Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Madeiran geranium
Middle
Pride of Madeira
Right
Giant buttercups
Plants on Madeira
!
Madeiran Geranium
$
Tree Heath
The Madeiran geranium, also
known as cranesbill
(Geranium
maderense)
, has become a popu-
lar garden plant all over Europe
because of its shrubby stature,
feathery leaves and large purple-
veined magenta flowers.
@
Pride of Madeira
Related to heather, and with
similar pink bell-like flowers,
Madeira's tree heaths
(Erica
arborea)
can grow to a quite
prodigious size; a carbonized tree
heath trunk in Madeira's Natural
History Museum
(see p20)
probably lived for several
hundred years. Tree heath
branches are used locally for
fencing and windbreaks.
%
Giant Buttercups
Pride of Madeira
(Echium
candicans)
is almost the island's
symbol. Blooming with an
abundance of long-lasting
powder-blue flower spikes at
exactly the time of year (from
December to March) when other
flowers are shy, it adorns the
island's roadsides, notably around
the airport.
£
Lily-of-the-valley Tree
Madeira's subtropical climate
seems to encourage plants to
turn into giants. Here, Poinsettias
grow 4 m (12 ft) tall, and heaths
are trees rather than shrubs.
This tall shrubby buttercup
(Ranunculus cortusifolia
) is a
very handsome plant that looks
good anywhere.
^
Scented Bay
You could pass this shrub
(Clethra arborea
, or
folhado
in
Portuguese) nine months out of
twelve and not even notice it,
but from August to October it is
a stunner, hung all over with
sweet-smelling clusters of bell-
like flowers of purest white.
The essential flavouring
ingredient in Madeira's national
dish,
espetada
(beef kebabs), is
the scented bay
(Laurus azorica
,
or
loureiro
in Portuguese). It has
aromatic evergreen leaves and
grows abundantly in the wild.
&
Madeiran Juniper
Confusingly called
cedro
(cedar) in Portuguese, the dark
wood of the Madeiran juniper
has a rich patina that can be
readily seen in the knotwork
ceilings of Funchal Cathedral
(see p9)
, Santa Clara Convent
(see p16)
and the church in
Calheta
(see p82)
.
Madeiran juniper
22
