On June 24, we celebrate Enyovden – the holiday of medicinal herbs. Ivan Bilyober, Yanevden, Ivanden – the names for this holiday across the country are different, all of them are connected with centuries-old traditions and the celebration of the healing power of nature.

The Bulgarian flora contains over 4300 species of higher plants, of which about 770 species are medicinal. From the most used 200 species, over 270 species of herbs are obtained, which are used in food, pharmaceutical, perfumery, and cosmetic products.

In order to protect this wealth, since 2000, Bulgaria has been the only country in the EU that has a separate Law on Medicinal Plants (LMP). The law defines the institutions that are responsible to monitor the sustainable use of medicinal plants. These are the regional bodies of the Ministries of Environment and Water and Agriculture and Food. They register and control the points for purchasing and preparing herbs. They also issue permits to collect herbs for commercial purposes.

At the beginning of each year, the Minister of Environment and Water issues an order specifying 24 species of medicinal plants that are prohibited from being collected for commercial purposes. For another 11 medicinal plants – the order sets permissible quantities. These plants include red peony, alder buckthorn, medicinal primrose, tarragon, lazarkinia, ludo bile, medicinal ranilist, stemless lattice, spicy fat-sting, sour thistle and scapula. This year, Mursal tea remains prohibited for collection for personal and commercial purposes, as its habitats are endangered.

There are 61 protected species of medicinal plants under the Biodiversity Act that are endangered, with small populations, and are prohibited for collection. This means that it is prohibited to pick these, uprooted and sell them, as this leads to the loss of their natural habitats.

The majority of herbs that are traded and processed in our country are obtained from the wild. However, the resource in the wild is not inexhaustible, and therefore we must use it with great care – to protect medicinal plants and cultivate them when possible. Biodiversity specialists remind that in the protection of natural habitats, an important role is played by people who live near them. And they call on local residents to signal the control bodies and local authorities about illegal purchase, collection, or destruction.

More information about medicinal plants can be found here: https://www.moew.government.bg/bg/priroda/biologichno-raznoobrazie/lechebni-rasteniya/