Flora and fauna

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Salento is a paradise for botanists. In mid January the first wild flowers start to appear in the fields and gently spread everywhere, along the roadsides, in the cracks of the walls, under the olive trees, on rocky outcrops over the sea, in blaze of colour that becomes more vibrant after every spring shower. In summer the colours change, but do not become any less vivacious. The earth is a striking terracotta colour, and the wide range of greens of the Mediterranean bush, the whiteness of the walls and the varying shades of blue of the sky and sea glistening in the sun create a Mediterranean dream. Autumn is heralded by other species of flowers and is complimented by a rash of wild, succulent berries. Salento plays host to over 1400 different species of flora, which makes it one of the most important botanical regions in Europe, and a quarter of all of Italian flora can be found here. Many of these species are either specific to Salento or blown across the sea from Balkans due to its proximity. Such a wealth of plant species is due to the geographical location of Salento, straddling East and West Mediterranean, and its exceptionally gentle climate. This natural heritage, together with art, history and archaeology, form an integral part of the identity of Salento and its people, as many traditions, legends, food and natural medicinal remedies are based on what nature in Salento offers so generously. In Southern Salento, along the coast between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca, where the marine landscape is characterised by steep limestone cliffs dipping down to the sea, uniquely local species can be found such as Centaurea Leucadea, Centaurea

Nobilis, Aurina Leucadea, and Dianthus Japigycus together with species from the Balkans like Campanula Versicolor and Carum Multiflorum. The Ionian coastline hosts very interesting endemic species like Limonium Japigycum all along its long sandy beeches, where the dunes are covered with Juniperus Oxycedrus. Many species of wild orchids grow in Salento. Some of them, like Orchis Laxiflora,

Ophrys Apifera and Orchis Palustris can only be found in our lagoons and marshlands whereas other kinds of orchids such as Ophrys Lutea and Ophrys Tentheredinifera grow in drier soil. Aside from the wide areas covered with Mediterranean scrub, where the extremely rare Erica Minipuliflora (Apulian heather) is found, you can still find some remains of the huge forests of the past such as the well known ‘Boschetto delle Vallonee' the only grove in western Europe that is composed of Quercus Macropepis.

There are many species of birds to be found in Salento, both native and migratory, which makes our region ideal for bird watching. Among the land based animals there are a lot of types of lizards and Geckoes together with hedgehogs, foxes and stone martens. The fish stock is extremely rich and varied and almost all of the Mediterranean species can be found here with the addition of some exclusive local types.

Salento - History and art - Traditions - Crafts - Food and wine - Land and sea - Towns and cities - Flora and fauna - Climate - Information

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