The guelder rose or ‘kalyna’ plays an important role in Slavic mythology. The Kalyna Bridge was believed to connect the world of the living with the world of the dead. The plant features in rituals, songs, and traditional embroidery and is one of the national symbols of Ukraine. The name, inspired by the red colour of the berries, is derived from the Slavic word ‘kalit’ which means ‘to heat until incandescent’.