Splashes of Colors
Since Crete drifted away from the rest body of Greece
a unique flora has evolved with a large number of endemic plants.
Ancient Olive Trees | Sacred Trees | The Cretan Date Palm | Protected Junipers
Crete has a rich biodiversity and the best moment to witness this is in the spring when the flora is at its best. Over 1.700 species have been recorded up to date in Crete, many of which are endemic. Some remote areas of the island, especially the White Mountains and the surrounding islets are home to many stenoendemic species and subspecies, i.e. plants that are only distributed in this limited area.
Every year these rare species attract botanists from all over the world. They come to study wild flowers, including impressive native Cretan orchids. Moreover, endemic tulips grow on the White Mountains, on the Dikti range, on the Gramvousa peninsula and in the small botanical paradise of Gious Kampos in Rethymnon.
Crete is also famous for its aromatic plants and herbs that grow everywhere on the island. Many of them have been used since ancient times for their therapeutic properties and they are currently cultivated in many places of the island.
Great Britain, the area of which is 40 times larger than the island of Crete, encompasses almost the same number of species of plants. This is indicative for the variety of species available on the island.
At the center of Palea Roumata in Chania there is one the officially characterized monumental olive trees in Crete. The 3000 year old olive tree is surrounded by several other very old trees as well. The perimeter is 10.50 and there is a huge hole, where the locals had hidden weapons during the Turkish Era, while in 1941 a committee against the Germans met in the tree. This is the tree where the guns that were used in the battle of Anavos were also hidden (1941).
The olive tree has been declared by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities as a natural monument due to huge size and its location near the postminoan settlement of Kolydra. Its site is named Lakkos and hosts numerous ancient trees, with this specific tree being 3000 years old.
The red tulip of Crete (Tulipa doerfleri) is one of the 5 endemic tulip species of Crete. It grows exclusively at the small plateau of Gious Cambos, by Amari Valley, at an altitude ranging from 700-800m. In spring (April) this small plateau is covered by a red carpet made of tulips.
Zominthos was a small Minoan town at Psiloritis Mount with a sacred spring, which was located close to the Ideon Andron Cave and Anogia town. Besides the religious importance of the town for the ancient Minoans, today the archaeological site of Zominthos hosts a second attraction. This is a special tree that has been declared a protected monument of nature from the Greek Ministry of Culture.
The olive tree of Mathena has been declared as monumental by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities as a natural monument due to shape and relief trunk, forming a cave with its adjacent rock.
The olive tree has been declared by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities as a natural monument due to its size, shape and relief trunk. The name of the site is Gre Ele which means Old Olive and refers to this tree. Its variety is throumboelia and is grafted on a rootstock of a wild olive tree. It is estimated to have been planted in 650-500BC and is located very close to the archaeological site of Eleftherna.
The olive tree of Saint George is one of the many ancient olive trees in the areas Anisaraki and Vardaliana near Kandanos village. It has been declared as a memorial by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities due to its flattened shape and textured trunk.
The olive tree at position Kardamiana, near Genna, has been declared by the Association of Cretan Olive Municipalities as a natural monument due to shape and relief trunk. Its variety is called throumbolia and is grafted on a rootstock of a wild olive tree.
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West CreteCentral CreteEast CreteChaniaPaleochoraKissamosGeorgioupolisChora SfakionLoutroRethymnonAgia GaliniPlakiasSpiliAnogiaHeraklionHersonissosMaliaMatalaAgia Pelagia`ArchanesKokkinos PirgosAgios NikolaosEloundaSitiaIerapetraMakrigialosPalekastroZakrosLassithi Plateau
