Plants of Pindus

Melissa officinalis or Lemon balm
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 National Park), with it’s valleys, plateaus, thick forests and spectacular gorges like Vikos gorge are home to a host of rare and unique varieties which, combined with the wonderful walking paths they offer, define the region of Pindos National Park as a botanical paradise not only of Greece but of Europe as well.

To mention some plants of the region:

Allysum smolicanum
Allium sphaerocephalon
Viola albanica
Gallium ophiolithicum
Cerastium smolicanum
Centaurea ptarmicaefolia
Ramonda sebica
Pinguiculla crystallinassphirtiflora
Iris germanica

With medicinal value:

Mentha longifolia
Salvia officinalis
Satureja montana
Thymus leucospermus
Sideritis raeseri (mountain tea)
Helleborus cyclophyllus
Daphne oleoides
Epilobium alsinifolium
Conium maculatum
Euphorbia myrsinites
Sambucus ebulus
Veratrum album

Endemic and protected by law:

Centaurea tymphaea
Centaurea vlachorum
Sedum tymphaeum
Centaureapawlowskii
Bornmuellera tymphaea
Alyssum heldreichi
Silene pindicola
Onosma epirotica
Minuartia pseudosaxifraga
Valeriana crinii
Soldanella pindicola
Saxifraga biflora-epirotica
Galium sacrorum
Hieracium dasycraspedum