Eco Hvar

Hvar's Wild Flowers in the Late Summer

Marion Podolski, author of the exquisite blog Go Hvar, continues her illustrated seasonal researches into Hvar's abundant wild flowers.

Bright roadside field marigold, Jelsa October 2016. Bright roadside field marigold, Jelsa October 2016. Photo: Vivian Grisogono

Following on from our Guide to Hvar’s Wildflowers – Spring Edition, I’ve been out and about looking for what’s in bloom at the end of summer. These are mostly in the high country around the peak of Sv Nikola and on the Vorh plateau, although some are down around sea-level, even right on the beach in some cases.

Heather with black pine on Hvar's highest peak. Photo Marion Podolski

I have to say I was encouraged to find so many wildflowers in September, after what has been a scorching summer. My aim in writing the blog is to identify each one, and tag the photos with an official name in Latin, English and Croatian. With my previously somewhat inexpert pictures in mind, this time I was careful to include more of the plant (leaves, seedpods, etc) in my reference photos. And let’s hope the upcoming new series of that wonderful Croatian TV series  Lovac na bilje, (The Plant Hunter) includes  a trip to the Dalmatian coast and islands, as that could really help me identify the plants here!

Flowers on the beach on Sv.Klement. Photo Marion Podolski

Here’s the reference table of late-summer flowers. Usual disclaimer applies: while I have a reasonable confidence in most of the names, some are tentative especially when very similar suspects exist! I’d welcome any feedback from those with a rather better grounding in botany! Click on the images for a bigger picture, and links take you to wikipedia or plantea to find out more.

Antirrhinum majus

Antirrhinum majus
Snapdragon
Zijevalica
..........
Calamintha napeta

Calamintha napeta
Lesser calamint
Velecvjetna gorska metvica
Mint family but could be wild basil?
..........
..........

Campanula Pyramidalis

Campanula pyramidalis
Chimney bellflower
Piramidalni zvončić
 ..........

Capparis spinosa

 ..........

Centaurea glaberrima Tausch

Centaurea glaberrima Tausch or Centaurea jacea
Bare knapweed
Livadna zečina
Not sure exactly which variant of Centaurea this is. Reference pictures differ!
 ..........

Cephalaria leucantha

Flower head is actually a round ball, hence the Croatian name of White head!
 ..........

Cichorium intybus

Cichorium intybus
Chicory
Cikorija
 ..........

Cirsium vulgare

 ..........

Crithmum maritima

This photo taken on a Sv Klement beach. A similar plant is Salicornia, which turns red as it ages. Both samphire and salicornia are used in cooking.
 ..........

Daucus carota

Daucus carota
Wild carrot
Divlja mrkva
 ..........
 ..........

Dittrichia viscosa

Dittrichia viscosa
Woody or sticky fleabane
Ljepljini oman / brušćinac / bušina
 ..........

Ecballium

Ecballium
Squirting cucumber
Divlji krastavac
 ..........

Echinops ritro

Echinops ritro
Southern globethistle
Globus čičak
 ..........
 ..........

Foeniculum vulgare

 ..........

Hedera helix poetarum nyman

This version of ivy is native to southern Europe, and the flowers are high in nectar. Which is why this mound of ivy on Vorh was absolutely swarming with happy bees and butterflies! This one is a Cardinal.
 ..........

Heliotropium europaeum

 ..........

Inula crithmoides

Inula Crithmoides / Limbarda crithmoides
Golden Samphire
Primorski oman
Compare to samphire/motar above
..........

Knautia arvenensis

 ..........

Limonium cancelatum

Limonium cancelatum
Lattice sea-lavender
Rešetkasta mrižica or Rešetkasta travulja
This tiny variant of sea-lavender appears to be local to Croatia. Seen on Sv Klement beach.
 ..........

Opuntia ficus-indica

Opuntia ficus-indica
Opuntia / prickly pear
Opuncija
An exotic import from Mexico that grows well here!
 ..........

Pistacia terebinthus

The berries on this bush are really pretty, but the Croatian name is “Smelly“
 ..........

Plumbago europaea

Plumbago europaea
Common leadwort
Vranjemil?
Few references  even mention this European version of plumbago! Flower looks very similar to the Scilla (below), but this has 5 petals, not 6 and the clusters are different.
 ..........

Scilla autumnalis

Scilla autumnalis or Prospero autumnale
Autumn squill
Jesenji procjepak
In this case, the leaves are misleading as they belong to another plant!
 ..........

Sonchus asper

Sonchus asper
Perennial sow-thistle
Modrozeleni ostak or Kostriš
 ..........

“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them” ~ A.A. Milne

© Marion Podolski 2016

 This article has been reproduced with kind permission from Marion's blog Go Hvar, Ramblings about a far island. Visit the blog for all kinds of information about Hvar, from artistic to epicurean!

 

 

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