Collection
Live Plant
In the live plant collections, the area visitable by the public, plants are distributed in ecological groups simulating the natural habitat where the species live. These collections can be divided into two large groups:
- Wild flora, which includes Balearic, Macaronesian, and other Mediterranean island floras or their continental areas of influence
- Flora related to human activity, which contains a collection of ornamental plants for Mediterranean gardens, medicinal plants, and a genetic reserve of traditional varieties of fruit trees and vegetables from the Balearic Islands.
With this collection, a space of diversity has been created in which we find more than 642 taxa of Balearic flora, 167 taxa of flora from other Mediterranean islands, 174 taxa of Canary Island flora, 218 taxa of medicinal flora, and more than 137 varieties of Balearic Flora.
Refugi de la Flora dels Torrents
Flora de Litoral rocós
Col·leccions de reserva
Flora d'alzinar
Flora de muntanya
Flora d'aigua dolça
Flora canària
Flora d'altres illes
Flora d'altres illes
Zona ornamental
Flora medicinal
Fruites i hortalisses
Fruites i hortalisses
Balearic Flora
The Botanical Garden houses various terraces, each designed to recreate the different habitats of Balearic flora. These plant terraces offer a journey through the most characteristic natural environments of the Islands, from humid areas to rocky coasts and mountains.
Refuge of Stream Flora
This is one of the shadiest terraces in the Garden, which makes it ideal for species that grow in stream beds and mouths or in shady mountain areas. The species here have adapted to the coolness that is maintained even during the hottest months of the Mediterranean summer.
Among the notable plants, we find the chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus), which can be found in the streams of the Serra de Tramuntana and the Llevant mountains in Mallorca or on the coasts of Menorca, as well as the oleander (Nerium oleander), which in the Balearic Islands is only found naturally in the Santa Eulària stream, in Ibiza. There are also other emblematic species such as myrtle (Myrtus communis) and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), which often form living hedges on the margins of streams.
Although the Balearic Islands do not have true riparian forests, some tree species adapt by seeking underground water. Among them are the white poplar (Populus alba), the narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia), and the field elm (Ulmus minor), which, despite possibly being introduced by humans, form well-adapted communities.
Rocky Coastal Flora
Rocky coastal species have developed unique adaptations to survive in habitats exposed to sea salt and wind. In the strip closest to the sea, salt carried by the wind creates extreme conditions for plants. Here, we find species such as the rock samphire (Crithmum maritimum), the sea lavenders (Limonium sp.), prickly plants like Launaea cervicornis, or the sea ragwort (Senecio varicosus).
In areas more battered by the wind, but with less salt influence, cushion-like spiny communities can be found, such as Lotus fulgurans, Anthyllis hystrix, and Femeniasia balearica. These plants reduce their surface area exposed to wind to avoid water loss and protect themselves from herbivores thanks to their spinescence.
MARJADA 3
Coming soon
Holm Oak Forest Flora
At the beginning of the 20th century, when the modernist building that now houses the Science Museum was built, various emblematic trees were planted. Two of these trees are still on the terrace and are testimonies to the old Ca’n Prohom estate.
The most notable is the magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), a species native to the southeastern United States. The variety present in the Garden is the ‘Galissonnière’ cultivar known for its cold resistance and the ferruginous color of its leaves. There is also the crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) native to China, which blooms in summer and is characterized by its smooth bark.
The four holm oaks present on this terrace are a sample of the different Balearic phenotypes of the species (Quercus ilex) that forms the typical landscape of our holm oak forests.
Mountain, Rupicolous, Scrubland, and Thyme Flora
This terrace, formerly used for apple cultivation, was the first to allow the design of elevated volumes and structures characteristic of the Sóller Botanical Garden. This design creates specific microhabitats that allow recreating the natural conditions of various species. The structures of margins and rockeries, with different orientations and substrates, facilitate the creation of spaces of sun, shade, drought, and humidity, adapted to the ecological needs of each plant.
On this terrace, you can find a great variety of typical maquis flora, such as the wild olive, mastic, or dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis), as well as the flora of garrigues and ravines, where rosemary, Phlomis italica, or reed stand out. Additionally, there is an interesting representation of mountain flora, with species such as Astragalus balearicus and Teucrium balearicum, as well as areas with scrubland and thyme, which represent rich heliophilous vegetation, with aromatic plants such as thyme, lavender, or broom. Finally, rupicolous species, adapted to grow in rock crevices, such as Brassica balearica, Hippocrepis balearica, and Helichrysum ambiguum, find an ideal place to thrive on this terrace.
Freshwater, Sandy Coastal, and Fern Flora
In the Balearic Islands, freshwater wetlands are very specific habitats. When water remains impounded, communities like duckweed (Lemna minor) appear, and where there is considerable water flow, species such as narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia), yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus), Cladium mariscus, Carex hispida, water plantain (Alisma lanceolata), etc. can be found. Otherwise, when the soil is moist but the water level fluctuates, rushes, mints, and a series of plants resistant to the temporality of their ecosystem appear.
The humid environments provided by springs, underground cave mouths, the shadiest rock crevices, and even the holes in dry stone walls of our steep mountains constitute a very favorable habitat for ferns. This same habitat is recreated in this terrace to accommodate most of the ferns of the islands.
In the Balearic Islands, there are 17 fern genera distributed in more than 40 species, within which we have a considerable number of endemic hybrids, formed precisely in these humid, cool, and well-drained environments.
In the Balearic sandy coast, the beaches and the few remaining dune extensions are sand accumulations formed by sediments that the sea deposits on the coast and which are subsequently transported by the wind. The plants that live in these places have adapted, throughout their evolution, to conditions of extreme drought, as rainwater quickly filters into the sandy soil.
Psammophilous vegetation (psammos=sand and philous=friend) is characterized by having a rigid and spiny habit, with whitish-looking leaves and a great development of the root system which, on the one hand, serves to fix itself among the mobile sand and, on the other, to reach the moister levels of the soil. Such is the case of the sea holly (Eryngium maritimum) or the sea bindweed (Calystegia soldanella).
From the sea shore and towards the interior, once the first dune strip is crossed, we find vegetation more protected from the wind and with a soil much richer in humus and nutrients. The species are more shrubby and woody, such as white daphne (Thymelaea velutina), or the steppes accompanied by tree vegetation, such as juniper (Juniperus phoenicea) or pine (Pinus halepensis), which in the collections we have used to plant the ceciliae variety.
Flora of the Canary Islands
The endemic flora of the Canary Islands reflects the geological age of these islands.
Leaf and fruit fossils found in the Mediterranean, also in the Balearic Islands, specifically in the mountains surrounding the Sóller valley, correspond to a species that currently is only found in the Canary Islands, Madeira and Azores. These fossils date from the Miocene and Pliocene periods of the tertiary era and are up to 20 million years old!!
During these periods, Mediterranean vegetation was very similar to the laurel forest communities that currently remain in the Canary Islands.
Thus, we know that many Canary Islands plants have their origin and closest relatives in the Mediterranean. For this reason, in a conservation garden of Mediterranean island flora and to better understand the complexity of the biogeographic relationships of the species that compose it, it is essential to integrate into the Garden a small sample of what could have been, 20 million years ago, the flora of our islands.
The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean very close to the Tropic of Cancer and more than 2,000 km from the Balearic Islands. This archipelago is formed by seven larger volcanic islands. They have a subtropical climate with few precipitation conditioned by winds, highlighting the trade winds that are moderate but constant, which cause the well-known sea of clouds through their condensation. These factors, along with the sporadic occurrence of heavy rainfall and the rugged orography, determine the existence of a wide variety of microclimates that give rise to a great variety of habitats with marked north and south differences.
The term Macaronesia (Makaro=happy, nesias=islands) means “fortunate islands” and refers to the set of Atlantic archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, Salvajes, Canary Islands and Cape Verde) as well as a small part of the African continent (southern Morocco and Sahara) where many closely related and related species also live.
The Canary Islands archipelago is the one with the greatest floristic richness, with about 1,860 species of which 521 (28%) are endemic.
The Canary Islands are divided into two phytogeographic units, the eastern islands (Lanzarote and Fuerteventura) and the western islands (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Palma). The eastern islands are the driest, while the western islands are more influenced by trade winds, a fact that produces a wide range of microclimates that are manifested in the development of different vegetation zones. The Canary Islands flora collection that you can see in the JBS is distributed in different rockeries that represent the following habitats:
Basal Level (0-300 (400) meters above sea level)
Dry and warm climate with high insolation and low rainfall. Comprises the following communities:
- Coastal: species living in sandy soils, with sea salt influence.
- Cardonal-tabaibal: community of succulent shrubs such as cardones (Euphorbia canariensis), tabaibas (Euphorbia balsamifera and Euphorbia obtusifolia), verode (Kleina neriifolia), wild incense (Artemisia thuscula) and cornical (Periploca laevigata).
- Thermophilic forest: constitutes a transition forest strip between the basal level and the upper montane level of pine and juniper forests. Species of Mediterranean and North African origin such as Pistacia atlantica and Juniperus phoenicea or endemic species like the Canary palm (Phoenix canariensis) and dragon tree (Dracaena draco).
Montane Level (400-1800 meters above sea level)
North and Northeast Orientation: humid and cool climate, of oceanic character, where the following forests are found:
- Laurisilva: basically arboreal, perennial, shady and thermophilic formation. Characterized by 18 tree species that can exceed 20-30 m in height and a rather poor shrub layer constituted basically by ferns such as Woodwardia radicans.
- Fayal-brezal: located in transition zones between laurisilva and pine forest formations. Characterized by typical species Myrica faya (faya), Ilex canariensis (holly), Erica arborea (heather) and Erica scoparia subsp. platycodon (yew) among others.
- Pine forest: Canary pine (Pinus canariensis) forests with an understory of Cistus monspeliensis, Cistus symphytifolius and Chamaecytisus proliferus. Located on dry and sunny southern slopes.
- Rupicolous communities: belonging to any vegetation level. Communities that live on cliffs, ravines and steep mountain slopes with fractured surfaces full of fissures, which are generally shady. The most outstanding groups within this community are the Crassulaceae (Aeonium, Monanthes, Aichrysum, Greenovia) and Asteraceae (Sonchus) families.
High Mountain (over 2000 meters above sea level)
Dry climate and high insolation, with strong thermal oscillations. The dominant species are Teide broom (Spartocytisus supranubius) and peak codeso (Adenocarpus viscosus). Associated with these shrubs are other species such as pajonera grass, Descurainia bourgaeana, the red Teide tajinaste, Echium wildpretii, or the Teide wallflower, Erysimum scoparium.
Flora of Other Mediterranean Islands
The Mediterranean islands and their continental areas of influence host around 25,000 species, almost a tenth of the world’s vascular flora; 63% of which are endemic. Of the main Mediterranean island systems, around 10% of species are endemic, sometimes exclusive to a single island or often even exclusive to micro-area populations with a small number of individuals.The largest Mediterranean islands (Mallorca, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, and Cyprus) preserve a mid-Tertiary flora rich in endemisms. These plants, well-adapted to their natural environment, can survive if their habitat is not manipulated. Research on Mediterranean flora diversity, reproductive biology, demography, and cultivation are necessary disciplines to better understand how we can protect it.
In this collection, we also find some species from continental areas of Mediterranean influence such as Tetraclinis articulata, Argania spinosa, among others.
Ornamental Plant Collections for Mediterranean Gardens
This space is dedicated to a wide variety of ornamental plant collections, especially those useful in Mediterranean gardening. One of the most notable collections is the Hans Heidersbach Collection, which brings together species originating from other world regions with Mediterranean climates, such as Australia, South Africa, California, and Chile. Additionally, there are other important collections like cacti and succulents, and a myrtle topiary piece in the shape of the peace symbol.
Among the most notable plant specimens in the garden, the noline, dragon tree, pointed yucca, and an impressive American oak stand out. These centenary trees, together with the palm trees that are over 120 years old, are true botanical jewels of this space.
In addition to the plants, the garden also includes various ornamental elements with great historical and cultural value. One of the most notable is the sundial made with living stone, which not only indicates the true solar time but also the Babylonian, Italic, and even lunar hours during full moon nights. Through the wind rose and weathervane, one can observe the direction of the prevailing wind at any time.
Other unique elements that can be found in the garden include a boot and a mining wagon, as well as the balls of a coal grinding mill that was part of the first electric power plant in Alcudia. A grain mill stone and the neck of a Mallorcan cistern complete the scene, adding a rich layer of history to the experience of walking through this unique garden.
Medicinal Flora
The Earth has been, throughout time, a source of plant resources for its inhabitants. The interaction between plants and humans is present in all cultures, and since the first civilizations, people have used the biodiversity at their disposal to satisfy basic needs such as food, disease cure, tool manufacturing, and even in religious or magical rituals.
It is for this reason that this area includes species from various places in the world, united by the fact of being useful to humanity in the field of medicine and other related sectors. Many of these species contain essential active principles for the manufacture of current medications. Some are part of popular culture, as they have been used by our ancestors as natural remedies.
The life of people depends on plants. Each species has its value; all are singular and unique. Some are useful now, while others may be useful in the future.
Genetic Reserve of Local Fruit and Vegetable Varieties
This area is dedicated to conserving the great diversity of fruit and vegetable varieties traditionally cultivated in the Balearic Islands, many of which are in regression due to abandonment.
The main citrus varieties cultivated in the Sóller valley are preserved. Collections of varieties of pears, cherries, plums, apricots, vines, peaches, and apple trees, all from the Balearic Islands, can also be found. In the orchard area, horticultural varieties are multiplied each season and conserved in the germplasm bank.
Thanks to these genetic reserve areas, a program for characterizing all varieties is developed, with the objective of making them known and disseminating their uses and possibilities, thus encouraging their cultivation.
The aim is to contribute to the conservation of these native or traditional phytogenetic resources that are in danger of extinction.Additionally, this collection has a didactic value, as visitors can obtain practical information about local and ecological fruit and vegetable growing, acquiring agrobiological knowledge about our varieties.
COLLECTIONS museum
COLLECTIONS Garden
“We preserve the diversity of native varieties, patiently selected by our ancestors, so that we do not lose a valuable natural and cultural heritage”
