To mark its 70th anniversary, the Latvian Botanists' Society has named a brilliantly flowering inhabitant of natural meadows, the globeflower Trollius europaeus, as the Plant of the Year 2022.

Due to its yellow, spherical flowers, the plant has acquired many picturesque folk names: butter ball, butter clump, goat button, bull's forehead, bulb flower, chick's head, cuckoo ball, buttercup, hare button, lamb's head, butter globeflower, butter drum, little bulls, round marsh-marigold, wind marsh-marigold, chick's button, bull's forehead, little balls, lid snouts, lady, and others. The plant's scientific name originates from the Latin word 'trulleus', which translates to 'a round container or bowl'. Because of its appearance, people in ancient times attributed magical properties to the globeflower. It was used to ward off evil spirits from homes. Scandinavian legends tell that globeflowers are favoured by forest dwellers – trolls – because of their beauty.
Photo by Maija Medne