Vegetation
Biokovo-Imotski Lakes vegetation cover is exceptionally diverse and interesting, with an evident mixture of different
floral elements. The mountain's flora features a mixture of the oldest of
Mediterranean, new Boreal and Central European floral elements. Biokovo might
look barren at first sight, but in reality it has an abundance of plant and
animal species. Aside from the interspersed beech, fir and Dalmatian pine
forests, we also come across a large number of plant species, especially
endemic ones such as the silvery dwarf harebell called the Biokovo Bell
(Edraianthus pumilio), native
types of knapweed called the Biokovo Knapweed (Centaurea biokovensis), the reddish
knapweed (Centaurea cuspidata) and others. In this part of geopark there are many
endangered plant species, such as the showy chickweed, the pyramidal orchid,
the Resetnikia triquetra, the green-winged orchid, the Dalmatian bellflower,
moltkia and others. There are over 1,500 plant species in the Nature Park Biokovo.
The vegetation
in the Imotski area of geopark is dominantly deciduous, with oak, hornbeam and
ash being the most common types of trees. In the highest elevations there
are also coniferous pine forests, while fir and spruce can also be found on
Biokovo. Changes in ways of life have affected the vegetation as
well. A hundred years ago there were only small patches of forest as most of
the land was cultivated
and sectioned out
by kilometers of drystone walls erected by the hardworking locals. The forest
has spread out in the meantime and today it covers all of these fields, paths and
centuries-old drystone walls.