Namaqualand is part of the Succulent Karoo and is an arid region of South Africa and Namibia. An estimated 3500 plant species that live in this dry place with around 1000 being endemic to the Namaqualand. The early Spring brings the South African daisy season, a very short period that transforms this arid land into an incredible rainbow of colours. Namaqua National Park resides inside Namaqualand and is one of the best places to see the spectacular spring flower displays and also conserves some of the world’s richest succulent.
Username: KisuKotha Published on 2024-11-25 05:35:44 ID NUMBER: 125692
The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth. According to the Encyclopaedia of Earth, there are around 550 species of plants living in the Atacama Desert with over 60% being endemic.
Early in 2015, the Atacama Desert received a significant amount of rain, seven years worth of rain fell in twelve hours. Sadly as a result of the storm, people were killed, and thousands were left homeless.
The unusual amount of rain caused death and destruction, but it also gave life. Spring 2015 saw the usually dry and desolate looking landscape transform into a bright and vibrant landscape of pinks and purples.
The Pink Cistanthe grandiflora and hundreds of other flowering species emerged in a rare display called “Desierto Florido” or ” Flowering Desert”.
By the end of 2015, the desierto florido was over, and the landscape returned to its usual state.
The Californian Poppy is native to the US and Mexico and is the official state flower of California. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is a 1745 acre reserve that turns into a sea of orange during peak flowering season.
The dominant flower, of course, is the Californian Poppy but also you can see flowers such as the Purple Lupine, Goldfields, Owl Clover, redstem filaree and much more
California state parks exclude grazing from livestock, and it does not water or stimulate the flowers in any way, the Reserve remains in its natural state. Every single flower in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is protected, picking them is prohibited.
Namaqualand is part of the Succulent Karoo and is an arid region of South Africa and Namibia. An estimated 3500 plant species that live in this dry place with around 1000 being endemic to the Namaqualand. The early Spring brings the South African daisy season, a very short period that transforms this arid land into an incredible rainbow of colours. Namaqua National Park resides inside Namaqualand and is one of the best places to see the spectacular spring flower displays and also conserves some of the world’s richest succulent.
Less than an hour’s drive, Northwest of London you will find the Ashridge Estate, which is now owned by the UK National Trust. The Ashridge Estate is a 5000-acre property and is one of the best places in the world to see living carpets of the Common Bluebell. According to the National Trust property manager, Graeme Cannon, the UK has between 25 to 50 percent of the world’s population of Bluebells. The first shoots of the Bluebells appear in January, and the flowers bloom for a very short period from April to May. Unfortunately, the Native Bluebell is now being threatened by not only people but also the Spanish Bluebell, which produces little to no scent compared to the Common Bluebell.
A common sight in some parts of Texas are the Indian Paintbrushes and Texas Bluebonnets. The Texas Bluebonnet is a biennial plant endemic to Texas and is also the chosen State flower (includes five species of the Lupinus). Only a small portion of Texas has the prime soil and climate for the Bluebonnets so the best place to start would be Ennis, Texas, the official Bluebonnet city of Texas and the best time of year is between Mid-March and Mid-April. Apart from their great looks, the Bluebonnets are natural fertilisers by improving levels of nitrogen in the soil which is needed for most crops and grass for livestock.
The Indian Paintbrush is also known as the Texas Paintbrush and a few other paintbrush names, they are a red to orange colour and Bloom time is from March to May. The flowers of the Indian Paintbrush were often consumed by the Native American’s as a side dish with fresh greens as well as many other uses such as a treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, immune system enhancer and treatment for rheumatism. However, they can be potentially toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed.
Talk to any French farmer and they will most likely tell you that the poppies you see throughout France during late spring are an invasive weed. Although it may appear that French farmers are growing this poppy in their fields as a crop, they are not. The only species of Poppy to be grown as a crop on a large scale would be the Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) used in making morphine, codeine and illegal drugs, but it’s illegal to cultivate in most developed countries.
Castelluccio di Norcia is a beautiful little town, well known for its lentil’s and situated in the Mount Sibillini National Park. Between late May and early July (depending on weather), you will find the plateau near Mount Vettore transform into a rainbow bursting with colours.
The flowers are a mixture of lentils but also you may see narcissuses, buttercups, violets, poppies, Eugenia’s violet’s, oxalis, clovers and much more. Each year the plain’s erupt in entirely different colours, you cannot predict which flowers will be the dominant colour or species.
Switzerland has over 60,000 kilometres of well maintained and historic walking tracks span the Swiss Alps with tracks suiting all hikers. From Mid-June to Mid-August the lush valleys and mountain fields explode into a myriad of wildflower colours. Even if you miss the fields of flowers, you will not be disappointed with what the Swiss Alps have to share with you. Your eyes will give you a hug (not literal) for indulging them in the huge variety of wildflower colours, from blue, to purple, yellow to pink, green to white and all many more shades.
A few of the Alpine flowers are endangered, much more are protected, and a couple of them are poisonous! So follow the Swiss Alp’s national park motto: Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints on marked trails! While you explore the pristine wilderness, you may see a few flowers including Orchids, Gentians, Daisies, Rhododendron’s, Bell-flowers, buttercups, Saxifraga, Alpine rock Jasmine and of course, Switzerland’s national flower the Edelweiss. (plus a whole lot more!)
Western Australia is the place to see in Australia for flower lovers. Western Australia is home to over 12,000 species of flowers with sixty percent of these flowers can only be found here. Everlastings are native to Western Australia where they carpet massive areas of the countryside, roadsides and gardens during the spring. Kings Park in Perth is an excellent place to see a lot of Western Australia’s native flowers, including the Everlastings and the park, is located very close to the city, perfect for a day trip.
Everlastings are very hardy and adaptable and can spring up anytime the conditions suit. Flowering period lasts 4 to 10 weeks and the best time to see these beautiful fields of flowers in the wild is between August and November. Check out our Australian Wildflowers for more.
Namaqualand is part of the Succulent Karoo and is an arid region of South Africa and Namibia. An estimated 3500 plant species that live in this dry place with around 1000 being endemic to the Namaqualand. The early Spring brings the South African daisy season, a very short period that transforms this arid land into an incredible rainbow of colours. Namaqua National Park resides inside Namaqualand and is one of the best places to see the spectacular spring flower displays and also conserves some of the world’s richest succulent.
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surface area.[9] With nearly 1.4 billion people as of 2021, it accounts for about 18% of the world's human population. Africa's population is the youngest among all the continents;[10][11] the median age in 2012 was 19.7, when the worldwide median age was 30.4.[12] Based on 2024 projections, Africa's population will reach 3.8 billion people by 2099.[13] Africa is the least wealthy inhabited continent per capita and second-least wealthy by total wealth, ahead of Oceania. Scholars have attributed this to different factors including geography, climate,[14] corruption,[14] colonialism, the Cold War,[15][16] and neocolonialism. Despite this low concentration of wealth, recent economic expansion and a large and young population make Africa an important economic market in the broader global context. Africa has a large quantity of natural resources and food resources, including diamonds, sugar, salt, gold, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum, natural gas, cocoa beans, and tropical fruit.
Africa
# Country Population
(2024) Land Area
(Km²) Density
(P/Km²)
1 Nigeria 232,679,478 910,770 255
2 Ethiopia 132,059,767 1,000,000 132
3 Egypt 116,538,258 995,450 1174 Democratic Republic of the Congo 109,276,265 2,267,050 48
5 Tanzania 68,560,157 885,800 77
6 South Africa 64,007,187 1,213,090 53
7 Kenya 56,432,944 569,140 99
8 Sudan 50,448,963 1,765,048 29
9 Uganda 50,015,092 199,810 250
10 Algeria 46,814,308 2,381,740 20
11 Morocco 38,081,173 446,300 85
12 Angola 37,885,849 1,246,700 30
13 Mozambique 34,631,766 786,380 44
14 Ghana 34,427,414 227,540 151
15 Madagascar 31,964,956 581,795 55
16 Côte d'Ivoire 31,934,230 318,000 100
17 Cameroon 29,123,744 472,710 62
18 Niger 27,032,412 1,266,700 21
19 Mali 24,478,595 1,220,190 20
20 Burkina Faso 23,548,781 273,600 86
21 Malawi 21,655,286 94,280 230
22 Zambia 21,314,956 743,390 29
23 Chad 20,299,123 1,259,200 16
24 Somalia 19,009,151 627,340 30
25 Senegal 18,501,984 192,530 96
26 Zimbabwe 16,634,373 386,850 43
27 Guinea 14,754,785 245,720 60
28 Benin 14,462,724 112,760 128
29 Rwanda 14,256,567 24,670 578
30 Burundi 14,047,786 25,680 547
31 Tunisia 12,277,109 155,360 79
32 South Sudan 11,943,408 610,952 20
33 Togo 9,515,236 54,390 175
34 Sierra Leone 8,642,022 72,180 120
35 Libya 7,381,023 1,759,540 4
36 Congo 6,332,961 341,500 19
37 Liberia 5,612,817 96,320 58
38 Central African Republic 5,330,690 622,980 9
39 Mauritania 5,169,395 1,030,700 5
40 Eritrea 3,535,603 101,000 35
41 Namibia 3,030,131 823,290 4
42 Gambia 2,759,988 10,120 273
43 Gabon 2,538,952 257,670 10
44 Botswana 2,521,139 566,730 4
45 Lesotho 2,337,423 30,360 77
46 Guinea-Bissau 2,201,352 28,120 78
47 Equatorial Guinea 1,892,516 28,050 67
48 Mauritius 1,271,169 2,030 626
49 Eswatini 1,242,822 17,200 72
50 Djibouti 1,168,722 23,180 50
51 Réunion 878,591 2,500 351
52 Comoros 866,628 1,861 466
53 Western Sahara 590,506 266,000 2
54 Cabo Verde 524,877 4,030 130
55 Mayotte 326,505 375 871
56 Sao Tome and Principe 235,536 960 245
57 Seychelles 130,418 460 284
58 Saint Helena 5,237 390 13
African forest elephants roam the dense rainforests of West and Central Africa where they subsist largely on a diet of fruit. They shape forests by dispersing fruit and seeds, browsing, and creating an extensive trail network.
These tall and stately plants make beautiful borders along fences, at the back of perennial beds to set off other flowers, and as a large patch all on their own. African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) are good for cutting for arrangements with long, sturdy stems and good vase life. They are relatively low-maintenance summer flowers and thrive in hot, dry conditions. Here are a few of the prettiest varieties of African marigolds to try:
The African Striped Weasel is a small and brave creature found across the savannas and forests of Africa. They have a striking striped coat that helps them blend into the background and avoid predators. These nocturnal animals eat small rodents, birds, insects, and fruit.
During mating season, the females give birth to 2-3 blind and helpless babies. These little ones grow up quickly and show the same resilience as their parents.
The African Rock Python is a large snake species native to sub-Saharan Africa, thriving in savannas, rainforests, and marshlands.
They are known for their impressive size; on average, they can stretch up to 11 feet. However, some specimens reached almost 20 feet. Their skin features dark brown blotches on a light brown or olive backdrop, which helps them blend into their surroundings.
African Rock Pythons prey on rodents, monkeys, antelopes, and crocodiles. Their hunting technique involves constricting their prey.
The North African Crested Porcupine is one of the largest rodents in the world. Its black or brown body is covered with porcupine quills that can reach up to 14 inches. It prefers rocky terrain, where it spends most of the day in complex burrows.
While generally peaceful, the Crested Porcupine will fight back when it perceives an immediate threat.
The Cape Porcupine has black quills with white or yellowish stripes, a crucial defense mechanism. It lives in a wide range of habitats across Africa.
While primarily an herbivore, Cape Porcupines also gnaw on bones to supplement their diet with calcium. They are also good swimmers and climbers.
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