Samos Island
Flora
The island
character ensures hot summers and mild winters, plenty of high ground
and the proximity of the Turkish mountains ensure a good winter
rainfall. Limestone geology, too, supports a wide range of plants. The
island's mountains are not only extensive, but high enough to provide a
whole range of habitats throughout the year. The result is that Samos
has an unusual rich flora.
Spring
starts early, but the best months for flowers are March and April. In
May it is often necessary to look to the higher ground for the best
flowers. Bulbous plants, which have the opportunity to retire below
ground to escape the heat of the summer, are common here as on other
Greek Islands. Blue Muscari is everywhere in March and April, but
special to Samos is the yellow, sweetly scented Muscari macrocarpum.
Orchids too abound, but they often camouflage so well that they are
overlooked. Anemones, poppies, the white daisy, Anthemis chia and
geraniums are all common, but some of the rarer specialities include the
lovely red paeony, P mascula and two yellow fritillaries, F bihynica and
the hard-to-find F carica.
Autumn
walkers too can enjoy some flowers. Cyclamen hederifolium bursts into
bloom quite spectacularly after the first rains, together with a variety
of crocus and colchicums. Those who look carefully might just
spot a
pale blue Muscari,
Mparviflorum, as delicate as babies' breath, which is the common name
given to this plant.