August is one of the toughest months for all wildlife and few plants have the resilience to survive the scorching heat and drought of the Maltese dry season. Annual species usually complete their life cycle before the heat while perennials adopt extreme strategies such as by having tiny but tough leaves, by going dormant in...
Purple and lilac are once again the colours of this month’s featured flower thanks to the spectacular blooming of the Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) which occasionally has pinkish lighter flowers. Known with various names in both Maltese (Għadiba, Bżar tal-Patrijiet) and English (Chasteberry, Monk’s Peppers) this deciduous Mediterranean species is one of the only indigenous...
The purple reign is here – as the saying goes … it’s time for thyme! The Mediterranean Thyme (MT: Sagħtar) Thymbra capitata is a hardy low growing and aromatic shrub protected by law but not from the relentless winds and long droughts which dominate its preferred habitat. The expanses of garigue have by now dried up...
May: Yellow flowers of the month As if to remind us of the upcoming sunny days the month of May sees several shrubs dress up in bright yellow – the colour of warmth and joy and also a great favourite amongst pollinators. These small shrubs are typical of garigue areas and some go as far...
With the wide array of colours, shapes and scents of flowers bursting forth In early springtime it is very difficult to choose just one plant to focus on – so this time round we feature a selection from a group of plants known more for their exotic counterparts (grown on industrial scales to embellish homes...
Mediterranean Asparagus (MT: Spraġ) Asparagus aphyllus Seems like the stinging plants often turn out to yield interesting rewards! Encountering the foraging plant of this month may result in some complaints as its spiky leaves get stuck to clothing and often do not let you go.
The stars at night turn our gaze upwards – but at this time of year while walking in the countryside we can enjoy some floral ‘stargazing’ during the day by looking down at the rocky ground.
Nettle (MT: Ħurrieq) Urtica spp. Many know the nettle plant more for its painful stinging sensation than for culinary or medicinal reasons. Although it may be difficult to come across nettle tea or nettle soup in local menus, traditionally nettle was used commonly in Malta as a remedy for chillblains.
One of the most striking wild flowers of the Maltese Islands is in bloom around this time of year in rocky areas … but alas it remains to be found only in a handful of places.
