The shrub of the year in Latvia is the sweet briar (Rosa rubiginosa)!
Around 15 species of wild roses of different origins are present in the wild in Latvia, both highly ecologically aggressive and even invasive alien species, as well as rare and protected wild species.
The sweet briar is called the "scent-leaf rose" in Latvian and is one of the species of natural origin that is rare and sparse in Latvia.
Recently, the species was fairly widespread in Zemgale, as well as in certain regions elsewhere in Latvia – in the Daugava valley between Jēkabpils and Koknese, at Priekuļi, etc., but the survey in recent years shows that in intensive agricultural regions the species has largely disappeared.
It has obtained its Latvian name from the leaves, which have a pronounced scent of apples when rubbed.
Roses have specific ecological requirements: they love sun, which means that foresty grassland cannot be their home for a long time, while also highly mown grasslands are not suitable for growth. Species-friendly management – extensive grazing and mowing, while maintaining certain clusters of bush, is not often practiced because it is not covered by lawn management guidelines, and therefore the species has remained mainly on the roadside, at the forest edges, etc. Even roadsides are often heavily mowed.
The result is that wild roses, including rare ones, are getting even rarer and gradually disappearing from their historical habitats.
Sightings of the sweet briar can be reported on the nature observation portal Dabasdati.lv.
Mti wa mwaka katika Latvia ni briar tamu (Rosa rubiginosa)! Karibu spishi 15 za waridi wa mwituni wa asili tofauti zipo katika mazingira ya Latvia, zote mbili ni hatari sana kwa ikolojia na hata spishi za kigeni za uvamizi, pamoja na spishi za mwituni nadra na zilizohifadhiwa. "Kama vile, mti wa ""Sweet Briar"" unaitwa ""Rose ya majani ya harufu"" katika lugha ya Kilatvia, na ni moja ya aina za asili ya asili ambayo ni nadra na nadra katika Latvia." Hivi karibuni, spishi ilikuwa kuenea kwa kiasi fulani katika Zemgale, kama vile katika mikoa fulani kwingineko katika Latvia <unk> katika bonde la Daugava kati ya Jēkabpils na Koknese, katika Priekuļi, nk, lakini uchunguzi katika miaka ya hivi karibuni inaonyesha kwamba katika mikoa ya kilimo cha kina spishi kwa kiasi kikubwa imepotea. Jina lake la Kilatvia linatokana na majani yake, ambayo huvutia sana wakati yanapochomwa. Maua ya waridi yana mahitaji maalum ya ikolojia: wanapenda jua, ambayo inamaanisha kwamba nyasi za misitu haziwezi kuwa nyumbani kwao kwa muda mrefu, wakati pia nyasi zilizokatwa sana hazifai kwa ukuaji. Usimamizi wa aina-kirafiki <unk> malisho makubwa na kukata, wakati wa kudumisha makundi fulani ya vichaka, si mara nyingi kutekelezwa kwa sababu haijafunikwa na miongozo ya usimamizi wa nyasi, na kwa hiyo spishi imebaki hasa kando ya barabara, kwenye kingo za msitu, nk. Hata kando za barabara mara nyingi hupaswa kwa wingi. Matokeo ni kwamba maua ya waridi ya mwituni, kutia ndani yale yasiyo ya kawaida, yanazidi kuwa nadra na polepole yanatoweka kutoka katika makao yao ya kihistoria. Maono ya briar tamu yanaweza kuripotiwa kwenye tovuti ya uchunguzi wa asili Dabasdati.lv.