An old legend says that a girl who finds a flowering fern will be happy in love and will soon get married. Do you believe this beautiful fairy tale, to decide each specific young lady individually. But to find out how the fern blooms, in order to start looking for it, you should definitely.
How does a fairy tale describe the flowering of a fern?
The legend has been passed from mouth to mouth since ancient times that not in every forest you can find a flowering fern. It can only grow in a completely wild thicket far from the places where people live. In such a forest, under the canopy of centuries-old trees, there is a clearing overgrown with a huge number of ferns, but flowering can occur only at one bush, and moreover at night. If a girl finds such a bush around midnight, she will probably see how a bright bud begins to grow from its middle right before her eyes.
In just a few minutes, the kidney grows into a tall peduncle with a bud at the top. Exactly at midnight, this bud opens and the girl sees a bright huge flower in front of her, which, moreover, with its glow illuminates the entire meadow and the trees standing around.
Does the fern bloom at all?
People start talking about the flowering fern before the celebration of Ivan Kupala. This holiday was invented by the ancient Slavs and they celebrate it at night. summer solstice. It is on this night, June 24 (according to the old style - this is July 7), that the day is the longest of the year, and the night is the shortest. It is believed that at this time absolutely all plants enter their most exuberant and luxurious flowering phase and due to the fact that they receive a lot of sun. In many old books cases of flowering are described even of those plants that, by their nature, cannot bloom in principle. There are quite a few species of absolutely non-flowering green inhabitants of our planet, and that's exactly the fern belongs to these.
Why is the fern not blooming?
Ferns are very difficult to attribute to any particular group of plants, because there are so many species of them. Each type belongs to certain order, and this or that order - to a certain family. For convenience of classification, all these plants, and there are about 2000 of them in nature, are conditionally classified as ferns.
The fern group is very close to the cryptogamous group, i.e. those plants which, like fungi, reproduce by spores. The secret marriages also include mosses, horsetails, club mosses and several other plants that reproduce by spores. If all plants familiar to us reproduce by flowering, further maturation of seeds and sowing them in the ground, then ferns have reverse side leaves ripen spores. They are in special capsules, look like pollen and take root very easily in the ground.
Flowering fern - nothing more than a legend?
On the Internet, you can often find pictures in which in the middle of a fern bush you can see beautiful flower. But this beauty is just plain photoshop. With the help of a common and rather convenient graphic editor, even an ordinary “teapot” will draw a beautiful flower growing between carved leaves.
None of the varieties of ferns can bloom: neither those that grow in wild nature, nor those that are grown in the country or in the apartment. But the bushes themselves are very decorative and not very difficult to grow. If ferns are treated with love and care, then not even flowering plant able to decorate garden plot or home garden on the balcony.
Plants appeared on Earth more than 400 million years ago, long before the birth of the first man. Our ancestors endowed them with magical properties. For example, legends say about the existence of their rare flowers. Let's see if this could be true.
Botanical description of culture
This is one of the oldest. Wild varieties grow in forests and swamps and subtropics. There are more than 10 thousand species of this plant in the world.
Did you know? The scientific name of the culture Pteridium aguillinum can be translated from Latin as "eagle's wing".
The fern has an unusual structure from a botanical point of view: it has hardly changed over millions of years. The root and part of the stem of the plant grow in. What at first glance appear to be leaves are branch systems colored in green color, and is called vayi.
As they grow, they resemble large snails that gradually unfold. The fern family reproduces by spores. 
it ancient plant contains a large number of easily digestible proteins, starch, vitamins E and B2. It is an effective pain reliever, has a general beneficial effect on the body, and is used as an ingredient in medicines.
Does it bloom?
Legends of the holiday of Ivan Kupala say that the fern blooms for only one moment. If you have time to break it when it happens, the lucky person acquires extraordinary abilities.
According to legend, closer to midnight, a wand appears from the branches, which sways from side to side, confusing adventurers. Exactly at 12 o'clock in the morning, the fern flower itself unfolds. 
Legends differ about the magical properties of culture, a way to escape from "evil spirits" and other details, but they all claim that a flowering fern exists.
It is not known on the basis of what the legends arose, but scientific confirmation they don't. None of the representatives of the fern group unable to grow a flower.
Conditions for growing ferns
If the arguments of flower growers sound unconvincing to you and you want to check the veracity of the legends about flowering personally, then it is not necessary to look for ferns on the night of Ivan Kupala. It is much more interesting to grow a culture on your own, observing its entire life cycle. Fern plants grow in and in. Such species, but they differ from wild relatives only in beauty.
The culture grows in a loose mixture of earth and. For him, choose a place in or with diffused lighting. 
all the time should be wet: you can not constantly alternate periods of drought and swampiness. At home, fronds need periodic spraying with water. The fern looks the same both with an excess of moisture and with excessive dryness. environment: his
The ancient Slavs had many beautiful legends, and a huge number have survived to this day. In one of the most popular center pieces is the fern flower. Many people dream of finding it and plucking it, as it is believed that it can work miracles.
Fern flower - what is it?
The fern is one of the most ancient plants, and it grew during the time when dinosaurs walked the earth. The features of this plant include the presence of a large number of elongated leaves, which are collected in rosettes. They are often compared to bird feathers. Many are interested in what a fern flower looks like, and so scientists confirm that it is unrealistic to see the buds. If you look at the plant from below, you can see small dots Brown color, which can be mistaken for "flowers".
Fern flower - myth or reality?
People do not stop believing in miracles, even if scientists prove that the claimed is unrealistic. fern flower in Slavic mythology occupied importance, and every year a huge number of people dreamed of finding it. In science, they found a completely simple explanation for the “fairy tale”. According to legend, during flowering, the plant glows, and so scientists say that during wet places where fern grows, many fireflies live. In addition, some plants in the forest produce poisonous fumes that cause hallucinations, and anything can seem to a person.
The legend of the fern flower
From ancient times, a beautiful story has come down to us, the main character of which was guarding the sun and who was the brother of Perun. One day he fell in love with the Swimsuit - the gentle goddess of the night, who seemed very inaccessible, but she responded to the feelings of the young man. The problem was that Semargl had to constantly be on his solar throne, and the Bathhouse was the ruler of the night.
The lovers could not resist the feelings, and on June 21 (according to the old style) they merged together, and this day was recognized as the summer equinox. After some time, the couple had two children, who were named Kostroma and Kupala. Perun decided to make a gift to his brother, and in honor of the birth of his nephews, he presented them with happiness, which possessed great power.
How to find a fern flower?
According to the legends, exactly at midnight on Ivan Kupala, literally for a moment, a magical fiery red flower blooms, which shines so brightly that not every person can withstand its glow. People, when looking for a fern flower, must read prayers and be sure to believe in miracles. It is believed that the one who can find it and tear it off will have great power, and he will be able to see all the hidden treasures and open any doors, hence another name appeared - “gap-grass”.
It was difficult to find a fern flower also due to the fact that in Kupala night the plant is guarded by spirits who pluck it immediately after the bud opens. If a person managed to get a flower, then he was waiting for trials and tests from the side of evil spirits. One of the versions states that the fern should remain in its place until the morning, until the demons go home. It is interesting that in the story of N. Gogol "The Night on the Eve of Ivan Kupala" it is told about the flowering of the fern.
When does the fern flower bloom?
According to legend, you can see a miracle, that is, the flowering of a fern, only once a year - on the night of June 23-24 (according to the new style - July 6-7). In ancient times, on this day, the Slavs praised Dazhdbog, and a few years later Orthodox Church turned a pagan celebration into a Christian holiday. Since then, believers on this day remember St. John the Baptist or Ivan Kupala. It is worth noting that according to one of the versions, the fern flower is a miracle that can be seen only once every hundred years.
Where to look for a fern flower?
The plant loves wet and warm places, so it is necessary to recover in search of lakes, rivers and swamps. Rarely, but you can see the fern in the meadows. It should be borne in mind that the magic flower is hidden from people, so it is very difficult to find it, and you have to go into the deep forest, where there are no others who want to get magical powers. It has already been mentioned why they are looking for a fern flower, so you need to remember about competitors striving to become rich.
How to pick a fern flower?
When deciding to go in search of a miracle flower, you must definitely take a knife and a tablecloth with you. white color. There are several rules regarding how to pluck a fern:
- If luck smiled, and it was possible to make sure that the fern flower exists, then you need to sit nearby, spreading a tablecloth and outlining a protective circle around yourself and the plant.
- It is important to sit next to the flower on the north side. Concentrate on the plant and don't be distracted by other thoughts and sounds.
- At midnight, there will be a feeling that invisible forces want to attack, frightening screams will be heard and shadows will appear. It is necessary to pass the test and in no case leave the drawn protective circle.
- Walk around the fern flower three times, saying the words of any prayer, for example, "Our Father." After that, quickly pick the flower and cover it with a prepared tablecloth and run home. In no case do not turn around, because if you break this rule, you can lose the fern flower amulet. In addition, there is a legend that dark forces they can take their souls with them.
What to do with the fern flower?
It remains to figure out what to do with the flower in order to get its energy. The best solution- dry the bud so that it does not deteriorate. You can also put a flower in a bag. The result is a powerful amulet that you need to constantly carry with you. The fern flower is a symbol that attracts happiness, gives the ability to see treasures and protects from any. In addition, it is considered a powerful love magnet and with its help you can attract any person to you. Fern flower - slavic symbol good luck, and there is also an opinion that it gives strength to understand the language of flora and fauna.
Fern flower - signs
Much has already been said about the strength of the flower, but there are a large number of signs regarding the plant itself.
- If it was not possible to find a fern flower for good luck, then you can place this plant in a pot in the house, which improves the atmosphere in the room, filling it life energy and bringing harmony to the state of mind.
- With the help of a fern, you can improve relationships in the family and, to a greater extent, between people of different ages.
- To protect yourself, your family and home from evil spirits, it is recommended to keep a fern in the house. Keep in mind that if its leaves begin to curl and wither, this is a signal that someone has caused damage.
- According to one of the signs, a flower is able to warn a person against rash financial expenses.
- Since many people wanted to take possession of the miracle plant, the ancient Slavs made the Fern amulet, which has powerful protective properties and attracts happiness to a person.
- It is important to consider that the fern is an "energy vampire" because it needs a lot of energy to grow normally. To avoid negative impact, put the pot near the TV or other electrical appliance.
FERN(Polypodiophyta). One of the oldest plants on earth. There are many types of it. The word "pteris" present in some Latin names of the fern is derived from Greek word"pteron" - wing, feather, which are so reminiscent of its leaves.
The Russian name of the fern comes from the Slavic words "port" and "porot", which also means "wing". Now the Slavic root is preserved only in the word "soar". In pagan Russia, the fern was dedicated to the 6th of thunder and lightning to Perun. Folk names fern are very expressive: Perunov fireflower, fire-color, gap-grass, nomad, chistoous, devil's beard, shrike, flea beard, spool, you can’t list them all.
A folk legend explains the appearance of the name "fern" in this way. Once the king invited a poor family to visit. They put on their modest clothes and went to the palace. The road went through the forest. Child messed up his outfit wild berries and he became bright and cheerful, mom decorated herself with flowers, and dad plucked beautiful openwork leaves and made himself a big elegant collar out of them. In the palace, they looked quite decent, no worse than other guests, even the king was pleased. He especially liked the outfit of the head of the family. The king called the child to him - to find out what is so beautiful on his father's neck. He answered: father's collar, but the king did not hear and remembered like a fern. Since then, it has become customary to call these carved leaves a fern.
Everyone knows the legend about the flowering of the fern on the night of Ivan Kupala - one of the most poetic holidays of the Ukrainian ritual calendar.
In pagan times, Ivan Kupala was celebrated on June 21, that is, on the day of the summer solstice. With the advent of Christianity in Russia, the holiday remained, and the date was changed to July 7th. Its original name is unknown. The current name - Ivan Kupala - is already of Christian origin and goes back to the name of John the Baptist, who is commemorated on this day. Baptist in Greek means "one who bathes", because the rite of baptism was precisely immersion in water. In Russia, this nickname was rethought and associated with the tradition of swimming on this day in reservoirs.
In folklore, the fern takes precedence among other plants in the number of beliefs and legends associated with it. It is a symbol of the magical fulfillment of desires. He was woven into a wreath, believing that he attracts and bewitches a guy.
The most beautiful and famous legend about ferns says that this plant blooms only on the night of Ivan Kupala. Between the leaves, similar to the wings of an eagle, a flower bud rises. At midnight it cracks open and appears fire flower, illuminating everything around, while thunder is heard and the earth is shaking. According to legend, a person who has overcome the fear of evil spirits and mastered a fern flower is subject to all secrets and spells. He will get many useful properties: will begin to understand the language of flowers and birds, trees and animals, can become invisible, and most importantly, will begin to see through the earth and, of course, will find all the treasures hidden in the earth.
It was possible to get a fern flower by accident. One legend tells how a man went to the forest on the night of Ivan Kupala to look for the missing bulls, and got lost. At midnight, a fern flower fell into his bast shoes. At that moment, the person immediately recognized where he was, began to understand the language of birds and animals, saw hidden treasures in the earth. However, on the way home, the flower began to burn his leg, and the man, shaking out his bast shoes, lost the flower, and with it all his wonderful knowledge. Especially lucky is the one who, having picked a fern flower, will be able to "sew" it into the skin of the palm. To do this, make an incision in the left hand, and push the flower there.
But this ancient Ukrainian legend is not known to many. The daughter lived happily with her father. His name was Ivan Kupalo, and his daughter was Fern, but her father called her daughter Flower for her good heart and beauty. However, happiness did not last long. Ivan-Kupalo brought a mother for his daughter, and a wife for himself. I thought life would be even better, but no!
Once, on a clear night, when the forester went hunting, the stepmother began to brew a potion and speak strange words, and at midnight she turned into a sorceress. She noticed that her stepdaughter saw everything. And the girl, frightened, rushed out of the hut, wherever her eyes look. She ran for a long time, and then, exhausted, fell to the ground and lost consciousness. At this time, the evil stepmother-sorceress cast her spell on the girl: "Be a bush - tall, grass! The traces left behind you, let them grow in the same bush. Your father will not find you and people will not see. Your beauty is destroyed. Only one flower of you "He will save you. And he will appear once a year, at midnight. "No one will find you here! And if he does, he will be happy."
Ivan came from hunting. He brought a beast, a fish, sat down to rest. I saw a book in which various spells were described. He read in it about his daughter, and almost fainted from fear. Gathered his strength, got up, put the book where it was, and did not confess to his wife that he had read, so that he would not be brought out of the world. From that day on, he could not find peace, he kept going to look for traces of his daughter, but in vain! Ivan Kupalo began to follow his wife.
A year later, on a moonlit night, he saw how she threw off all her clothes, turned into a black bird, howled and flew away. Ivan turned pale with fright, tears flooded his eyes, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Ivan quickly collected the witch's clothes, threw them into the fire, and burned the book too: "Let the spell burn!" When everything burned down, he hid in the bushes, began to wait for the evil bird. A strong wind arose, the trees bent with a groan to the ground.
A bird flew in, turned into a human form, did not have time to look back, as an arrow pierced her heart. So the wicked witch died. Her blood spilled like a river and disappeared underground. Ivan took the dead body of the sorceress and hid it in the dug-out grave. "Good for good, and for evil - evil, you can't think of a better punishment for you."
Years passed, and the old forester was looking for his beautiful daughter. On the eve of the “Bathing of the Sun” holiday, he, exhausted, went out to the people and addressed them in a hoarse voice: “Find a bush of a flowering fern, then an evil spell will be removed from my daughter.” These were the last words of Ivan Kupalo.
Fern was considered a favorite potion of devils and witches. Therefore, in the Hutsul region, in particular, there was a peculiar custom to beat the fern. So that he would not litter the field and did not harm the grasses, he was beaten crosswise with a stick, and then this place was sanctified.
Fern flower refers to the mythical, as the plant is not able to bloom. The fern belongs to fern-like plants that reproduce with the help of spores. However, the ancient Slavic belief is widespread, due to which some people do not doubt whether the fern actually blooms. Many are interested in what a fern looks like, and how to find a fern flower.
plant description
Fern is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Osmundov family, the genus Ferns. The homeland of the plant is Northern China, Korea, the Far Eastern Russian region. Distributed in Russia, Ukraine, Finland, Central Asia. It is a green stem with numerous pinnate dissected leaves. The fern reproduces only with the help of spores, it does not bloom.
Interesting. The fern is one of the most ancient plants on the planet, which appeared in the Devonian period. 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, while the spores moved from the end of the branches to bottom side sheet. The process of appearance of spores and their maturation is very similar to the growth of flowers. The collection of the plant takes place all summer.
Today there are thousands of species of ferns.
The structure of the fern, flowering
The trunk of the fern is smooth and has no scales. root system powerful. The root is creeping, buds are formed on it, from which young shoots are formed. Stepchildren appear from the ground at a distance of 10 to 20 cm. At first, they have a snail-like head, which gradually turns into leaves.
fern bloom
Sporulation is the main way ferns reproduce. Spores grow on the reverse side of the leaf. As it matures, the spore box cracks, and the spores are scattered in the wind. As soon as they get to a favorable fertile soil they start to grow.
During the growth of the spore, a growth is formed in the form of a small cup of green color. On the reverse side of the growth, sperm and eggs appear. After the fertilization of the egg, the germination of the seed begins, and the stepson begins to take root. The fern forms a shrub for several years. Fern flowering is impossible.
Vegetative propagation of fern is possible. In this case, long arrows are formed on the bush. They bend down to the kidney and are pressed down by a stone. Such reproduction is also carried out by a person in a garden or suburban area. The arrow takes root in the ground. For transplanting, a piece of earth is dug out along with the root system.
Transfer
The fern also reproduces by division. In early spring it must be taken out of the ground. Dense roots are washed with water from the ground, divided into shoots, which are then transplanted to another territory.
What is called leaves in daily use is called vayami in science. They are able to continuously grow in length. Vayi 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 with angiosperms, they have much weaker conductive tissues.
The structure of the fern is very different, depending on the species. There are low herbaceous plants, there are also large ferns resembling trees. Some ferns reach a height of 20 m in size. Moreover, the tree trunk forms branched and fairly strong adventitious roots.
Large ferns resembling trees.
Legends of the flowering fern
The most common legend says that on the night of Ivan Kupala (from July 6 to 7), the fern blooms in a dense forest. A blooming fern appears at exactly midnight as a blooming ember. Moreover, at this time it opens with a bang, illuminates the glade with a wonderful color and makes an unusual sound.
A person who managed to master such a flower is subject to all secret knowledge. He can access all the secret treasures that are in the ground. But not everyone can get such a flower. It is located in the middle of the forest. To get to it, you need to overcome the fear of the evil spirits that are gathering in the clearing. If a person is frightened or, even worse, looks back at the faces of demons, then he will not see any flower.
This beautiful legend has some basis. There are very rare species of fern that throw 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. Movement comes from devilry trying to hide the flower from human eyes. It grows like a hot ember.
The Carpathian version of the legend has a similar story. 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 does not 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. The same flower will be a real proof of love and will look beautiful.
Exist interesting recommendations how to pluck fern color. To do this, on the evening before the holiday of Ivan Kupala, you need to go to the forest, find a fern and spread a sacred tablecloth around it. This is the name of the tablecloth, which was used during the period Holy Week before Easter. You need to draw a circle around yourself with a knife, also consecrated during Holy Week. Next, you need to read the plot and wait for midnight.
Fern flower
It is necessary to wait for fern flowers with concentration and not be distracted by extraneous sounds, because the evil spirit begins 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 rip off the head and send the soul straight to hell. Passing near the place of fern flowering 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 the fern
AT folk beliefs this plant has magical properties. Since time immemorial, it has been used not only for magical rites, but also for the treatment of many diseases:
- With the help of a flower obtained at midnight before Ivan Kupala, you can find treasures.
- To attract the groom, the girl weaves a fern branch into her braids and wears it like that.
- To get rid of pain during sciatica, you need to fill the mattress with leaves and fern branches. The healer claims that pain and inflammation will quickly go away.
- 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. One who drinks such a decoction will get rid of diseases caused by " evil eye". It can protect against diseases. The root helps with a love spell and a lapel, removes the effect of any ritual that a person did not agree to conduct.
- If you place a whole fern root above the dwelling, it will protect the inhabitants of the house from negative energy. A sorcerer and any person with evil intentions cannot enter such a dwelling.
- To use the fern as reliable remedy from the evil eye, you should wear it as close to the body as possible. To do this, the fern is dug up at dawn, washed, put in the sun to dry. It must be applied the next day.
- The root is used from gypsies. The plant helps to maintain clarity of thought and will not allow a person to deceive himself when communicating with her.
Some peoples use fern for salting. Harvested 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 magical flower and that the plant can flower. There are many secrets and beliefs associated with the plant, each of which is beautiful and unique in its own way.