 May is a fabulous time to walk, cycle or drive through these mountains as roadside verges, pastures and scrubland turn glorious colours with a varied selection of wild flowers. The springtime rains have ensured a vivid display and many plants compete for space in a hurry to flower and set their seeds before the ground dries out during the summer months. Hillsides can turn yellow with shrubby Retama, whereas the many meadows are a tapestry of pastel shades brimming with annuals.
YELLOW
 LEFT: Yellow Retama RIGHT: Spanish Broom Yellow Retama (Retama (Lygos) sphaerocarpa)Small yellow flowers cover this large (2 to 3metres) broom like shrub at this time of year. As it is non palatable and quite invasive it can turn a hillside yellow as it bursts into flower. The small, hairy leaves soon fall from the many fine branches giving this upright plant a dense but wispy appearance. It prefers a dry habitat and will take over rough pastures if left unchecked, where it forms good thickets for small bird and insect life. Flowering time is April to June to and its distribution covers Portugal, Southern Spain and North Africa. Spanish broom (Spartium junceum)Sweetly scented, bright yellow pea type flowers top this tall shrub. The many branches are rush like (cylindrical) and dark green forming a wide open top on a woody base. It carries few, very small leaves. It can be seen at roadsides where it may have been planted for decoration and naturally occurs on dry scrub slopes and in open woodland. Flowering sporadically at first from March continuing into July. Its distribution covers much of the Mediterranean area. WHITE LEFT: Crambe filiformis RIGHT: Omphalodes commutata
Crambe filiformis
Multiple minute flowers cluster on extremely fine branches to around 1metre. Each individual flower is made up of just four tiny white petals. All together it creates a frothy top to a spindly stem, where the leaves form a clump at the base. These can be seen at roadsides, rocky slopes and in open scrub, flowering from April to June. It can be found in Southern Spain and North Africa.
Omphalodes commutata
This is a small plant with white flowers on finely branched stems. Broad, silvery blue leaves clasp the stem at the base. They can be found in groups in rocky crevices in the mountains of Southern Spain and North West Africa, flowering from April until June. A similar flower, Crambe linifolia, has finer leaves and can be found in lower areas.
LEFT: White Flax RIGHT: St Bernard's Lilly
White Flax (Linum suffruticosum)
Delicate white mounds can form when this plant is in full bloom. Its height depends on the surrounding vegetation and maybe 25 to 50cm with many flowerless stems bulking out the domed shape. Rather than pure white, the centre can give a purple tone, and nearby perhaps a completely cream coloured version. The furled buds are a yellow / cream colour and the many leaves are extremely fine. Found in dry rocky areas and on grassy banks. Flowering from April to July with a distribution across Central and Southern Spain towards NW Italy.
St Bernard's Lilly (Anthericum baeticum)
Nodding starry white flowers on delicate stems can be easily overlooked if there are just one or two, but are very attractive when a thin carpet of them forms. The blooms are openly spaced on the scape and have drooping filaments from a green cone-like centre. The long narrow leaves lie across the ground. This particular species is endemic to the Betic mountain range and flowers April to June. Seen on dry rocky banks or grassy areas that are damp through the winter.
PINK
LEFT: Western Iberian Peony RIGHT: Byzantine Gladiolus
Western Iberian Peony (Paeonia broteroi)
These incredibly showy bright pink blooms look to me to be out of place on the mountainsides, perhaps being more at home in a garden planting scheme. Each spring the attractive shiny green, cut leaves form a small bush and the globular pink flowers open to around 12cm. The buds are often attacked by beetles causing a lot of damage to the unopened flowers. The seed heads of this plant are very showy in the autumn when they split to reveal pinky-red and black seeds. Seen on open or sparsely covered mountainsides and in light woodland, flowering from April to July depending on altitude. Found in Spain and Portugal.
Byzantine Gladiolus (Gladiolus communis subsp byzantinus)
Approximately 10 to 20 more magenta pink flowers are spaced along a tall spike up to 1metre in height. The lower three tepals may have pale central markings edged with purple. The leaves are sword shaped and upright. Flowering from April to June in dry grassy habitats, scrubland and meadows, found in Southern Spain and North Africa.
 LEFT: Purple Phlomis RIGHT: Snapdragon
Purple Phlomis (Phlomis purpurea)
This is a medium sized shrubby plant (maximum to 2m) with flowers that are more often pink in our area than purple which the name suggests. (Occasionally white forms are seen). The flowers are in a circular whorl clasping the stem, opening on different tiers. The individual flowers are hairy as are the stems and leaves. The underside of the leaves are covered in a white felt. They flower from April to June on rocky slopes, scrubland, roadsides and field boundaries. Distribution covers Southern Portugal, Central and Southern Spain.
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
This bright pink snapdragon is a robust and upright growing perennial which can reach 1.5 metres in height. It may vary slightly in leaf structure and the flowers can have either a white or yellow palate as its distribution covers much of the Mediterranean area, thought to be spreading to the east from cultivated plants. It grows just as happily from cracks in buildings as on field borders, cliffs and roadside edges, flowering from April through the summer.
BLUE
LEFT: Large Blue Alkanet RIGHT: Borage
Large Blue Alkanet (Anchusa azurea)
Striking bright blue flowers with a white centre and rounded petals adorn this multi-branched, spindly plant which can reach 1metre in height. Individual flowers may be 10 to 20mm in width. The basal leaves taper to a point, these and the stems are covered in bristles. It occurs at roadside verges, within cultivated fields on waste ground and in olive groves from March to June with a widespread distribution.
Borage (Borago officinalis)
These hanging starry blue flowers have a very prominent dark pointed centre made up of anthers, which makes them easy to recognise. (There is also a white form). The large, rounded basal leaves and the stems are covered in bristles. This herb is often grown for decoration as well as on a commercial scale for its oil rich seeds. It can be seen on verges, on wasteland and in dry fields. It flowers from March to June and enjoys a widespread distribution.
ORCHIDS
 LEFT: Bee Orchid RIGHT: Sawfly Orchid
Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)
This orchid is usually tall and elegant (to 50cm) with up to 15 flowers per spike – though often less. The outer two sepals end in points which angle downwards, their colour may be bright pink to purple, seldom white and always with a green central stripe. The main lip is brownish in colour and divided into 3 lobes, the main central one turns under at the base the outer two are short. Flowering from April to May in meadows, woodland clearings, damp areas and scrubland with a wide distribution.
Sawfly Orchid (Ophrys tenthredinifera)
This is a short to medium orchid, up to around 45cm tall though frequently around 20cm. The outer sepals vary from bright pink to purple and occasionally white, they are oval in shape. The main lip is often brownish and squared in shape with a yellow margin that ends in a tiny tip which turns upwards. Flowering in April and May in scrubland, olive groves, stony hillsides and roadside verges. Found in the Iberian peninsular and North Africa towards Turkey.
 LEFT: Lax Orchid RIGHT: Lange's Orchid
Lax orchid (Orchis laxiflora)
This is a medium height orchid with a dark stem and purple flowers (white forms occur occasionally). The two upper petals form a loose hood along with the central sepal. The main lip is only slightly 3 lobed and has a white centre. The spur pointing out behind the flower is virtually straight and might end with two small lobes. This orchid grows in damp, marshy areas and stream sides, sometimes in large groups. Flowering from March to May with a widespread distribution.
Lange's Orchid (Orchis langei)
This species can be found in purple, pink or white colour forms, often in mixed groups. The spike is of medium height and the flowers openly spaced out. Some have spots on the central lip, but not all. The central lip is cut into 3 lobes with an obvious backwards curve in the centre, often described to be like a 'sheep's nose'. The spur which points out from behind the flower is slightly up curved and thickens towards the tip. Flowering from April to June on roadside verges, woodland clearings, scrubland and rocky hillsides.
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