Botany tours

Bulgaria's flora is extremely diverse due to the three types of climate (Continental, Sub-Mediterranean and Steppe) within its borders. There are about 3500 species of vascular plants, 31 of which are endangered. Of the 6500 types of non-vascular, about 250 are endemic and many have indigenous names such as Rodopi tulip and Bulgarian blackberry. In addition to that, there are 2650 plants with medicinal uses and over 200 types of fungi are edible. Surprisingly enough to foreign visitors, Bulgaria occupies the prestigious third place for herb export in the world. Another less known fact is that until recently, the country was giving 70% of the world's supply of rose oil. Roses are still grown in the Valley of Roses extensively and can be enjoyed most of the year.

We are also justifiably proud of the fact that 35% of our country is covered with forests, 60% of which are original. Forests are also protected in the national parks and reserves. These are conifers (Corsican, Scots, Macedonian and white pine, fir, spruce and juniper) predominating in the high mountains of Pirin, Rila and the western Rodopi, and deciduous trees (oak, beech, hornbeam, elm, ash, hazel and lime) in Stara Planina and Sredna Gora and Strandzha. Rila, Pirin and the Rodopi are especially rich in wildflowers, herbs and fungi, including some species that became extinct elsewhere in Europe centuries ago and others that are unique to Bulgaria, such as Astragalus physocalyx, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Haberlea rhodopensis, Prunus laurocerasus, Ramondia sorbica, Rheum rhaponticum and Rhododendron ponticum.