INTENSE ARCTIC SUMMER

During the brief and intense Arctic summer the mountain landscapes are adorned with a wealth of colours from flowers, herbs, mosses and heather. Five types of orchid flower in Greenland.

There are even small trees that grow in the innermost fjords in Southern Greenland! Further north, Disko Island is a paradise for flora-lovers.

Half of Greenland’s more than 500 species of flowering plants, horsetails and ferns are found on the old volcanic island.

COMMON FLOWERS

Although Greenland geographically belongs to North America, the majority of plant species originate from Europe. Greenland’s national flower, Niviarsiaq, which means ‘young woman’, is, however, most common in
North America.

The flower is also known as broad-leaf fireweed, and is found all over the country. It is particularly common in stony soils and sandy riverbeds.

The Greenlandic bluebell can be seen as far north as Upernavik in North Greenland and on the east coast up to Daneborg.

The bog blueberry has sweet blueberries, whilst the more common mountain crowberry produces tasty blackberries that are popular ingredients in many Greenlandic desserts and as an accompaniment to boiled cod liver.