Corsica's Flora and Fauna
Corsica is a green island! No other island in the Mediterranean has as much forest, and even where bush fires have destroyed it, a dense carpet of Macchia covers the ground only a few years later. The vegetation presents itself at its most beautiful in spring, when countless flowers and shrubs are in colourful bloom. There a more than 2000 species of flowering plants known in Corsica, many of them endemic, which means they occur only here.
Mediterranean Vegetation
In coastal and low lying areas, the typical Mediterranean vegetation predominates. These are mostly plants that have adapted to the extreme heat in summer and its dryness. Flowering plants limit their growth to spring and endure the rest of the year as seeds. Sedum plants belong to these.
The most widespread trees of the coastal region are cork oaks and Holm oaks. Also common are Aleppo and Maritime pines.
A special highlight for nature fans is the area around Calvi, the Balagne, which for good reason is also known as the garden of Corsica. Charming vineyards offer a stunning contrast to the rugged mountains dropping towards the sea. In spring, when the chestnut trees are flowering under the Mediterranean sun, the charm of this peaceful scenery is so overwhelming, that even a landscape architect couldn't improve it. Wine growing, by the way, has had a long tradition in Corsica and you'll be surprised to find quite a variety of different wines.
Macchia
More than half of the island is covered by the typical Mediterranean scrubland, the macchia. The vegetation grows to between 1.5m and 4m in height and consists manly of cistus, myrtle, gorse, broom and arbutus. Other macchia plants are heather, juniper and mastic. Also it can include thyme, rosemary and ilex. In areas where the soil contains lime, a variety of orchids can be found.
Many of the Corsican plants are not only a feast for the eye but also full of scent and flavour. Fragrant trees and shrubs like eucalyptus and oleander are typical for the Mediterranean vegetation.
Vegetation in the Mountains
Above 600-800m, the Mediterranean vegetation changes into submediterranean. Here you find predominately deciduous trees like sweet chestnut, oak and ash.
At an altitude of 800-1100m, beautiful beech forests can be found, sometimes with copper beech trees that are several hundreds of years old. If you go even higher, you will find the magnificent Laricio pine. There are extensive forests of these majestic trees that grow up to 50m tall near the Col de Bavella, in the Foret d'Aitone and Haut Asco. Laricio pines thrive up to an altitude of 1600m and can become 1000 years old. Higher above, you find shrubs like gorse and alder and the alpine flora where the famous Corsican Edelweiss grows.