FLORA

A small selection of common flowers and shrubs on Ibiza.

The herbs marked with an asterisk are used as ingredients in the traditional liqueur "Hierbas de Ibiza", which is made with anisette. Verbena, lavender, rue, camomile, mint, orange and lemon peel and leaves, and sage are also added.

Of course, Ibiza's orchids also deserve a special mention. As most of the island is composed from limestone that rises up from the sea bed, Ibiza offers an ideal habitat for orchids, which generally prefer to grow in calcareous soils. Hans Grifforn dedicates a section of his book "Ibiza ein unbekanntes Naturparadies" (Ibiza, an unknown natural paradise) to a detailed study of the island's wild orchids.

ROSEMARY - ROSMARINUS OFICINALIS
The tiny pale blue flowers of this shrub start to appear from January onwards. It is very common in the island's forests.

PISTACHIO - PISTACIA LENTISCUS
A very common shrub in the pine forest. Flowres in early spring. The earth under the plants is a valuable humus, ideal as substratum for plants.

FENNEL - FOENICULUM VULGARE
It can be found everywhere on the island. It is said that an excellent edible mushroom grows at the foot of this plant.

LAVENDER - LAVÀNDULA DENTATA
It also starts to flower in January. Its purple flowers can be seen all over the island.

ROCK ROSE - CISTUS ALBIDUS
The landscape is scattered with its pink flowers from March onwards.

SPINY BROOM - CALICOTOME SPINOSA
This prickly shrub comes into flower in April on the slopes of the Sierra de la Malacosta.

WILD GLADIOLUS - GLADIOLUS ILLYRICUS
This pretty miniature gladiolus is also found in April in the meadows and fields.

IMMORTELLE or GOLDILOCKS - HELICHRYSUM STOECHAS
In May the countryside is filled with great clumps of these plants with their golden flowers.

FERULA or GIANT - FENNEL FERULA COMUNIS
With stems that are more than one metre tall, their yellow umbels stand out in the meadows and are often found on the side of the road.

BORAGE - BORAGO OFFICINALIS
One of the many wild flowers that can be seen in fallow fields in springtime. They are easy to recognise because of their bright blue colour.

TASSEL HYACINTH MUSCARI COMOSUM
A bulbous plant that flowers in spring, usually on cultivated land.

THYME - THYMUS CAPITATUS FRIGOLA
It flowers in June and the bright pinkish-violet clumps of it cover large areas in garrigue landscapes.
It is used to prepare the traditional liqueur "Frigola".

CAPER - CAPPARIS OVATA
This pretty shrub grows between the rocks and is seen in many walls in the old part of town.

HEATHER - ERICA MULTIFLORA
This plant, which can grow to more than one metre tall, mainly flowers in autumn.