PlantsMap

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10 plants worth knowing

Türkiye

Turkey is one of the botanical treasure houses of Eurasia: about 12,000 plant species grow here, nearly a third of them endemic. The Mediterranean and Aegean coasts are clothed in maquis and pine forests, the humid slopes above the Black Sea in lush broadleaf forests, while the interior of Anatolia is taken up by dry steppes and mountains. Many wild tulips, hyacinths and the ancestors of cereals come from Anatolia.

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

where it grows

  1. Garden tulip 1

    flower · National flower of Turkey, symbol of the Tulip Era (Lale Devri)

    Garden tulip

    Tulipa gesneriana

    Before tulips conquered the Netherlands, they were the favourite flower of the Ottoman sultans – in Turkey they are still a national symbol.
  2. Common hazel 2

    crop

    Common hazel

    Corylus avellana

    About two thirds of all the hazelnuts in the world come from Turkey’s Black Sea slopes.
  3. Tea plant 3

    crop

    Tea plant

    Camellia sinensis

    Turks drink more tea per head than anyone else in the world – and most of it grows on the terraces of Rize.
  4. Turkish pine 4

    tree

    Turkish pine

    Pinus brutia

    The commonest tree of the Turkish Riviera – its fragrant forests run right down to the azure bays of the Aegean.
  5. Oriental sweetgum 5

    tree

    Oriental sweetgum

    Liquidambar orientalis

    A rare relic from before the ice ages that grows almost exclusively at the south-western tip of Turkey.
  6. Oriental plane 6

    tree

    Oriental plane

    Platanus orientalis

    Ancient plane trees shade the squares of Turkish villages and mosque courtyards, and in Ottoman tradition they symbolised endurance and power.
  7. Apricot 7

    crop

    Apricot

    Prunus armeniaca

    Turkey is the world’s largest producer of apricots, and dried apricots from Malatya end up on tables on every continent.
  8. Fig 8

    crop

    Fig

    Ficus carica

    Dried figs from the Büyük Menderes valley in Aydın are famous worldwide – Turkey is the largest producer of figs.
  9. Pistachio 9

    crop

    Pistachio

    Pistacia vera

    Gaziantep, home of “Antep fıstığı”, is famous for pistachio baklava – the first Turkish product with an EU geographical indication.
  10. Olive 10

    crop

    Olive

    Olea europaea

    Olive groves line Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, and Gemlik olives and Ayvalık olive oil are known throughout the country.