Campanula celsii

IMG_0575 [Campanula celsii]

 

 

801_4869 [Campanula celsii]

Campanula celsii is a biennial plant,

endemic to Attica and some nearby islands.

It grows in crevices and gaps of mountainous rocky slopes

at heights up to 800 meters.

It blooms from April to early July.

 

 

801_4873 [Campanula celsii]

 

A close-up of the flower:

 

It might be looking huge

but actually it hardly ever reaches 3 cm in length.

 

The pictures above were taken on Mt. Hymittos.

 

 

Ceratonia siliqua

803_3590 [Ceratonia siliqua]

 

The picture above shows a tree (called Ceratonia siliqua)

that I don’t see very often but it has attracted my photographic attention.

It is long-lived, evergreen and can become 5-10 m tall.

It originated from the eastern Mediterranean region

but it has gradually spread to the rest of the Mediterranean countries

and even further into Europe.

 

In Greece,

it is mainly found in Attica, in the Peloponnese and in many Aegean islands.

 

Here are some additional pictures

that may be justifying why it attracted my attention.

 

 

IMG_6373 [Ceratonia siliqua]

 Ceratonia’s leaves are deep green and shiny on the top

but underside, they are light-green.

 

 

803_5594 [Ceratonia siliqua]

Its flowers grow and hang from the tree-trunk and from branches.

 

In this picture, the flowers are in their initial stage of development

during September.

 

 

WPVV9109 [Ceratonia siliqua]

As they grow, they look like bunches of grapes!

 

 

803_5578 [Ceratonia siliqua]
 

 A close-up shot of mature flowers.

Ceratonia’s flowers are very small, have no petals, have a heavy smell

and can consist of male, female or both male and female reproduction organs

on the same tree.

 

 

IMG_3633 [Ceratonia siliqua]

 Fertilized flowers turn into fully shaped green fruit (10-30 cm x 1.5-3 cm) …

 

 

803_3596 [Ceratonia siliqua]

 

 

 … and gradually (when ripe) they become dark brown.

 

The process lasts almost a year, from Fall to the end of August!

 

At the age of 25-30 years,

a tree can give about 850 kg of nutritious fruit,

suitable for both animal and human consumption.

 

 

Easter wishes

[Easter wishes 2025]

 

 The text on this Easter card may be “all Greek”

to my non-Greek speaking friends,

so here is an explanatory note to them:

 

“Χριστός Ανέστη” means “Christ has Risen.”

It is the wish-phrase the Greeks wish each other for 40 days

beginning from the moment Jesus’ resurrection is declared by the priest

and joyfully chanted in church at midnight of Holy Saturday to Easter Sunday.

 

“Χρόνια Πολλά” means “May you live for many years”.

It is a wish-phrase we express immediately after “Χριστός Ανέστη”. 

 

So,

Χριστός Ανέστη! Χρόνια Πολλά to you all!

from Tagton

 

 

 

Ophrys tenthredinifera

301_5885 [Ophrys tenthredinifera]

Ophrys tenthredinifera is a diverse but always easily recognizable,

beautiful Mediterranean ophrys.

In Greece,

it is found in brushwood, in open stony areas and in shrub lands

of Central and Southern mainland Greece,

as well as on the islands.

 

It blooms from February to early May

at altitudes up to 1800 m and can be 10-30 cm tall.

Motacilla flava feldegg

304_5278 [Motacilla flava feldegg]

 

This is an elegant, colorful and highly distinctive small bird

widespread in South East Europe.

In Winter they emigrate to tropical Africa.

 

They feed on insects, spiders, worms and the like.

So, they prefer finding their food in damp fields

and in pastures with grazing livestock.

They apparently know that livestock will dislodge insects

from the ground making them more vulnerable to the birds.

 

Length: 17-18 cm

Lifespan: up to 5 years

 

Photographed near the Oropos wetland in Attica.

 

 

Motacilla alba

303_1052 [Motacilla alba]

 

A common European bird that emigrates to southern, warmer, areas in Winter.

 

It is often seen feeding in and around towns

where it nests in recesses, hollows, cracks in walls or in damaged roof bricks.

 

It feeds on insects that it catches on the ground or on roofs

and likes to be near lakes, rivers, reservoirs and canals.

 

When it runs or stands, it constantly moves its tail.

 

It is about 18 cm long and lives up to 5 years.

 

And between you and me … it is one of my favorite birds!!!

 

 

Ophrys basilissa

801_2742 [Ophrys basilissa]

 

A rare Ophrys that was initially considered native to Crete

but was also found on many Aegean islands.

The above picture, however, was taken near the Marathon Lake in Attica.

 

It flowers from late January to early April

on sunny, dry grounds at heights up to 500 m.

 

The name “basilissa” (a Greek word for “queen”)

refers to the large lip of the flower (= almost 3 cm long).

Remember the English expressions ‘king size’ and ‘queen size’? 

 

 

Fritillaria graeca

302_4182 [Fritillaria graeca]

 

This beautiful flower is a perennial plant native to Greece

and more specifically to Central Greece, Attica, Peloponnese, and Evia.

 

It grows on stony grounds on heights of up to 2000 m

and can become about 25 cm tall.

 

Its bell-shaped flowers appear from early Spring to May

and face towards the ground.

 

The picture above was taken on Mt. Himittos.