The art of the natural world: mountain flowers in the Pyrenees
For those who love nature, who seek to be in tune with the earth, a visit to the mountains of the Prineoswhere we will find a whole display of beauty, light and colour that will fill our senses with plenitude and our hearts with peace.
When nature sculpts the beautiful: mountain flowers in the Pyrenees
Approximately 4,500 plant species have been catalogued. This ecosystem of mountain has some three hundred unique varieties. Some are in danger of extinction, due to man's hand and climate variation.
Bears ear (Ramonda myconi)
It is frequently found in the Central and Eastern Pyrenees. On rocks, scree and glaciers, up to 2,500 metres.
Lady's slipper (Cypripedium calceolus)
Exceptionally beautiful, its main threat is from collectors. For this reason, it is very rare. It can be found in beech or pine forest clearings and shady areas, between 1,200 and 2,000 metres above sea level. From May to July, in the Central and Eastern Pyrenees.
Borderea pyrenayca
It flowers from June to August. It can be found in limestone rock crevices and sunny areas of the Central Pyrenees. It grows at an altitude of 2,000 metres. A true survivor of the Tertiary Era in Europe. It is very long-lived, as it can live for more than three hundred years.
Androsace ciliata
Its flowers are tiny and do not reach two centimetres, but their pink colour is very showy. Exclusive to the Central Pyrenees, it prefers rock crevices and stony slopes to live in. It flowers in July and August, between 1,800 and 3,000 metres, so you have to climb to the heights to admire its beauty.
Snowplow (Galanthus nivalis)
Its spectacular flowering can begin as early as December and continue until May, between 750 and 2,000 metres. It prefers to live in high mountain pastures and mixed forests of beech, oak and conifers. It is most common in the eastern and central Pyrenees.
Viola diversifolia
Beautiful violet-coloured flower that prefers rocky slopes and scree, between 1,800 and 3,000 metres. It can be seen from June to September in the Central and Eastern Pyrenees, although only exceptionally.
Scropularia pyrenaica
This flower can be found in the Central Pyrenees, between 600 and 2,500 metres. It lives in caves and shady areas next to ditches or orchards, making it very vulnerable to the action of people or livestock.
Blue iris (Iris latifolia)
It grows in high mountain pastures; beech, fir and oak clearings; and even on stony areas, if they are not too dry. It is found in sheltered, sunny areas between 900 and 2,700 metres. It is found throughout the Pyrenees and even at sea level in the Atlantic area.
Gentiana acaulis
With its beautiful blue colour and bell-shaped form, it is widely distributed throughout the mountain range. It flowers from April to August, between 1,200 and 2,600 metres, in high mountain pastures.
Pyrenean lily (Lilium pyrenaicum)
Flowering from May to August, around 2,500 metres, throughout the Pyrenean ecosystem. It tends to prefer mixed forests and high mountain pastures, with clusters of up to twelve flowers.
Aguileña (Aquilegia pyrenaica)
It prefers rocks and scree, between 600 and 2,700 metres, and is most frequent in the Western and Central Pyrenees. It can be seen from June to September.
The Pyrenean flora contributes to the economic development of the whole area, thanks to the variety of pastures it provides for livestock. Lovers of hiking We will end up falling in love with the unique spectacle offered by this display of mountain flowers in the Pyrenees. If we avoid leaving our mark on the ecosystem, we can help to keep it as intact as possible and continue to sculpt beauty in nature.
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