Desert Plants of Kyrgyzstan
The very word seems to suggest: empty, hence the desert. In Kyrgyz, it is approximately: чёль (chol). Moreover, this term is used not only for deserts but also for steppes, plains, that is, everything that is not mountains — тоо (too), and not lakes — кёль (köl).
The etymology of the Kyrgyz name is perhaps more precise. Not empty, as in Russian, but stingy. Empty implies almost being destitute. But stingy is more like someone who hides a treasure...
For most of the year, deserts and semi-deserts, quite common in Kyrgyzstan, hide their wealth. Especially the cover of low desert zones is poor and unremarkable. However, the entire spring and part of summer generously bestow a riot of colors and greenery. During this period, numerous semi-shrub and spiny plants come to life, blooming in all the colors of the rainbow, only to wither and fade under the scorching rays of the summer sun. The main inhabitants of the deserts are ephemerals — annual plants and ephemeroids — perennials. They are united by the harsh conditions of the struggle for survival. In a very short time, they must live a very intense life: germinate and grow, bloom and be pollinated, produce seeds or fruits. In short, they must reproduce. The main thing here is to hurry. Thus, some ephemerals bloom even before they are dressed in green leaves.
Ephemerals and ephemeroids have adapted their leaves to harsh conditions: many are covered with a waxy coating and have chosen a narrow leaf shape. The enormous red fields of poppies leave an indelible impression. Even from a light breeze, the flowers sway, and the vast area stretching to the horizon seems like a sea with endless ripples of fiery red waves. One can endlessly admire the poppy flowers, but the attempt to bring a bouquet to a vase of water never ends in success: as soon as you pick a flower, it immediately wilts and falls apart.
Kyrgyzstan has many wormwood deserts and semi-deserts, and there are more than a dozen species of wormwood here: dense, Tian Shan, pink-flowered, Fergana, sedge-like, etc. Wormwood is capable of overcoming any weather adversities and blooms by autumn. Depending on the species, it has different shades: green, blue, black. The black wormwood is called "may-kara" by shepherds — "black fat." By eating it, sheep gain weight particularly quickly.
On rocky-gravelly soils grows ephedra, also known as conifer — so similar it is to a coniferous twig. In Kyrgyzstan, it is represented by five species. Regel's ephedra, found on the plateau in the Issyk-Kul region, is highly poisonous. In contrast, Fedchenko's ephedra is edible and widely used to treat rheumatism, heart diseases, bronchial asthma, and ulcers. Up to five hundred tons of ephedra, mainly growing in the valleys, are harvested annually in the republic.
The sharp contrast to the lifeless summer background of the desert is provided by the tall and powerful bushes of chia — sand oats. The branching root system of chia, which goes deep into the ground, allows it to draw life forces and moisture even from poor gravelly soils. The thin and strong stems of chia have been used in folk crafts since ancient times.
Along streams, rivers, and irrigation ditches grows spiny creeping shrub — a semi-shrub up to eighty centimeters high with numerous thorns and pink flowers. Few people know that its roots can be used as a diuretic and sudorific. In general, there are many medicinal plants in deserts and semi-deserts. Among them is thick-fruited sophora — a grayish-green herb containing alkaloids that affect the autonomic nervous system, as well as spherophysa solonetz — a herbaceous plant covered with pressed hairs, capable of significantly lowering blood pressure.
In the desert grows pistachio — an unremarkable-looking, gnarled tree no more than five meters high, very similar to multi-stemmed bushes. In folk tradition, the pistachio is called the tree of life, and it is believed that its fruits invigorate, promote health, and prolong life. Indeed, the nuts, which ripen in mid-July, are not only pleasant to taste but also help treat lung and kidney diseases. They contain more than 60 percent fat. The wood of the pistachio is valued by woodworking and carving masters — dense, strong, and so heavy that it sinks in water. The pistachio is an exceptionally resilient tree: under constant moisture deficit and extremely unfavorable climatic conditions, it lives up to one hundred and fifty years, yielding several dozen kilograms of nuts each year. The largest thickets of pistachio are found in the south of Kyrgyzstan, especially in the Chatkal and Fergana ranges, where up to 250 tons of nuts are harvested annually. The altitude here is very high.
