Traditional pysanky abound with flowers, which are a symbol of beauty and of fertility and abundance.

The “other flowers” found on pysanky can also be subdivided. First there are the very widespread “kvitka” (flower) motifs.  These are defined by their non-definition--there are no specific botanical features, it is a generic flower, not a specific one. 

The third group of flower motifs is “exotic” flowers. These are usually given the names “tulipany” or “telepany” (tulips) or “orkhidea” (orchid).  It was not so long ago that these plants were quite foreign to Ukraine, and few had ever seen them.  These were fantastical names given to fantastical flowers, and the symbols usually bear no resemblance whatsoever to the named plants.

Tulip motifs are somewhat common in a few regions.  Below are examples from Kherson, Sumy and Vinnytsia (2) oblasts:

                                                                   

                                                    

“Tulips” are generally shown with two curled petals, and a separate protruding area in the middle.  The tulip on the white pysanka from Sumy is a bit hard to make out.