One of Ukraine's rarest plants has bloomed in the Odesa region

On a sandbar in the “Tuzlivski Limany” National Nature Park, one of Ukraine’s rarest plants—the yellow henbane (Glaucium flavum), listed in Ukraine’s Red Book—has bloomed.

This was reported by the Tuzly Estuaries National Nature Park.

The yellow poppy belongs to the poppy family and grows only under specific natural conditions—in the littoral zone along the Black Sea coast and in estuaries. Within the national nature park, this plant has survived only in two areas of sandy spits, where natural ecosystems have remained virtually untouched by human activity.

Park officials note that these specific habitats are under special protection, as the yellow poppy is a highly vulnerable species. The plant has narrow ecological requirements and low seed germination rates, and the greatest threats to it are the destruction of coastal ecosystems, recreational pressure, and the collection of plants.

<picture></picture>Yellow sea aster. PHOTO: Tuzly Estuaries

According to experts, protecting the yellow sea aster means not only preserving a rare species but also safeguarding the unique natural ecosystems of the Ukrainian coast. That is why it is important to preserve existing nature conservation areas and expand the network of protected areas, particularly along the coastline and the Sasyk Estuary sandbar.

The National Nature Park has also published photos of the yellow marsh marigold in bloom, its bright yellow flowers contrasting with the blue sky and sea.

As a reminder, at the bottom of the former Kakhovka Reservoir—which Russian troops destroyed by blowing up the dam in June 2023— insect species are spreading that could affect the number of trees in the young forest in the future.

Андрій Колісніченко