President Emomali Rahmon has declared the tulip and the siyohgush national flowers of Tajikistan. The decree was announced by the president’s press service.
According to the document, the decision aims to promote Tajikistan’s historical and cultural heritage internationally. The government has been instructed to take measures to popularize the flowers and present them at domestic and international events.
An official commentary accompanying the decree links the two flowers to Tajik culture and the Navrouz spring holiday.
The siyohgush is described in the commentary as a harbinger of spring and the coming new year in ancient traditions. Its name is also linked to Siyavush, a hero of the epic Shahnameh by Persian poet Abulqasim Firdausi, highlighting the flower’s historical and mythological significance.
Siyohgush is a wild iris or snowdrop (specifically the early-blooming Iris nicolai) referring to nature and the arrival of spring.
Tulips, meanwhile, are associated with Sayri Guli Surkh, or the Festival of the Red Flower, a traditional spring celebration during which people gathered to admire the blooms around Navrouz.
Today, the annual Sayri Guli Lola tulip festival is celebrated across Tajikistan every April.
According to the commentary, the designation is also intended to encourage scientific research into the flowers’ varieties, protect rare plants and raise public awareness of environmental conservation.