Ukrainian Plant Symbols: Viburnum, Periwinkle, Poppy, Willow and More

In Ukrainian culture, plants were never just decoration. Viburnum on the wedding loaf, periwinkle in the bride's wreath, blessed willow on Palm Sunday, marigolds by the cottage — every plant had its own meaning and its place in rituals, songs and embroidery. Here are Ukraine's main plant symbols: what they mean, where the traditions come from and how they live on today.

Folk symbolism often divided plants into "male" and "female": oak, maple and sycamore stood for strength and courage, while viburnum, poplar and willow represented feminine beauty and tenderness.

A short dictionary of symbols

Viburnum (kalyna)

Kalyna, the guelder rose, is perhaps Ukraine's best-known plant symbol. It stands for kin, maiden beauty and the homeland itself. Its red berry clusters decorated the wedding loaf (korovai) and wreaths, and countless songs are devoted to it. "Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow", written in the early 20th century, became the anthem of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen and in 2022 gained worldwide fame as a symbol of resistance.

Periwinkle (barvinok)

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Periwinkle is an evergreen that stays green even under snow, so it became a symbol of faithful love, marriage and long life. In many regions the bride's wreath was woven from periwinkle, and people who had lived happily married all their lives were often asked to gather it for the wedding. Learn more in our article on Ukrainian wedding traditions.

Hops (khmil)

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In folk songs, hops symbolise youth, merriment and strong feelings. They often appear in wedding folklore: a climbing plant that quickly reaches upwards was associated with a young couple starting life together.

Poppy (mak)

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In folk legends the poppy was a protective charm: people believed evil spirits could not enter a house until they had counted every poppy seed scattered on the threshold. Poppies were blessed on the feast of Makoviy together with bouquets of herbs and flowers; under the Revised Julian calendar this feast now falls on 1 August.

Today the red poppy has another meaning. Since 2014 it has been Ukraine's symbol of remembrance for those who died in the Second World War, worn on 8 May, the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism.

Sunflower (soniashnyk)

The sunflower has become one of the most recognisable symbols of modern Ukraine. It stands for sun, light and abundance, and Ukraine is among the world's leading producers of sunflower oil. A symbolic fact: in 1996, after Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons, the defence ministers of Ukraine, the USA and Russia planted sunflowers at a former missile base in the Mykolaiv region.

Willow (verba)

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The willow symbolises spring, nature's awakening and health. A week before Easter, on Palm Sunday — called Willow Sunday in Ukraine — churches bless branches with fluffy catkins. After the service, family members are tapped lightly with a twig and told: "It's not me who strikes, it's the willow; Easter is in a week." The blessed willow is kept at home all year.

Marigolds and hollyhocks

Marigolds (chornobryvtsi) and hollyhocks (malvy) are flowers it is hard to imagine a Ukrainian cottage without. Marigolds became a symbol of mother and home, not least thanks to the well-known song "Chornobryvtsi", loved by every generation. Tall hollyhocks under the windows embody family warmth and comfort. Although both plants come from other continents, they have grown in Ukraine for so long that they are considered "our own".

Cornflower (voloshka)

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The blue cornflower grows among rye and wheat, so it is closely tied to fields and harvest. Cornflowers were woven into girls' wreaths and added to blessed bouquets, and their blue alongside golden ears of grain is often compared to the colours of the Ukrainian flag. A bouquet of cornflowers and daisies is a summer classic — see similar arrangements among our daisy bouquets.

The fern and the flower of happiness

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The most famous legend is tied to Kupala Night: once a year, it is said, the fern blooms with a fiery flower, and whoever finds it will understand the language of animals and see hidden treasure. Evil spirits guard the flower, so the seeker had to draw a circle around themselves and never look back. In reality ferns never flower — they reproduce by spores. Since the switch to the Revised Julian calendar, Kupala is celebrated in Ukraine on the night of 23–24 June.

Wormwood, lovage and protective "weeds"

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For the Green Holidays (Trinity), houses were decorated with green branches, sweet flag, lovage and wormwood. According to folk belief, bitter wormwood drove away rusalky (water nymphs) and other evil spirits. Thistles and nettles were often linked with "unclean" places in songs and omens, yet they were also ordinary farmyard plants. Today these beliefs are part of folklore that shows how closely our ancestors observed nature.

Plant symbols today

Plant motifs live on in modern Ukraine: in embroidery, jewellery, patriotic murals and, of course, bouquets. Read about floral symbols on the vyshyvanka, about traditional jewellery in the Ukrainian namysto, and about how the orchards and hollyhocks of the Poltava region shaped literature in our article on Mykola Gogol.

FAQ

Which plant is the main symbol of Ukraine?

Most often the viburnum (kalyna). The sunflower, periwinkle, willow and poppy are also considered national symbols.

What does periwinkle symbolise?

Faithful love, marriage and long life — which is why it was woven into wedding wreaths.

Why is the red poppy a symbol of remembrance?

Since 2014 Ukraine has used the red poppy to remember the victims of the Second World War; it is worn on 8 May.

Does the fern really flower?

No. Ferns reproduce by spores; the "fern flower" is a Kupala legend.

When is willow blessed?

On Palm (Willow) Sunday, a week before Easter.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.