A very special feature of Israel’s landscape is the richness and variety of its flora, especially wildflowers. Despite Israel’s tiny area, it has about 2500 species, compared with only 1500 species in the British Isles that are more than ten times larger in area.
In the period between mid-January and mid-April, wildflowers bloom in a variety of shapes and colors that will amaze and overwhelm your senses. But also, before this period, starting in September and after it, up to May, you can find wildflowers if you know where to look for them.
There are many existing articles about this subject on the web that give you famous spots to view wildflowers. The problem with this approach is that this natural wonder is very time-sensitive. The same flower has its peak bloom at different periods in different regions of the country. Each week the most attractive places to view flowers can change. Having real-time updated information will make the difference between a “nice” experience and an overwhelming one!!
For more in-depth information we highly recommend the Israeli “Encyclopedia” for Wildflowers. Here you can find:
- A detailed description of each flower.
- Blooming Season and location.
- what is blooming now?
If you happened to visit Israel during the blooming season don’t miss this unique experience.
The most striking regions with diversity and density of wildflowers bloom are the hills of the Lower Galilee in the North & the Judean plains in the center. However, there are many exceptions of specific followers that appear in different regions at specific periods.
To give you a taste of what you can expect if you come to the right spot at the right time, we give you a shortlist of the main flowers you are likely to find:
Anemone
- Blooming period: January-April.
- Hebrew Name: Kalanit – derived from the Hebrew word for bride “KALA” referring to its beauty.
- Typical Regions: Almost all. More common in the north, center, and the northwestern Negev.
- Colors: The most common color is red, but can be found also in white, pink, purple, and blue.
- In some locations can appear in large and impressive “carpets”
Cyclamen
- Blooming period: October – April.
- Hebrew Name: Rakefet – derived from the Arab name “Rakaf”.
- Typical Regions: Hilly and rocky areas in the north and central mountains.
- Colors: Pink, White, and Purple.
- In some locations can appear in large and impressive “carpets”
Lupine
- Blooming period: February – April.
- Hebrew Name: Turmus.
- Typical Regions: Golan Heights, Galilee, Judean Plains.
- Colors: Purple.
- In some locations can appear in large and impressive “carpets”
Tulip
- Blooming period: February – April.
- Hebrew Name: Tzivoni.
- Typical Regions: Golan Heights, Galilee, coastline, Samaria, Judean Plains
- Colors: Red.
- Relatively hard to spot. Usually appears in small sparse groups
Iris
- Blooming period: February – April.
- Hebrew Name: Irus.
- There are 16 different Iris species in Israel. Most of them are typical for a specific area. Some of them are among the biggest and most impressive of Israel’s wildflowers
- Relatively hard to spot. Usually appears in small sparse groups
As mentioned this is just a teaser. There are dozens of different beautiful flowers. Some appear almost everywhere, and some are very rare and are limited to a very specific area and period.
