad-leaved and mixed forests, which consist of different trees, originate. Aspen, birch and linden trees grow in these places. In this part of Russia, the climate is milder than in the north, so deciduous trees develop in full force, they mix and form mixed forests. In fact, in the forest zone, apart from pine trees, there are no coniferous trees. Their places were taken by broad-leaved species.

Trees that grow in broadleaf forests vary in height and grow in tiers. The tallest include oak and ash, slightly lower - linden, elm, maple, and even lower are field maple, wild apple and pear trees. Shrubs grow under the trees, these include buckthorn, raspberry, hazel, viburnum and others. The grass cover is very well developed here. In such places many types of medicinal herbs grow, and you can also find plants that are listed in the Red Book.

Moss in mixed forests can only be seen in damp and dark places. The fertility of these forests is evident in the wide variety of mushrooms and berries. In mixed forests, many light-loving berry plants grow, namely strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and drupes.

Vegetation of coniferous forests
Coniferous trees, or evergreens as they are also called, grow throughout most of Europe and Russia. These trees are called conifers because instead of leaves they grow needles, that is, small green needles that perform the same function as leaves, namely, they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Let us note the fact that coniferous forests produce a lot of oxygen, thereby ensuring the life of the entire planet.

The most common coniferous trees are spruce, pine, fir, larch and cedar. They grow in large tracts, in forests and taiga. Such tree species live separately. There are pine forests where only pine trees grow, and there are parts of the forest where only spruce trees grow, and they are called spruce forests. And now we will find out what other plants grow in the forest, besides trees.

In coniferous forests you can find yellow acacia, red elderberry, strawberries, nettles, celandine, and bracken. Among the flowers, we can highlight the snowdrops shepherd's purse. Herbs that grow in coniferous forests can adapt to not very sunny summers and cold winters.

But to be honest, there are not many herbaceous plants growing in coniferous forests, and this is because in such forests there is very little sunlight, as it is absorbed by the high canopy of trees. Therefore, only the most resilient survive in this place. And herbaceous plants such as lichens and mosses feel especially good in this place.

Now you know what plants grow in mixed and coniferous forests.

Despite the fact that in almost every garden beautiful, bright varietal flowers and shrubs delight the eye, we cannot pass indifferently past their modest forest relatives. Surrounding ourselves with lush floral splendor, we lose the thread of natural harmony. And simple forest flowers give it to us again. This is probably why many of us want to move a “piece of forest” to our site. And it is quite possible to do this, because wild plants, for the most part, are unpretentious. They are well adapted to their natural habitat. They do not need weeding, additional watering, or artificial pollination.

However, when planting forest flowers, one very important factor must be taken into account - their compatibility with new conditions. For example, if a tall bell, accustomed to shady, damp places, is planted in a sunny flowerbed, then in the first year it will become small, and after a year it may not bloom at all. And its neighbors marigold, wintergreen and whitewing can die immediately in such conditions. Also, not everyone tolerates loosening the soil well. Weeds around Lyuba bifolia should not be weeded out, but periodically cut short. But wild-growing bulbous plants are ok with weeding. Some flowers may not have enough space in a cramped flower bed, while others may become very large and difficult to get rid of. Therefore, before planting wild plants on your site, you need to study how they grow in their natural habitat.

Forest plants prefer moist soil with a large proportion of leaf soil. It is necessary to plan their planting so that the chosen location is as close as possible to their natural growing conditions. If the plant becomes larger every year, grows and blooms profusely, then these conditions are suitable for it.

Let's take a closer look at some of the green inhabitants of the forest.

In spring, there is still snow in the forest, and the first leaves and flowers can already be seen in the thawed patches. There is no need to introduce such inhabitants of the spring forest as snowdrops, scilla, muscari, crocuses, lilies of the valley, violets, and anemones. They are well known to everyone; breeders have developed many ornamental varieties of these plants. In spring you can also find such forest flowers as dream grass, lungwort, marigold, ivy-shaped budra, fragrant violet, spring primrose, fragrant woodruff and many others. Let's get acquainted with some of the rarer guests of garden plots.

liverwort

Noble liverwort (Hepatica nobilis)- Ranunculaceae family, small herbaceous perennial (5-15 cm). Flowering occurs in April, the color of the flowers varies from whitish to blue-violet. One flower does not fade for almost a week. The diameter of the corolla is 2-4 cm. The three-lobed leaves, in their shape, vaguely resemble the human liver (hence the name). The leaves remain under the snow all winter (they only fade a little). Numerous fluffy hairs on the bottom of the leaves and on the petioles help to retain heat and survive spring frosts. After flowering, a fruit with seeds about 8 mm in diameter is formed. It is odorless and attracts insects with its pollen. Most often this flower can be found in spruce forests. Therefore, the noble liverwort is suitable for an open place with sun from early morning until 14:00. The soil needs to be loose, rich in humus. Is medicinal. This plant is often confused with snowdrop and blueberry.

Corydalis

Corydalis (Corydalis)- family Dymyanaceae, herbaceous plant 10-20 cm high. Leaves are dissected. Inflorescences are a dense brush. The flowers are sometimes white, but more often red-lilac or light purple. Flowering continues from April to June. Tuberous plant. Grows in mixed forests. Very resistant to frost, as well as pests and diseases. Prefers slightly acidic humus soils. It multiplies quickly and does not like stagnant water. Has many types.

Chistyak spring

Spring guillemot (Ficaria)- Ranunculaceae family, low perennial (10-30 cm). The hoof-shaped lacquer leaves are emerald green. The flowers are small bright yellow glossy stars. One of the first to bloom together with snowdrops. Looks like a small bouquet. It looks bright and delightful against the backdrop of the still bare earth. But it multiplies very quickly and can become a weed. By the time the seeds ripen, it becomes poisonous. Medicinal plant.

Summer flowers

In summer, flowers in the forest surprise with their diversity. These are gentian, cornflower, wild bergenia, Veronica officinalis, bluebells, forget-me-nots, cornflowers, lunaria, common sorrel, wild poppy and many others. Let's take a closer look at some of them.

Fireweed or fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium L.)- family Onagricaceae. The stem of fireweed is erect with lanceolate leaves, growing from 50 cm to 2 m. The inflorescence is a brush of large pinkish-crimson flowers that bloom gradually from bottom to top. Flowering occurs in the second half of summer and lasts approximately 30 days. Grows in forests, on the edges, fires, clearings, and slopes of ravines. Unpretentious, frost-resistant. The rhizome grows very strongly, so it needs to be thinned out before the seeds ripen. Amazing honey plant. It has a lot of useful medicinal properties.

Kupena or Solomon's seal (Polygonatum multiflorum)- Liliaceae family, a herbaceous plant with a curved stem 60-70 cm. Oval leaves (10-12 cm) are located on the stem in symmetrical pairs. The axillary flowers are whitish-cream in shape and resemble elongated bells up to 1.5 cm. They have practically no smell. Kupena vaguely resembles a large lily of the valley. Blooms in early June. Then, in place of the flowers, black berries are formed. Every year the shoot dies. Kupena is unpretentious, but does not like dry places. The wild plant can be propagated locally by dividing the rhizome. Poisonous. Has medicinal properties. Grows in deciduous-spruce forests.

Blue or azure cyanosis (Polemónium caeruleum)- family Sinyukhova. The stem is erect, from 40 cm to 1 m. The leaves are oblong, imparipinnate. Blooms in June-July. The inflorescence is a panicle of beautiful blue flowers. After flowering, the plant does not look decorative; it is recommended to cut it off immediately. After cutting, it quickly recovers and becomes attractive again. Blueberry is winter-hardy and unpretentious, but loves low-lying areas where groundwater is close. In nature it grows in forest-steppe zones in damp places. Has medicinal properties.

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet or meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)- family Rosaceae, has an erect stem reaching two meters. The large, dark green, three-lobed leaves are pubescent underneath. When rubbed they emit a characteristic cucumber smell. The inflorescence is an erect panicle of many small white-pink or pale yellow flowers. Blooms in mid-summer. Has a very strong aroma. The thick, creeping rhizome forms new shoots by August. Meadowsweet is a cold-resistant and moisture-loving plant. Distributed in forests and forest-steppes, in damp places. Excellent honey plant. It is a medicinal plant.

Among spring primroses, the leading position is occupied, without a doubt, by bulbous flowers. And this is well deserved. After all…

Autumn flowers

In the autumn forest, which is full of bright colors, the flowers become less flashy and not so noticeable; they also bloom in the fall, but in a special way, more modestly. What flowers can be found in the forest in autumn? These are mainly summer autumn flowers that continue to bloom, gentian, meadow greenweed, cornflower, clover, cinquefoil, oak grass, cinquefoil, umbrella hawkweed, autumn kulbab, black cohosh and others.

At the beginning of autumn, flowers of oregano, goldenrod, bellflower, and violets greet us in the forest as they bid farewell to summer.

Oregano or oregano (Origanum vulgaris L.)- Lamiaceae family, small perennial (30 to 80 cm). Small two-lipped flowers are collected in oval spikelets, which are collected into panicles at the end of the branches. The color of the flowers is pinkish-purple, less often white. Blooms all summer and early autumn. In August the seeds begin to ripen. The plant is cold-resistant, undemanding, but does not grow well in heavy acidic soils. Light-loving. Very widespread. It grows in the steppes, in clearings and forest edges, on the slopes of ravines. Loves pine and aspen forest areas. It has a strong pleasant aroma and bitter-spicy taste. It is a medicinal plant and is used in cooking as a spice. It is used in the design of mixborders, rockeries, and ridges.

goldenrod

Common goldenrod or goldenrod (Compositae)- family Asteraceae, perennial with reddish stems from 40 cm to 1 m. Oblong-oval leaves with small teeth along the edge. Paniculate inflorescences are collected from baskets, which, in turn, consist of small yellow flowers. From the second half of summer until the end of September they bloom. It grows in forests, on the slopes of ravines, on forest edges, clearings, and clearings. Unpretentious. Sometimes requires a garter. If you want to avoid self-seeding, you should cut it off immediately after flowering. Goldenrod is also suitable for flower beds and mixborders.

Twisted bell

Twisted or assembled bell (Campanula glomerata L.)- family Campanulaceae, perennial up to half a meter high. It has lanceolate wide leaves. The capitate inflorescences resemble small bouquets consisting of small blue-violet bells (sometimes white). Blooms all summer and early autumn. Unpretentious. It grows on the edges and clearings in the forest, as well as among bushes. Medicinal plant. In landscape design they are used for planting under trees, in gardens, natural gardens and for cutting.

Violet tricolor

Tricolor violet or pansy (Viola tricolor L.) and field violet (V. arvensis Murr.)- Violet family, annual and biennial herbaceous plants with an erect, slightly ribbed stem 10-45 cm. The leaves, jagged along the edges, are ovoid in shape. The flowers are single, irregular, consisting of 5 petals, located on a long stalk. The tricolor violet has a long corolla. The upper two petals are purple or dark blue, the two lateral ones are the same color, only lighter, and the lower large petal with a spur is light yellow (maybe with a purple edge). But the field violet has a short corolla and smaller flowers. They also differ in color. The field violet has white upper petals, and the middle and lower petals are bright yellow. Violets bloom from May to early October. It is found everywhere on the edges and clearings of the forest, in forest belts, and also along roads. Violet is undemanding and frost-resistant. Prefers neutral soils. Doesn't like fertilizer with fresh manure! Caring for wild violets is the same as caring for its decorative varieties. It is a medicinal plant.

But there are flowers in the forest that bloom in autumn, these are autumn colchicums. The name itself suggests that it blooms at the wrong time, unlike all its bulbous counterparts. He confused spring with autumn.

Autumn colchicum

Colchicum autumnale (Colhicum autumnale)- Liliaceae family, bulbous plant about 10 cm. The aboveground stem is erect, rounded. Three or four wide-lanceolate leaves are collected in a rosette around the fruit; in mid-summer they die, and with the onset of cold weather large flowers up to 25 cm, similar to crocuses, appear. Flower color ranges from white to purple. Blooms in the first half of autumn. In nature, it is found in wet flooded meadows, along rivers and streams. Colchicum is an unpretentious plant. In the fall, it will be able to decorate the area, and it will stand in a vase for about 5 days. You just need to remember that the entire plant is poisonous. You need to wear gloves and take precautions when working with it.

Non-flowering forest plants

Walking through the forest, you suddenly catch your eye on a plant that doesn’t stand out for its flowering, but still has some special appeal. After all, not only the delicate charm of forest flowers, but also beautiful or unusual leaves make wild plants very decorative.

Cuff (Alchemilla)- family Rosaceae, creeping perennial (15-60 cm). The cuff has unremarkable flowers, they are small, collected in inflorescences, false umbrellas, of an inexpressive greenish-yellow hue. Blooms from May to late summer. But the main advantage of this plant is its leaves. They are light green, rounded, fan-shaped, pubescent, with slightly concave lobes. Thanks to the pubescence, dew droplets linger on the leaves. In the light of the first rays of the morning sun it looks simply amazing! The plant is unpretentious, but loves moist soil. It self-sows well, so it is necessary to immediately cut off dry flower stalks. It successfully coexists with tall plants (bells, delphiniums, etc.). You should not plant small, low-growing plants near the cuff (more about which you can find out), as it grows, it can simply close them. The cuff is good on alpine slides and as a curb. In the wild it is found in ravines, forest edges, banks of reservoirs and wet meadows.

Ferns and horsetails will give your garden a unique, pristine atmosphere. These ancient representatives of the plant world have interesting and lush foliage. There are many species of them growing in our forests.

Kochedyzhnik (Athyrium)- This genus includes approximately 200 species of ferns. There are 12 species found in our area. These are large ferns up to 1 m, growing mainly in forests. Leaves with short petioles, pinnately dissected, covered with brownish scales. It is very widespread in humid forests and can form entire thickets. Reproduces intensively by spores. Considered poisonous. It likes moist, shady places and is often planted near artificial ponds.

Common bracken (Pteridium oquilinum)- a perennial fern plant up to 1 meter high, branch width with leaves up to 70 cm. Cirrus or pinnately cut, lanceolate leaves are blunt at the ends, located on long petioles, dense. They have a peculiar smell. It does not grow as a bush, the leaves are arranged singly and are connected underground by a rhizome. Reproduces by spores. It grows most often in oak and pine forests. Unpretentious. It is considered poisonous, although it is used as food by the peoples of the Far East.

Horsetail- a herbaceous perennial spore plant that has an interesting texture. It has hard branched green segmented shoots 30-60 cm and cone-like spore-bearing spikelets. Often found in forests and swampy areas. Some types of horsetails are used in landscape design.

Forest shrubs

There are many beautiful shrubs in our forests, you just have to look closely. Here the hazel has hung its beautiful long catkins, wild species of willow are greeting spring with fluffy “seals”, wolf's bast, euonymus, honeysuckle, dogwood, brittle buckthorn, and privet are delighting with flowers and decorative fruits. Beautiful and useful black elderberry, hawthorn and blackthorn. You can't count them all.

Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra)- This shrub is found everywhere in the wild. Its height is 6-10 m, the leaves are large and slightly shiny. In May, it is covered with fragrant whitish-cream umbels of inflorescences. And as autumn approaches, the flower umbrellas turn into clusters of black berries. This unpretentious shrub causes trouble on the site due to its active reproduction. However, this is not a reason to refuse this nice and very useful medicinal plant.

Hawthorn

Hawthorn (Crataegus)- tall bush, Rosaceae family. Has many types. This plant remains decorative for almost the entire warm season. At first, the bush pleases the eye with beautiful white flowers, and in the fall it bursts with red-orange clusters of very healthy berries. The color of the fruit can range from light orange to black. A very undemanding and robust plant. Beautiful in hedges, thorny branches will make such a barrier impassable. It also looks decorative alone on the edges.

Thorn or blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.)- branched thorny shrub from 1.5 to 4 m, from the Rosaceae family. Oblong-oval leaves with toothed edges. In the spring it is covered with small white five-petaled flowers, and in the fall in their place black and bluish fruits appear, reminiscent of small cream. Sweet and sour in taste, they have a slight tartness. Medicinal plant. In the wild it grows in the forest-steppe zone. Unpretentious.

Forest plants in landscape design

We can “invite” many forest guests to our garden plot. Growing in harsh wild conditions, in a well-kept garden they can reveal their full potential. It is best, of course, to use plants from your area.

Some forest flowers are suitable for a Moorish lawn: cornflower, bluebells, wild poppy, forget-me-nots. In a shady area you can plant ferns, horsetail, and rosemary; they will give this part of the garden a touch of mystery and peace.

Liverworts will decorate rocky hills in a group with small-bulbous primroses. Marigold, fireweed, and meadowsweet will look great on the shore of an artificial reservoir. Blueberry will decorate any flower bed. Oregano can be used for mixborders and borders.

Most shrubs are suitable for creating hedges and perform well when planted alone. The cuff will make a wonderful border.

Nowadays, such a trend in landscape design as “natural garden” or “eco-style garden” is coming into fashion. The basis of this style is to recreate a corner of wild nature in the garden. Of course, everything should be done as naturally as possible. For this purpose, we use the wonderful plants of our forests, which are in perfect harmony with the inner world of man.