The Maltese Rock Centaury, the endemic national plant of Malta, is endangered, but here is where to go to enjoy its pretty pinky-purple puff.
Come late winter and early spring, the wildflowers are out in Malta! Clover (is-Silla) and Cape Sorrell (il-Qarsu) turn the Maltese landscape red and yellow, while other pretty flowers in purple and blue show up here and there. Even the rocky coast and the garigue are decorated with their own hardy species, including several succulents. But May to July are the months when there is a very special appearance: the pretty pinky-purple puff of the Maltese rock-centaury, Malta’s national plant, of which there is an estimated only 1,000!
Meet the Maltese rock centaury
The Maltese rock-centaury is characterised by a pinky-purple puff made up of several tiny flowers sitting in a cluster on a long stem. Cheirolophus crassifolius, the Maltese rock-centaury, is from the Asteraceae family. It is endemic to Malta, and has been the national flower since 1973 - locally known as Widnet il-Baħar, which curiously translates as “the ear of the sea.”
Please don't pick it!
As pretty as it is, please don't pick it! The Maltese rock-centaury is classified as Critically Endangered and is therefore protected. 1,000 or so individuals grow in limited areas prone to human disturbance, including quarrying and development. Invasive plant species and insects also threaten the Maltese rock-centaury. Thankfully, the extinction of this plant is not a huge concern, as it also grows in conservation areas such as the Fungus Rock, and has been cultivated for reintroduction if the situation gets desperate.
Where to find it
Now that you have been cautioned to handle this special flower with care, I can tell you where to find it. A walk along the western cliffs and coastal valleys of Malta is where you must head. Keep your eyes peeled on the coastal limestone cliffs and scree in full sun, where the Maltese rock-centaury likes to grow. The limits of Wied Babu is where you are most likely to come across this sweet little thing. Or, you might even spot its cultivated cousins on a roundabout!