Fern has always been considered a mysterious and enigmatic plant. They searched for it and feared it, considered it a flower cursed and fulfilling wishes... Perhaps such an ambiguous attitude is connected with its appearance: either branches or leaves are arranged in a rosette around the central part - either the stem or the root... The places where the fern grows are damp, semi-dark, in the thickest part of wild forests. It also adds a lot of mystery. In a word - a very strange plant!

Superstitions and legends

In Slavic legends and beliefs, the shortest night of the year, Ivan Kupala, is the time when ferns bloom. At midnight it blooms for a few moments into a magical fiery red flower. It was believed that whoever finds a flower at this time will be able to find a treasure and become rich... However, the flower itself is so bright that it is impossible to look at it. In addition, a person almost never manages to rip it off due to the abundance of evil spirits circling around and interfering in every possible way. Having picked a flower, you need to run as fast as you can from the forest, without looking back, otherwise the evil spirits will destroy you.

N. Gogol’s story “The Night on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” describes not only the time when the fern blooms, but also its flower, which in a matter of minutes grows from a small bud and burns bright light. The hero of the story, using special spells, picks a flower, and it, flying through the air, indicates the location of the fabulous treasure.

Fern in Rus' was called gap-grass. According to legends, this plant could open any doors, unlock any chests and break all locks, even metal ones.

Scientific explanation

Of course, whether to believe the legends or not is everyone’s business. Traditions are studied by many scientists who see in them an attempt by man to understand nature, and the remnants of pagan rituals, and simply Mystic stories which people liked to tell each other at night.

Scientists believe that the “fiery color” of the fern is nothing more than forest fireflies sitting in the thickets on summer nights. And the summer solstice (the night of June 23-24) was the ancient Slavic holiday of Kupala, when young people walked through the forest, jumped over bonfires, and girls wove wreaths, making wishes for their betrothed. With the spread of Christianity, the day of the summer solstice became the day of St. John (Ivan).

When does the fern bloom?

But why has no one seen the fern bloom? The fact is that fern is very ancient plant. Some types of ferns are the same age as dinosaurs, they are 400 million years old! What we usually think of as branches and leaves are not actually leaves or stems. Their correct name is fronds. Vaia means “palm branch” in Greek. Indeed, the thin feathery fronds are very similar to the small leaves of palm trees. Young fronds are curled like snails, but with age they straighten out.

And ferns reproduce not by flowers, but by spores. On the underside of each frond there are special storage areas for spores. Small plates first appear from the spores. Botanists call them “thrilths,” and new ferns grow from the throutlets. You can read more about the propagation of ferns

Therefore, it is impossible to answer the question of when fern blooms. Ferns do not and cannot have flowers. But the legend about him remains beautiful and mysterious.

The fern flower is considered mythical, since the plant is not capable of blooming. Fern belongs to fern-like plants that reproduce by means of spores. However, the ancient Slavic belief is widespread, due to which some people do not doubt whether the fern actually blooms. Many people are interested in what a fern looks like and how to find a fern flower.

Description of the plant

Fern is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Osmundaceae family, genus Fernaceae. The homeland of the plant is Northern China, Korea, Far East Russian region. Distributed in Russia, Ukraine, Finland, Central Asia. It is a green stem with numerous feathery dissected leaves. The fern reproduces only through spores and does not bloom.

Interesting. Ferns are considered one of the most ancient plants on the planet, which appeared in the Devonian period of the Paleozoic era. The wood of the plant later became a source of coal.

It is believed that this plant is a descendant of the first plants on the planet - rhinophytes. Their branches gradually turned into leaves, and the spores moved from the end of the branches to the underside of the leaf. The process of spore emergence and maturation is very similar to the growth of flowers. The plant is collected all summer.

Today there are thousands of species of ferns.

Fern structure, flowering

The fern trunk is smooth and has no scales. Root system powerful. The root is a creeping root; buds are formed on it, from which young shoots are formed. Stepchildren appear from the ground at a distance of 10 to 20 cm. Initially, they have a snail-like head, which gradually turns into leaves.

Fern blossom

Sporulation is the main method of fern propagation. The spores grow on the back of the leaf. As the spore capsule matures, it cracks and the spores scatter in the wind. As soon as they fall on favorable fertile soil, they begin to grow.

During the growth of the spore, a prothallus is formed in the form of a small green cup. Sperm and eggs appear on the reverse side of the growth. After fertilization of the egg, germination of the seed begins, and the stepson begins to take root. The fern forms a bush over several years. Fern blossoms are impossible.

Vegetative propagation of fern is possible. At the same time, long arrows are formed on the bush. They bend down to the kidney and are pressed down by the stone. Such reproduction is also carried out by humans in a garden or summer cottage. The arrow takes root in the ground. For replanting, a fragment of earth is dug up along with the root system.

Transfer

Ferns also reproduce by division. In early spring it must be removed from the ground. Dense roots are washed from the ground with water, divided into shoots, which are then transplanted to another area.

What is called leaves in everyday use is called fronds in science. They are able to grow in length for a long time. Fronds take an active part in photosynthesis and plant reproduction.

The bark of the stems acts as a support. Ferns do not have a cambium, so they are fragile. Compared to angiosperms, they have much weaker conducting tissues.

The structure of the fern is very different, depending on the species. There are short ones herbaceous plants, there are also large ferns that resemble trees. Some ferns reach a height of 20 m. Moreover, the tree trunk forms branched and fairly strong adventitious roots.

Large ferns that resemble trees.

Legends about the blooming fern

The most common legend says that on the night of Ivan Kupala (July 6-7), ferns bloom in the dense forest. A blooming fern appears at the stroke of midnight as a blooming ember. Moreover, at this time it opens with a bang, illuminates the clearing with a wonderful color and makes an unusual sound.

A person who has managed to master such a flower becomes subject to all secret knowledge. He can have access to all the secret treasures located in the ground. But not everyone can get such a flower. It is located in the deepest part of the forest. To get to it, you need to overcome the fear of the evil spirits that gather in the clearing. If a person gets scared or, even worse, looks back at the faces of the demons, then he will not see any flower.

This beautiful legend has some basis. There are very rare species ferns that shoot out stems that look like bright flowers. But these are not flowers, but elongated and modified leaves with buds, which are called “sporangia”.

Sporangia

Another belief says that at midnight a bud appears from a fern bush. She moves like a living bird. The movements come from the fact that devilry trying to hide the flower from human eyes. He grows like a hot coal.

The Carpathian version of the legend has a similar narrative. In this region there is a legend about a red flower - rue. Ruta has yellow flowers, but on the night of Ivan Kupala they suddenly change their color to red. This happens at night and the red color doesn't last very long. If a girl managed, despite her fear of evil spirits, to look and pick such a flower, then she will be able to bewitch anyone with her charms. young man. This same flower will be a real proof of love and will look beautiful.

Exist interesting recommendations How to pick the color of a fern. To do this, you need to go into the forest on the evening before the holiday of Ivan Kupala, find a fern and spread a sacred tablecloth around it. This is the name of the tablecloth that was used during Holy Week, before Easter. You need to draw a circle around yourself using a knife, also consecrated during Holy Week. Next, you need to read the plot and wait until midnight.

Fern flower

You need to concentrate while waiting for fern flowers and not be distracted by extraneous sounds, because evil spirits begin to yell, scream and whistle. Otherwise, the fern may not bloom. It is forbidden to be online. There is a belief that if you respond to the sounds of evil spirits when the plant begins to bloom, you can die, because evil spirits tear off the head and send the soul straight to hell. Walking near a fern flowering site should be very careful.

Interesting. Having picked a fern flower, you need to hide it in your bosom and quickly run home without looking back. The meaning of this belief is interesting: if you perform actions as needed, evil spirits will not “stick” to a person.

Interesting properties of fern

IN folk beliefs this plant has magical properties. Since time immemorial, it has been used not only for magical rituals, but also for the treatment of many diseases:

1. With the help of a flower obtained at midnight before Ivan Kupala, you can find treasures.
2. To attract the groom, the girl weaves a branch of fern into her braids and wears him like that.
3. To get rid of pain during radiculitis, you need to fill the mattress with leaves and branches of fern. The healing book claims that pain and inflammation will quickly go away.
4. The root of this plant is used in magic against the evil eye. To do this, the crushed part of the root is added to various potions. Anyone who drinks this decoction will get rid of diseases caused by the “evil eye.” It can protect against diseases. The root helps with love spells and lapels, and removes the effect of any ritual that the person did not agree to perform.
5. If you place a whole fern root over your home, it will protect the inhabitants of the house from negative energy. A sorcerer and any person with evil intentions cannot enter such a dwelling.
6. To use fern as a reliable remedy for the evil eye, you should wear it as close to your body as possible. To do this, the fern is dug up at dawn, washed, and placed in the sun to dry. It should be applied the next day.
7. The root is used against gypsies. The plant helps maintain clarity of thought and will not allow a person to deceive himself when communicating with her.

Some peoples use fern for pickling. Prepared products with fern added to the brine have very interesting taste qualities.

A fern is a plant that never blooms due to the peculiarities of its structure. Of course, there are people who still believe that at midnight before the holiday in a dark and dense forest you can meet magic flower, and that the plant can bloom. There are many secrets and beliefs associated with the plant, each of which is beautiful and unique in its own way.

What do we know about the holiday and the legend about the fern flower? What is the legend based on and can it be true? A little research: what should this flower look like, when and where exactly to look for it, what to watch out for and what to remember? What should a person take with him when he goes in search of a magic flower?

There is a belief that on the night of Ivan Kupala a fern flower blooms and the person who finds this flower is guaranteed happiness and wealth. But it does not bloom for long, it is difficult to find and is generally a dangerous activity. What’s more confusing is the well-known truth that ferns don’t have any flowers at all.

First the facts. Ferns are a department of very ancient plants, rich in their diversity (more than 10 thousand species). Ferns reproduce by spores and vegetative means (shoots). The spores are located on the back of the leaf and are quite inconspicuous. Some types of ferns produce an arrow with spores, which resembles an inflorescence, but not a single flower. Where then did the legends about the miracle flower come from?

There is a legend according to which on the day of the summer solstice two children were born, Kupala and Kostroma, the fruit of the forbidden love of the god Semargl and the goddess of the night Bathing, and in honor of this event Perun, Semargl’s brother, gave them a fiery fern flower. That’s why this flower is also called Perun’s color.

Some explain the origin of the legend this way. During this period, nature abounds with fireflies. It was the light of these insects in the thickets of ferns that people mistook for a miracle flower. This also explains why not everyone can see it, and not everyone who sees it can pick it. Of course, if you scare a firefly, it will stop glowing and hide in the thick of the foliage.

Ferns are also poisonous. In hot summer weather, the air in the forest is saturated with vapors. Perhaps they cause various auditory and visual hallucinations.

In general, ferns don’t bloom and that’s it. But why then do legends about the fern flower exist among many peoples? The Slavs, the Baltic peoples, and the residents of Great Britain, Germany, Syria, and Ethiopia have them. What if they still bloom? Maybe not all ferns, but only a specific species that reproduces by both spores and seeds, under certain conditions. Or maybe it’s a false flower and no seeds can be produced from it. Or, like some plants, it blooms once every 100 years, or even less often.

Let's say that a fern flower does exist. Where and how to look for it, what to do with it later, and why is it even needed?

Who will search? Anyone can search, but not everyone can find it, let alone preserve it. This person must have courage, self-control, a pure heart, good thoughts, high morality and beneficence.

When to look for a fern flower?

Everything looks simple here. It blooms on the night of Ivan Kupala. This means you should look for it on the night of July 6-7. Not so! Some argue that Kupala is celebrated on July 7, and you need to look for it on the night of the holiday, therefore, the right night is from July 7 to 8. In addition, according to the old style, this holiday fell on June 23-24, which corresponds to the legend about Perun’s color. Around this period, from June 20 to June 26, the summer solstice falls, and it is on these days that Ivan Kupala is celebrated in other countries. With the transition to a new style the holiday shifted by 2 weeks, and apparently they forgot to warn the sun, so June 22 is considered the summer solstice. Moreover, it must be taken into account that the holiday of Ivan Kupala arose as a result of the combination of the pagan holiday of Kupala and the Christian celebration of the birthday of John the Baptist (July 22). So you have to decide for yourself when to look.

Where to look?

It's clear. Where the fern grows. But it is unlikely that a fern in a flowerpot from your windowsill or from summer cottage. Need a wild fern. Appearance it has enough character that you are unlikely to confuse it with any other plant. Ferns are quite unpretentious; they just need to be warm and damp. That's why they grow in forests, swamps, and near rivers. But you still have to go into the forest, and into the most remote part of it.

How to look for a fern flower?

The answer suggests itself - carefully. Although some versions of the legend claim that you need to draw a knife near the fern magic circle, which will protect you from evil spirits, sit in it and patiently wait for the flower to appear. It will bloom exactly at midnight and will bloom... for some time. According to various sources - from one moment to the whole night. It is not clear what this flower looks like. Some say that it is a large red, “fiery” flower, others say it is silver, and others say it is a small white flower. Everyone agrees on only one thing - this flower glows. This is where its other names came from: luminous color, adonis, heat-color, color-light. This means that it will not be so difficult to see it at night. They just say it will be scary. The evil spirits will try in every possible way to scare you with visions, various sounds, and may even call you by name. The ideas of our ancestors about this are described by Gogol in “May Night”. They also claim that this flower has some special guardian, whose purpose is to prevent you from picking the treasured flower.

What to do next?

The flower must be picked quickly. Suddenly it still blooms only for an instant. Then, by various sources, hide and run, or carefully carry in your palms. The main thing is not to look back. Or, according to other sources, sit in a outlined circle, waiting for the morning. It’s unclear what to do with him next. Apparently, dry it and store it in a home herbarium. One of the legends says that you need to throw a flower into the river and make a wish.

Why is it even needed?

The owner of a fern flower gains a lot of superpowers. He will be able to do virtually everything: understand the language of animals, see treasures through the thickness of the earth, become invisible, instantly be transported from place to place (teleport), be invulnerable, command spirits, in addition, all his wishes will come true. All this will last as long as the fern flower is in your hands. And there will be enough people willing to take this flower from you, both among people and among representatives of evil spirits.

To do this, you need to clearly understand where and why you are going. You go alone into the forest at night. It's summer outside and the night is unlikely to be particularly cool. But there are ticks in the forest, and it’s easy to get hurt in the dark, so it’s better to wear comfortable sneakers, pants, a long-sleeve sweater and a baseball cap. You may need:

• 1. Compass, map. It’s easy to get lost in the forest during the day, let alone at night.
• 2. Knife. They will need to draw a magic circle. In addition, the flower stem may be quite strong, and you will have little time to pick it. Better to cut it. Although, some legends say that the flower itself should fall onto the spread tablecloth and until then you cannot touch it. And a knife can also be useful for self-defense: you never know what kind of maniacs roam the forest at night.
• 3. Flashlight, matches, lighter. It’s dark at night in the forest, and even attacks from evil spirits are expected, so, as you know, scary movies, the flashlight may act up. Therefore, it is better to play it safe and take a lighter, matches, or some kind of torch with you.
• 4. Water. It’s scary to be alone in the forest, your throat will be dry, you’ll definitely want to drink. Well, it's worth grabbing a couple of sandwiches. Who knows how long you will stay there.
• 5. First aid kit. While wandering around in search of a fern flower or running away from its guardian, you can run into a branch or smash your forehead against a tree. We must be prepared.
• 6. MP3 player with peppy music. This is to distract yourself, not to lose heart, and through headphones you are unlikely to hear the terrible forest sounds that devils and devils will make. Here, of course, a fellow optimist would be more suitable. But how can you then share the flower with him?
• 7. A deck of cards or whatever you usually use to tell fortunes. After all, there are many unexplained moments left, what to do is unknown. And so they spread the cards - and everything became clear.
• 8. Cross, holy water, amulets, spells. This is all for unclean spirits, or rather from them. In addition, it won’t hurt to brush up on a couple of prayers. Well, you will probably need to say some magic words when you pick the flower.
• 9. Backpack. Well, where else to put all these belongings?

That's all. Good luck to you!

The night from July 6 to 7 is popularly called Bathing Night. It is on this night, according to an old Russian legend, that the fern blooms. Anyone who can find and pick this flower gains happiness and wealth. Does the fern actually bloom, and where to look for it? Or is the story of the fern just a myth?

When does the fern bloom?

According to legend, the fern begins to bloom a few minutes before midnight. In ancient legends it was described something like this: at first only one kidney is visible. It gets bigger and bigger, and at exactly 12 o'clock it cracks and a large fiery red flower appears.

There are also completely different beliefs about what a person who finds this flower will gain. In some legends, a fern flower helps to find treasure and open any lock; in other beliefs, this magic flower bestowed happiness and good luck in everything. There is another version: the one who picks a flower on the night of Ivan Kupala will be able to gain power over all natural elements and people.

But picking a fern, as legends say, is not so easy. As soon as the flower blooms, it is picked invisible hand. Even if someone managed to find this wonderful flower in the old days, no one dared to pick it.

How to find a blooming fern on Ivan Kupala

If you believe in ancient beliefs and signs and want to see a blooming fern, then we dare to disappoint you: according to scientific data, this plant cannot bloom.

But is it really important to trust science? After all, all rules have their exceptions! Don't write off miracles and inexplicable things. Of course, stories about a blooming fern today are perceived by many as the same fairy tales about the Serpent Gorynych and Baba Yaga. By the way, historians and folklorists have proven the existence of these creatures.

How to find a blooming fern? Go into the forest closer to midnight, find a clearing of ferns and wait for a miracle. Maybe you'll get lucky! We wish you good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

The Fortis team is scientists, writers, clairvoyants, ufologists, who have gathered together with one goal: to unravel the secrets of the Russian land.
Strong not only in spirit and physically, but also in knowledge, many areas of which today are only opening up to the thinking part of humanity.... Read more...

Does the fern actually bloom?

About four hundred million years ago, the surface of planet Earth was covered with fern forests. The ferns in them were huge - the so-called tree ferns. Their foliage provided food for herbivorous dinosaurs. But tree ferns disappeared from the face of the Earth along with dinosaurs - at the same time when the global glacier began to advance and a general cooling of the climate on the planet occurred.
However, the ferns survived. They stopped growing huge trees, many of their species have disappeared, but modern ones, surviving on Earth despite everything, are quite frost-resistant. This is proven by the fact that very often, even in the middle of winter, having dug out the snow, you can find under it, among the withered and curled leaves of the fern, fresh young shoots that are just waiting for the first spring warmth to begin rapid growth. As soon as the snow melts and the spring sun warms up, these bright green vines (young shoots of fern are very similar to rolled lashes) will rush into growth - so that already at the beginning of summer they will turn into luxurious bushes.

Ferns today are an integral part of relict forests. It has been noticed that it grows only in those forests that formed on their own and are 100% natural, and you will not find it at all among artificially planted parks. There are about three hundred genera of fern and approximately twenty thousand of its various species growing on the entire planet. The fern has taken root in continental climate, and in the subtropics, in the North and in the South, in temperate zones, and among tropical weather extremes. It can also grow at home - in a pot. Moreover, it is cultivated home view ferns from the 19th century. However, a fern brought from the forest, without observing special conditions, will never and will never take root not only in a pot, but even in a summer cottage.
In esotericism, it is believed that fern loves people with a strong mystical sense, gifted in the field of magic. He doesn't need increased attention, but respect - in the form of timely watering, feeding and calm admiration of its beauty - is necessary, like air and sunlight. Although the latter is a difficult question. Everyone has happened to see a dense forest thicket, where the rays of the sun do not penetrate, completely overgrown with ferns, and also sunny hills, where again you are surprised to discover thickets of this mystical plant. So it's unclear - shade-loving fern plant or light-loving?.. Disputes about this have been going on among naturalists and flower growers for a long time and, apparently, will never be resolved.
The fern, or rather its flower, has been associated with treasures since ancient times. Fairy tales, legends, traditions, as well as orally transmitted stories about the search for a mysterious fern flower on the night of Ivan Kupala different nations countless. It’s sad, but science has long and irrevocably proven: not a single type of fern blooms! Ferns reproduce exclusively by spores. But what about the rituals and conspiracies preserved in ancient magic books that contribute to finding a fern flower on Kupala night? What then are the ancient beliefs of many (and not just Russian!) peoples? How modern stories about the fact that it is the fern flower that helps in finding the treasure?..

Fortis Team specialists decided that so much evidence of magical meaning fern and its direct connection with the search for treasures simply cannot be wrong. Empirically, we were able to find out that fern, in its own way, chemical composition is a fairly strong psychotropic drug. Which, in general, is not surprising - after all, the fern is poisonous. On human psyche it has a fairly significant stimulating effect: it is enough to rinse with a decoction of this plant - and in the next 3-5 hours a person feels revitalized, cheerful, and thoughts acquire particular clarity. This effect is especially noticeable if you use a fern decoction around midnight - you are unlikely to be able to fall asleep before dawn, but you can easily write poetry or paint a picture. This effect has nothing to do with narcotic effects. It’s just that a plant that is mystical in its essence has an influence on a person’s consciousness, stimulating him to creativity, to knowledge of the world and himself. By the way, fern is highly poisonous - and it is strongly not recommended to eat or drink it!
Experiments carried out by Fortis Team specialists have shown that bodily contact with this unique plant helps you get closer to the edge of the worlds - the real and the astral, and prepare your consciousness to go beyond the strictly defined framework of physical reality for ordinary people. Further, following the instructions of ancient magic books, we restored correct sequence a ritual that allows you to fully comprehend the nature of the fern, the meaning of its impact on human consciousness. Well, later the question arose of its own accord: is a fern capable of helping in finding treasure? And we completely restored the ritual, having experienced it ourselves.

So after all: does the fern actually bloom? And how are the fern and the treasure connected? Alas, an ordinary person with his consciousness blinkered by physical reality is unlikely to be able to see a fern flower. Because it manifests itself for a select few and only on the subtle plane. However, you can make friends with ferns. And a fern can help you find treasure. And among ordinary people who live next to us, there are those who find treasures because they were once lucky to see an astral fern flower. But the fern - one of the most mystical plants on our planet - seems to be able to choose those worthy of its help. In any case, even having gone through the full magical circle of rituals necessary to suddenly see the sparkle of a fairy-tale flower one day in a wild forest on the night of Ivan Kupala - not with physical, but precisely with mental vision - success cannot be guaranteed. If you don’t see a flower, there will be no treasure, good luck and luck, both in money and in love? But this is not entirely true. In itself, acquaintance with fern, with the ancient magical traditions of its use, already gives a person a chance to increase his luck. So, some of the people who went through with us the restoration of the ritual of searching for a fern flower did not find a treasure in the full sense of the word (that is, they did not find a barrel of gold), but they did find ancient very interesting and expensive things, and then suddenly, completely unexpectedly, their my career started to grow and so did my pay. So don’t believe the ancient folk legends after this!..
The connection between ferns and snakes is also striking. Zoologists explain it literally: they say that vipers, for example, have a zigzag pattern on their backs that resembles a game sun rays on the patterned leaves of a fern - that’s why these snakes like to hide under the leaves of this plant. Yes, not really. But what about other snakes in other latitudes? Which do not have a zigzag on their backs, but they also often hide under ferns. And what about toads, which can often be found at the roots of ferns? Folk legends explain this mystical connection much more colorfully: the snake draws its wisdom and is charged with energy from the fern, and the toad, hiding under it, stores up poison. If you look at this opinion not from the point of view of physics - that is, not literally, if you take into account the energy connections of everything on Earth - then it seems quite likely that popular views are much closer to the truth than it might seem at first glance.
It is interesting that as ancient traditions and rituals associated with the fern are restored, attempts are made to evaluate its help in finding treasures and in general to understand how the fern and the treasure are connected, not more clues are added, but only secrets. But to any secret there is a key of human curiosity and perseverance. After all, the entire Nature surrounding us is a huge mystery that man is called upon to protect and solve, and not to dirty and destroy, as is done today.