A Spring Walk in Lanzarote
The Different Island is a place of truth: the truth found in its philosophy of life, the truth of its natural surroundings. So, if you’ve ever wondered whether plant life can exist on this land buried by volcanic ash, the answer is absolutely yes – a rich and varied flora that also features unique native species found nowhere else on the planet. Join us on this spring walk, when the volcano is coloured by vegetation and its beauty, intact but different, strikes again. You’ve never seen anything like it.
Sunrise among volcanoes
If you wake up in your unique accommodation with views of the malpaís (volcanic landscape) covered with moss, verodes (Kleinia neriifolia), tabaibas (Euphorbia balsamifera) or cardoncillos (Ceropegia fusca), you’ll think you’re witnessing a miracle. But, once you start getting to know Lanzarote, you’ll understand that the miracle is, simply, that spring has come to the Different Island.
Because this territory is also renowned for its exceptional botany with 700 species of different flowers and ferns that, with just a little rain, green the countryside and colour the landscape. You should definitely take advantage of these weeks since the flowering of these botanical treasures is an ephemeral phenomenon.
Where it all began
For example, imagine the hard work native plants undertake to be born and make their way in the scorched earth of Timanfaya 300 years ago. Researcher Ignacio Romero explains that lichens and houseleeks were the first species to make their way through the volcanic cracks. Arriving thousands, and in some cases millions of years ago, carried in by the wind or the sea, they adapted and became exceptional due to the disappearance of the rest of the species outside the island. In any case, their uniqueness is marked by the volcanic origin of the soil, the island nature and the geographical latitude. What’s more, the low altitude (671 meters maximum altitude on the island) has determined the existence of an ecosystem called the tabaibal.
Famara, queen of endemic species
Famara, a paradise for lovers of water sports due to its endless beach, is also a paradise for botany lovers. In fact, the massif that crowns the northern coast of Lanzarote, nourished by the clouds brought by the trade winds, is home to the largest number of botanical endemisms per square kilometre in Europe. The houseleek (Aeonium) is abundant on its cliffs, while Famara gives its name to numerous endemic plants, such as Echium famarae (our Famara tajinaste) or Argyranthemum maderense (the Madeira marguerite or Famara daisy).
The Valley of a Thousand Palms
The name Valle de las Mil Palmeras refers to the thermophilic forest of the Phoenix canariensis palm, a very rare species that grows above 400 meters in the municipality of Haría. As soon as you set foot in this municipality you will understand why César Manrique chose to spend the last years of his life there, exchanging his busy life as an international artist for the peace and natural green landscape, so different from the rest of the island. Surely it was the landscapes of prickly pear cacti that have populated the northern villages of Mala and Guatiza since the 19th century that inspired Manrique to create the Cactus Garden, one of his last great interventions bringing together art and nature. The space houses some 4,500 specimens of cacti of 450 different species from all over the world.
Adaptation to the environment
Our tour aims to meet the essence of Lanzarote through its flora. Everything fits in this tortuous but perfect natural reflection of local idiosyncrasy. It is evident that the plants that sprout in the arid landscape are the product of adaptation to the environment. The same happens, in parallel, in the agricultural world, where the hand of the farmer came to tame the obstacles of nature through primary activity, resulting in unusual landscapes such as La Geria, designed to mitigate the effect of wind and drought on the grapevines.
For its part, the region of El Jable, which is an ecosystem of marine soil four kilometres wide, hosts endemic flora and fauna and species that produce crops like no others in the world. To enjoy this small miracle at your leisure, we suggest a route along the line of volcanoes of Soo, in the Natural Park of the Chinijo Archipelago, where you’ll find the jable star onion (Androcymbium psammophilum) and the common ice plant, known locally as barrilla (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), from which soaps and dyes are obtained.
Symbol of sustainability
Human activity on the island shares with its flora a unique and fragile ecosystem that has remained intact for centuries. Environmental awareness has turned Lanzarote into a world benchmark for sustainability. One of the priorities of sustainable development is precisely the conservation of native fauna and flora against threats such as invasive species or climate change.
As if all the above were not enough, it is sufficient to contemplate the humble beauty of the native flora: the joy of the Famara daisy, the simplicity of the Arabian pea, the exuberance of the red tinderbox or the elegance of the Lanzarote bugloss (Echium lancerottense). It is impossible not to recognize in them the essence of Lanzarote, its pure and honest nature, its grandeur.
What you should keep in mind:
If you have decided to set out to discover Lanzarote in bloom, remember that 40% of its territory has some form of environmental protection: special protection area for birds, site of geological interest, natural monument or site of scientific interest.
Try to be aware of the signs on the roads and farms; under no circumstances leave the marked path to avoid stepping on nesting or protected species; always carry a bag with you to avoid leaving waste behind you, especially soda cans, deadly to insects and reptiles, and plastic, that pollutes the sea; and as far as possible, try not to contribute to noise pollution, so detrimental to the fauna of these ecosystems.
If you respect these indications, your walk will be much more authentic and rewarding.
