The Bucharest parliament declared the peony the national flower of Romania

The legislative initiative was presented to the parliament in May by 53 social democrat, liberal and RMDSZ legislators of the grand coalition in Bucharest. According to the justification, the national self-identity of a people is expressed not only by the national symbols recorded in the constitution, but also by objects, plants or animals with the characteristics of which it identifies or which belong to its cultural heritage.

Citing the examples of the Japanese cherry blossom, the Dutch tulip, the Bulgarian rose, the Spanish carnation, or the Italian lily, the initiators assessed that Romania also needed a national flower, and then, in consultation with the horticultural specialists of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest, the peony fell on the their choice.

The experts pointed out: In Romania, five different types of peonies grow wild in nature conservation areas, where a peony festival is organized every year. Hundreds of varieties of the three horticultural varieties of the flower are grown all over the country, and these are essential decorations for parks. The peony is native to almost the entire territory of the country, and in Romanian folk traditions it often appears as a synonym of beauty and is one of the important accessories of folk medicine - reads the justification.

According to the legislation voted on Tuesday, in order to popularize and celebrate the national flower, a national peony festival will now be organized annually in Romania, and local initiatives nurturing the peony cult may also be supported with public funds.

The draft was discussed by the Senate in an emergency procedure and adopted by a large majority at the end of June. The House of Representatives no longer approved the emergency procedure, but the draft was immediately put on the agenda for the autumn session and was adopted by a large majority.

(Source: marmalade.co.hu; MTI | Image: pixabay.com)