Flora of Kamchatka

Flora of Kamchatka numbers 90 families, more than 300 genera, and more than 1300 species.
Erman’s birch tree, also called “a stone birch” is the most wide spread tree in Kamchatka’s forests. Larch, Fir, and Pine grow only in the Milkovsky, Bystrynsky districts, and on the North. In autumn ash trees and hawthorn give all shades of red to Kamchatka’s forests. In the flood-lands of the river poplars, alders, chosenia, and some species of willow grow.

Kamchatka is rich in berries. The most valuable and favorite among citizens of Kamchatka are edible, tasty, and healthy honeysuckle. The population of Kamchatka stores up for the winter great bilberry, mountain cranberry, and rowan-berry. In the forest there is currant, strawberry, and in the tundra Arctic bramble, cloudberry, and slaking black crowberry.

Of all Kamchatka’s forest species elfin cedar deserves a special attention. The nuts from its cones are not so big as of Siberian cedar, but also very healthy; they are intensively picked and used in food.
Kamchatka’s flowers are not so big and bright as the Southern ones, But they gladden the eye with their abundance and many-colouresness. In the end of June everything becomes blue when irises are in bloom. In July the Underwood and the bushes along the roads become pink with the bloom of dog-rose. In August all around is covered with the carpet of violet-red Chamerion. In the mountains one can admire the view of golden and Kamchatksky pink rhododendrons and even find the edelweiss.

Sedges, pearl millet slipper, crump, and other grasses are included into the List of Protected Plunts (Red Book) of Russian Federation. Kamchatka hazel grouse, trillium, 3 species of Rhododendrons, Rhodiola rose belong to the rare and specially protected plants. Exceptionally rare insectivorous plant pinguicula and untricularia also grow on the peninsula.