Flowers of Rhodes Greece

Walking Rhodes can show you the scenery and the flowers. Rhodes has a fascinating set of flora with over 1500 of plant species found here. As with the entire Mediterranean region, the flora comprises a mixture of local and introduced species selected over the centuries for their ability to survive the often harsh environments found here. They have to be able to withstand great heat; long periods of little water and grow when the opportunity is there. The large proportion of evergreen trees means that these species are ideally suited as they can continue to photosynthesis and grow during winter taking advantage of the seasonal rains. We’re lucky in Rhodes as not only do spring and autumn see a profusion of wild flowers appear all over the island but they’re also the ideal seasons in which to photograph them as the light is kinder and less harsh than at other times of the year.

Walking is definitely the best way to appreciate Rhodes’ wildflowers and with the varied environment of the island there are no shortage of different habitats in which to go searching for them. Rhodes’ flora as well as containing representatives of all the major flowering families found in the Mediterranean is also home to over 50 orchid species including many that are endemic to the eastern Aegean region.

Please see our Gallery for pictures of Flowers taken while on our guided walks

Plant Life (by Paul Harcourt Davies, taken from  Globetrotter Travel Guide)
Rhodes offers a number of distinct plant habitats: sand dune areas, unusual in the Greek islands, occur towards the south, and sandy soil within a few meters of the sea shore are coloured by yellow horned poppies, purple sea stock, scarlet poppies and, in the height of summer white sea lilies. Large cultivated areas exist in Rhodes but elsewhereou’ll find small rocky fields contained, contained within stone walls making haven of colour with a patchwork of white chamomile, yellow crown daisies, and scarlet poppies, drifts of purple catchflies and splashes of blue anchusa. Colour is added to the roadsides by display of crown daisies mixed with poppys (which always seem to be redder here than anywhere else) and scarlet turban buttercups appear on stony hillsides.                                                                                 

Fields and Scrubby hillsides on lime-rich soils offer a bewildering array of bulbous plants which begin to bloom with the first rains in late October. Yellow sternbergias (Sternbergia lutea) and pink colchicums (Colchicum cupanii), cyclamen (Cyclamen graecum) and a tiny white narcissus (Narcissus serotinus) bring welcome spots of colour to parched hillsides. Yet, this is nothing compared with the main floral explosion which occurs in spring, as early as February, with the first rush of anemones and continuing through May. Flower lovers will find that the Aegean islands have a distinctly “eastern” flavour to their bulb flora.
Rhodian specialties include an autumn crocus (colchicum macrophyllum) and a tiny yellow-flowered fritillary (Fritillaria rhodia)

In late May and June there are fewer wildflowers in bloom but thistles such as the yellow Spanish oyster plant (Scolymus hispanicus), purple milk thistle (Silybum marianum), and blue globe thistle (Spinosissimos) bring some colour to the landscape. Rocky gullies turn pink with oleander (Nerium oleander).
Greek hillside are dotted with the thin, dark shapes of the funeral cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), often planted around chapels and enlivened by springtime splashes of pink when the Judas trees (Cercis siliquastrum) flower.

Significant forest areas still occur: Aleppo pine (Pinus brutia) is the dominant species on the lower mountains growing with cypress (Cupressus sempervirens). In the summer these trees and the plant beneath produce volatile oils which are fragrant but also highly inflammable. Fires once started can cause appalling damages such as in 1987 and 2008 when in both years large areas of mountain forest were badly burned.
The forests are open with trees well-spaced, allowing a rich under-storey of plants to develop – particularly of flowering shrubs such as cistus. On Mt Profitis Ilias there is an attractive white peony (Paeonia rhodia) found only on Rhodes.

The abundance of Greek wildflowers helps empower the famous honeys of Greece, so be careful when approaching and handling the flowers.