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5 plants worth knowing

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is almost entirely mountainous – over 90% of its territory lies above 1,500 m, in the ranges of the Tian Shan and the Pamir-Alay. Dark spruce forests grow on the northern slopes, with junipers higher up and vast alpine meadows (jailoo) where herds graze in summer. In the south-west, in the valleys above the Fergana Valley, the world’s largest wild walnut and fruit forests have survived.

Hover over a plant to see on the map where it grows.

where it grows

  1. Common walnut 1

    tree

    Common walnut

    Juglans regia

    Arslanbob is home to the world’s largest natural walnut forest – planted, legend says, at the bidding of the Prophet.
  2. Schrenk’s spruce 2

    tree

    Schrenk’s spruce

    Picea schrenkiana

    Soaring Tian Shan spruces clothe the valleys above Issyk-Kul, creating a landscape reminiscent of the Alps.
  3. Himalayan pencil juniper 3

    tree

    Himalayan pencil juniper

    Juniperus semiglobosa

    Ala-Archa National Park near Bishkek takes its name from this juniper – it means “motley archa” in Kyrgyz.
  4. Apricot 4

    crop

    Apricot

    Prunus armeniaca

    In July Batken smells of apricots – dried fruit from this region ends up in bazaars all over Central Asia and Russia.
  5. Sea buckthorn 5

    shrub

    Sea buckthorn

    Hippophae rhamnoides

    Orange sea buckthorn thickets by Issyk-Kul yield berries that Kyrgyz people turn into juice, oil and a famous tea.