It has become trendy to visits narcissus fields

Taras KRAVETS, the lawyer.
Specially for “Prime Excursion Bureau”.

The Narcissus Valley is a pearl of rich and diverse nature of the Transcarpathian region, the only region in Ukraine where natural brushwood of the narrow-leaved narcissus has been preserved. The valley is located a few kilometers from the town of Khust, the former capital of Carpathian Ukraine (1939). The narcissus became an original symbol of this area. So, when a new tourist centre was built in Khust, they didn’t hesitate to call it Narcissus.

Wonder of nature in Kireshi tract

Mass blossoming of narcissi in Kireshi tract begins in the second half of May and lasts till mid-June. And it is the period that looks like pilgrimage. This wonder of nature attracts tourists, photographers, painters, lovers of nature and young naturalists. The famous environmentalist, Professor of the Uzhgorod National University Vasyl Komendar aptly noted that in May the spring ball started in Kireshi. The beauty is so inimitable that Transcarpathian residents called the Narcissus Valley one of seven wonders of nature of their native land during a poll.

Though, the Narcissus Valley charms in other spring months too: in March — with snowdrops, let`s say, in April — with tender bellflowers of albiflorous. And still narcissus blossom is unsurpassed… It is hard to describe the secret of narcissus` attraction: it may be in its noble tenderness, originality or its unique delicate fragrance.

Due to responsibility of mountain dwellers

The area of the valley is 256.5 hectares, the relief is uneven: uplands alternate with depressions. Narcissi grow at the height of 180-200 meters above sea level here, which is lowest point in their natural habitat, since in the Ukrainian Carpathians this species grows at the height of 1600-1700 meters above the sea level.

From the west the valley is surrounded with a low hill, occupied by the gardens of Kireshi. It is surrounded by hills from east, south and west. On the territory of Ukraine the narrow-leaved narcissus, which can be found in the mountain system of the Alps, Balkan Mountains, Southern and Western Carpathians, has been preserved only in the Transcarpathian region (mainly in high mountains of Svidovetskiy Mountain Ridge, Gorgan, the Maramorosh Alps). Some concentrations of narcissus can be met in the lowlands — in the outskirts of Zaluzh village in Mukachev district, Bushtina village of Tyachev district. Narcissi have been found by the village Delovoe, Rakhov district. But most of these flowers are concentrated near Khust, of course…

The Narcissus Valley used to belong to the local collective farm — one of the poorest in the region. However, when the subject of transferring 300 hectares of land to the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve in order to preserve the unique object was raised, peasants did not hesitate. That is why on December 12, 1979 the Narcissus Valley was proclaimed protected territory and transferred under competence of the above-mentioned nature reserve. Recalling that fact a Czech journalist mentioned: “This precedent proves that cultural level of ordinary mountain dwellers has substantially increased”. Indeed, ordinary people realized in time how important it was to preserve this unique relic of nature for descendants.

How Narcissus became a flower…

Many legends, customs and traditions are connected with narcissus. One of the myths dates back to ancient times. From ancient Greek Mythology we learn that long life was predicted to handsome Narcissus, the son of the river god Kefis and the nymph Liriopa on the condition that he would never see his face. Narcissus grew up extremely handsome. Many women strived for his love, but he remained indifferent. He also denied love of the nymph Echo, who was just lovesick for him and only her voice left.

Humiliated end offended women complained to Nemezida, the Goddess of revenge. Once, on his way from hunting, Narcissus saw his reflection in water and fell in love with it. And he died of love for himself. An attractive white flower, the beauty of which was cold, grew at the place of his death. The flower was called Narcissus. And people got the notion “narcissism”.

In ancient Rome narcissus was the symbol of victory, Greeks considered it the flower of the dead, the Chinese put Narcissi instead of a fir-tree for the New Year in their houses, the English call narcissus their national flower and the Swiss organize narcissus feasts…

The witness of the boulder-period

The scenery near Khust is composed of ordinary meadows and Kireshi tract is rich in wild narcissi. Where are they from here? According to scientists, this plant is a witness of the boulder-period. Glaciation in the Carpathians was typical for the northern hemisphere in the Quaternary. The found kinds of plants, including the narrow-leaved narcissi indicated that Maramorosh pit was the depository of high-altitude plants in the boulder-period. So, according to Professor V. Komendar, the Narcissus Valley is the remains of the “Glossy Refugium”, in which narrow-leaved narcissi, high-altitude in origin, found refuge in the glacial period.

The glacier finally backed off and wild narcissi started to get back to mountains. And the ones of Kireshi stayed in the valley and almost paid for it. But people thought about it in time, sacrificing about 300 hectares of land to flowers.

From the point of view of botany

Narcissi are bulbous plants. They have extremely beautiful flowers, single or gathered in the form of an umbrella. They belong to amaryllis family. In morphological character the narrow-leaved narcissus is very close to the spread in the crop Narcissus poeticus (or pheasant`s eye). Some scientists consider it a form of the last one. All types of narcissus, which have only one white flower with flatly placed oval leaves by the inflorescence on a flower stalk and a short flat crown and have strong odor refer to the group of narcissus poeticus.

Odorous ordinary herbage, red fescue grass, lotus corniculatus, hellebore are common forms for the cenosis of the narrow-leaved narcissus. Ecological amplitude of narrow-leaved narcissus is rather wide. It can be met on both damp fresh and dry soils, even in bogs. The narrow-leaved narcissus grows mainly in the zone of oak woods and subalpine meadows.

Beautiful and salubrious…

Scientists believe that the narrow-leaved narcissus deserves being spread as valuable raw material for deriving alkaloids and essence oil. Its bulbs contain such alkaloids as narcissin (licorice, amaryllis, galantirin) and narcissamin (licoramin and galantamine). For example, galantamine is used in medicine in treatment of myasthenia and myopathy, polyneuritis, radiculitis, connected with traumatic lesions of nervous system. Galantamine improves locomotive functions.

The narrow-leaved narcissus is characterized by high concentration of essence oils, which can be derived from the overground part of the plant.

Extract from its leaves is hard substance of light viscous consistence of light grey color. It smells of fresh cucumber with violet notes. In general, it is very calm and harmonious, has a clove note. Narcissus extract is light yellow wax-like substance with heliotropic smell with notes of coumarin and vanillin. Organic acids, esters, aldehydes and ketones are in the composition of the flower concrete.

Excessive love can do harm…

It has become trendy among newly-married couples of Khust and neighboring villages to visit the Narcissus Valley. And everybody tries to pick at least several flowers or make a picture in blooming narcissi. Of course, a bride, wearing a white wedding veil, on the carpet of spring flowers looks beautiful. But such “photo sessions” do much harm to the valley: paths are trampled down and flowers die. Though there is penalty for each picked flower, but this fact does not stop aggressive admires of beauty. That is why the area of the narcissus field diminishes every year.

According to scientists, another reason for decrease of narcissus population is drying of the soil. Hydrologists` help is needed here. Other urgent nature protection steps also demand means.

On its own

The above-mentioned professor Vasiliy Komendar has suggested a program, according to which a touristic complex could be constructed in Kireshi tract, like it has been done in some neighboring countries. In that case, the Narcissus Valley would earn its own money and could finance its defense and protection. The professor proposes to create a Museum of Everyday Life on the territory, located around the protected field. The exposition of the museum is meant to include items that used to be exploited by ancestors of contemporary Carpathian dwellers: ploughs, harrows, handmills, weaver`s looms and so on. A buffalo camp could also be set here. Buffalos are exotic animals, which were brought to the Carpathians by Mongolian — Tatar invaders, as they say. They are still kept in several neighboring villages. A hotel called “Buffalo”, where one could be treated with salubrious buffalo milk and traditional Carpathian dishes would perfectly fit into this place. Domestic animals that used to inhabit the Transcarpathian region could be bought in Gortobad National Park (Hungary). Among them there are such animals as big-horn Hungarian cows, oxes, Mongolian pigs and so on. And children could ride Gutsul horses and ponies. A sculpture of the mythical Narcissus would adorn this complex.

However, the complex demands substantial investments before it becomes profitable. Professor Komendar hopes that investors, charmed with the Narcissus Valley, will be found. Invested money would be repaid a hundredfold. Good occasion for rich and caring people to consider it!

In the sphere of science

Meanwhile, scientists of the Carpathian Biospheric Reserve, which includes the Narcissus valley, pay great attention to protection and reproduction of natural groups of the narrow-leaved narcissus, take steps to encourage its vegetative and seed propagation. They lay experimental areas for conducting long-term researches of narcissus and other components of meadow cenosis. In other words, people do their best to preserve such natural treasure as the Narcissus Valley for future generations.

April 2009.