OREANDA-NEWS  The lotus blossom season has begun in the Astrakhan region. The first buds of the Red Book flower were noticed in the Kamyzyaksky district of the region, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports.

Due to the prolonged high water and the cool summer, the plants bloomed late - for normal development they needed the water to warm up to 20 degrees.

The peak of lotus blossoming is forecast for August. Every year, ponds covered with picturesque pink carpets become an object of admiration for tourists. At the same time, the region is calling for responsibility — the flower is under state protection. Compensation will have to be paid for its damage.

Earlier, a Russian scientist found an almost extinct species of flower in the mountains of Abkhazia. It turned out to be Iris Vinogradova.