Plant Safari
There is a truly astonishing variety of plants in Lebanon. It is estimated that there are 2597 species from 124 different families. To find out why Lebanon is so rich in plants follow the link A: Why Lebanon is so important for Biodiversity.
Plants are often very colorful, they do not run away and, with such a huge range in Lebanon, they are a great group to study. They are also found everywhere, so whether you want to get to know your local area’s plants or seek out some special species in more remote areas it can be great fun to go on a plant safari!
The key to a plant safari is identification. There are several good Lebanese flower books for sale see Resources – Books. But remember the country code – do not pick wild flowers, if you need to keep a memory take a picture!
All Lebanese habitats are rich in plants but particularly rich are the Garrigue and Maquis.
To get you started (but remember there are over 2500 species) some of the commonest flowers are illustrated in the following pages. For ease of identification they are grouped according to flower color, with information on when and where you are likely to find them.