Flowers and plants

 

Flowers and plants in Lapland

In the South of the Lapland mountains  there is interesting flora to be found. A hiker easily sees a variety of plants; herbs and flowers unique to the area. If you’d like to see a gallery of abundant marvellous greenery in one place, the Subarctic Botanical Garden in Hemavan offers an enchanting collection. The Nature Room in Hemavan also does this, to a lesser extent. (Although the nature room is primarily for learning about the wild animals of the area.) In the Summer you may find guided flora tours to join in on.

Alpine plants are not the only exciting attraction. There are also unique plants in the forrests. Here are some recommendations:

Bäcknäs – An orchid place. Between Lycksele and Storuman, three kilometers southeast of the village Bäcknäs, there is a botanical pearl of a location. Here exist plants like grönkulla (Dactylorhiza viridis), heath-spotted orchids, the “Nordic Stormhat” (Aconitum lycoctonum), Arctic starflower, Moneses, and the fantastic orchids norna and cypripedium calceolus. All orchids are protected by law. This means no picking or damaging them.

Fjällripfjället – Is located between Överuman and Gräsvattnet. These are possibly the richest plant establishments in Vindelfjällens Nature Reserve. This mountainside goes 783 meters above sea levels, and is a goldmine of botanical variety.

Linnéträdgården i Gunnarn – Linnéträdgården near Vintertjärn keeps a plant park in honor of Carl Von Linné. Started 2007, Linnéparken i Gunnarn makes a great place to kick back. You will find room for grilling and tables decorated with wonderful roses. The garden contains plants related to Linné, and is especially full of durable plants from a cold subarctic climate.

Mieseken – Is an easy to hike to the mountain, south of Över-Uman near the Norwegian border. Another place to find interesting flora and Sweden’s most southern space to find more subarctic plants.

Rödingnäset – This mountain is two miles from Hemavan, next to the village Rönäs. Here you’ll find sub-arctic meadows and a good amount of the rare and protected orchid “Brudkulla” (Gymnadenia runei).

Varesåsen – Does not only boast lady’s slipper orchid cypripedium calceolus, they also have many of the municipality’s orchids, on top of more plants that love cold temperatures. Varesåsen lies a bit from the E45 to Lövliden, followed by a right to Nästansjö. In the village Lomsjökullen you take another right and follow Nordasjövägen to Varesåsen. Here you will also find alpine strawberries, which are very rare in the wild.

Mullramlet – Is a small canyon-like valley next to the village Djupdal, outside Malgovik in Vilhelmina. Here there are slates that have been worn away att and that way turned into calcium structures . If you’re lucky you might find a trilobite and other fossils. Even if there aren’t many rare plants here, the flora is a rich one.

Fower Mire in Järvsjöby – Go towards Lycksele and Järvsjöby and then turn right towards Djursjöberg. Before djursjöberg you take a right towards Baksjöberg. After ca 2 km you will find Blomstermyran (The flower mire) north of the road. Here you will find most of the municipality’s saxifrag Saxifraga hirculus. A good time to visit Blomstermyran is in the middle or late period of july. The mire glows gold from all its flowers.

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