Cyprus Orchids

[Dominic]

If you only visit in the heat of summer, you could be forgiven for thinking that a lot of Cyprus is like a desert; brown and arid. However, the truth is somewhat different. During Spring, most of Cyprus is green, as recent blogs will have shown. Not only that, but spring flowers come out to bloom, painting the hills and valleys with a sea of colour. If you are lucky, or you know where to look, you will also come across fields of orchids...
 
Read the article and chat about it below...
 

orchids_masthead.jpg (107.6 KiB) Viewed 4108 times

 

[Jimgym]

Absolutely stunning flowers.

[cyprusmax47]

I just came back 1 hour ago from my "orchid place" and take the opportunity to add a few of my today's pics to Dominic's lovely blog.....



a close up from this orchid shows even the Cyprus map in the center of the flower...


Does anybody know this orchid, which I never found before...?


and also a quite rare one I think, sorry is a bit blurry...


and finally a pic from Orchis italica which is also called "Naked Man"


Max

[Devil]

In 2001, a book The Orchids of Cyprus and where to find them by Joan Hubbard and Pamela Scraton was published. It was (is) fairly comprehensive with over 70 species (1 p of detailed description each). Unfortunately, there were 45 postage-stamp-sized photos, making identification difficult. OTOH, there was also a video tape with some 50-odd photos which were more visible.

[PaphosAL]

Beautiful photos, Dom and Max- thanks for sharing!

Somehow, most of the orchids I've encountered on February / March walks up in the hills in the past seem to remind me of a variety of hyacinths...

AL

[Kili01]

Hi Al, yes, very pretty and delicate looking as Cyprus orchids are, they in no way resemble the beautiful orchids which can be seen in Thailand,Singapore and other SE Asian countries. They are larger and in beautiful bright colours. They seem to do best in hot, shady and humid places. Usually seen growing near or on trees.

Dee

[cyprusmax47]

Hi Al, yes, very pretty and delicate looking as Cyprus orchids are, they in no way resemble the beautiful orchids which can be seen in Thailand,Singapore and other SE Asian countries. They are larger and in beautiful bright colours. They seem to do best in hot, shady and humid places. Usually seen growing near or on trees.

Dee

I don't agree Dee. If one flicks through this website:" The Orchids of Cyprus", you can see beautiful colours of the endemic orchids of Cyprus. Perhaps you have a look yourself in different places of Cyprus when we had good Winter rains. On this link are 77 images (you must click at the bottom of the
page ( Παλαιότερες αναρτήσεις) to see them all and they are all endemic. Hundreds more images on the same page with handy infos where one could find them etc. http://cyprus-orchids.blogspot.com.cy/s ... %20endemic

Important is to take plenty of time when searching one area as it is very easy to miss them. I was last Friday 4 hours at a place of ca 1 km2 and found only a few worth to do a photo of them.
Max

[cyprusmax47]

Just another pics from my tour today to Polis area with the result that I have plenty more photos for a mini blog....(or a guest blog)






Serapias vomeracea

Max