GreekThe volcanic landscape characterizes the nature of Limnos with the island’s vegetation consisting of brushwood, sea daffodils and isolated clusters of oak trees. The lack of forests is mainly owed to human intervention through stock-farming and logging, to special geological conditions as well as to the strong winds which do not allow their growth.
There are fruit-bearing trees, some olive trees, lane trees at the region of Kondias and tamarisks. Between the villages of Repanidi and Kontopouli you will meet a small “forest” of oak trees, Quercus macrolepis, which is the only expanded natural forest area on Limnos and covers about 0.25 hectares. It is probably part of an older natural forest. On the island there are many thorn bushes, thyme, oregano and other low aromatic plants, amaranth and various types of brier. Major characteristic of Limnos is the sea daffodil (Pancratium maritimum), or daffodil of Virgin Mary as they call it, with an exquisite scent, found at the region of the Sand dunes and close to the sea. Moreover, the Sand dunes are surrounded by European marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), chaste trees (Vitex agnus castus), almond leaf-pears (Pyrus spinosa), thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), olenaders (Nerium oleander) and wild-olives (Olea europea var oleaster).
The most expanded cultivation on Limnos is viticulture with Kalambaki as the oldest vine variety on the island. Other traditional cultures are foulia (small groundnuts), lupines (type of pulses) and fava beans from Limnos, called afkos (coming from vetches). Local people also cultivate Limnos’ Mavragani (a type of wheat), beans, the local small chickpeas, the local tomatoes and klossaggoura (small egg-shaped cucumbers).
