Photographs of Greek Flora and Wild Flowers

Various Plants

"A small green isle, it seem'd no more,
Scarce broader than my dungeon floor,
But in it there were three tall trees,
And o'er it blew the mountain breeze,
And by it there were waters flowing,
And on it there were young flowers growing,
Of gentle breath and hue."

Lord Byron, George, "The Prisoner of Chillon"

This photo gallery contains plants in their natural settings.

Below, you'll find an assortment of flowers, representing the Primrose, Buttercup, Mallow, Rock Rose, Cress, Violet and Cucumber Families. They were photographed in various locations around the Pelion peninsula, such as Afissos, Agios Lavrendios, Ano Lehonia, Hondri Ammos, Horton, and Lafkos.

All plants depicted in this gallery are dicotyledons, that is they belong to a group distinguished by two seed leaves, a diverging system of leaf-veins, and flower parts, which are generally in multiples of 4, 5 or 7, sometimes more.

By the way, there are quite a few specimens, here, identified to family level only. Any assistance in better identifying them would be greatly appreciated.


		Cyclamen graecum Enjoy a few pictures of the Greek Sowbread, one of the commonest autumn flowers in the Pelion region and Greece, in general.
		Helleborus cyclophyllus This is a truly beautiful plant, but I suspect that, like other Hellebores, all its parts are poisonous. So, if you do come across one, enjoy its beauty without touching it, as the poison may, possibly, be absorbed through the skin.
		Delphinium sp. I couldn't find any info on this flower, so your help would be greatly appreciated. It's really tiny, but when I got close enough, I was stunned by its beauty!
		Malva sylvestris As its name suggests, the Common Mallow is, well, rather... common. But you may be surprised by its gastronomic and medicinal properties, so take a peak at the related page. By the way, we use it here, in Greece, as an antidote to nettle sting!
		Althaea sp. I believe that this is a Marshmallow, however I'm not quite sure. Any help in identifying it would, therefore, once again be greatly appreciated.
		Cistus incanus Very common aromatic shrub, with lovely purple-pink flowers, that exudes a gum, Ladanum, which was, quite probably, the "myrrh" of biblical references!
		Cistus salviifolius Closely related to the Pink Rock Rose, the White Rock Rose has somewhat smaller flowers; it forms thick, lush scrub communities, often in areas where oak forests have been destroyed by fire or other causes.
		Erucaria hispanica A really controversial plant, in that it is known by several scientific names. It sports small, but really lovely mauve or pale purple flowers that grows on cultivated and waste land, occasionally on sandy ground, close to the sea.
		Viola sp. Not a very good picture, but a rather interesting plant. I haven't been able to identify it to species level, therefore any help would be more than welcome.
		Ecballium elaterium This wild cucumber is truly a fun plant, inasmuch as ripe fruits explode violently and suddenly when touched, squirting out the seeds. Hence its common name, the Squirting Cucumber.
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