Nature in Greece | Mountains, lakes, forests, fauna and flora
Orchis ustulata
Orhis ustulata or Neotinea ustulata (burnt-tip orchid) is a European terrestrial orchid native to mountains in central and southern Europe, growing at up to 2,400 m (7,900 ft) elevation. It has erect stems carrying 2 to 3, basal in a rosette, oblong, unmarked leaves…
Ramonda serbica
Ramonda serbica, commonly known as Serbian phoenix flower, is a species in the Gesneriaceae family. It is one of the few European representatives of this falmily, found in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, FYROM and Serbia. The flower was discovered by Serbian botanist Josif Pančić in 1874…
Cichorium intybus – Asteraceae
Greek: αγριοράδικο, πικροράδικο, πικραλίδα Cichorium intybus, is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Cichorium intybus has a long tradition of use globally. Historically, chicory was grown by the ancient Egyptians as a medicinal plant, coffee…
Anacamptis picta
Anacamptis picta or Anacamptis morio subsp. picta, a Mediterranean subspecies of Anacamptis morio, can be found in the National park of Pindus, in short, poor grasslands, meadows, alpine pastures and forest fringes at elevations up to 2000 meters as a miniature to small sized, cold growing terrestrial…
Spring in Pindus National park
The following photographs were taken in mid April 2014 during a walk in the woods of Zagori. It is a small sample of the vast variety of wild flowers, among other rich flora of the National Park of Pindus, that abound in the area during…
Spring wild asparagus
Greek: άγρια σπαράγγια April is the month to gather asparagus in the Zagori region of the National Park of Pindus, Greece. A walk in the woods of, mostly Quercus coccifera trees, will reward you with the tasty asparagus shoots. Bear in mind that only…
Easter poppies in Greece
Flamboyantly splattered on the fields, paparounes (παπαρούνες), the Greek name of red poppies, are evocative of traditional red Easter eggs and a precursor of Greek Orthodox Easter. Poppies dominate the reborn nature during Easter in the Zagori region in the mountains of Pindus. Handmade…
Wildflower photos
Greece constitutes the lower edge of the Balkan Peninsula and is characterized both by its mountainous relief and its multitude of islands. Its modern form evolved over the last 10 million years with the sinking of some parts of Aegaeis and the uplifting of others…
Foliage in the mountains of Zagori
The melting of hues from green, to yellow, to burnt orange and reds begins as early as mid-October in the region of Central Zagori in Epirus. The actual process of change in the forests of Zagori begins in October and as the warm weather wanes the…
Plants of Pindus
The nature in Greece is of great diversity. There are more than 6,000 plant species recorded, many of which are endemic mostly due to the isolation of the numerous mountains and islands. The mountainous area of the two National Parks, Vikos-Aoos and Valia Calda (or Pindus…
