People here have great knowledge of medicinal plants and information about these are got from ancient literature pertaining to plant usage. Greece through the centuries has had a long list of eminent men of Medicine and because of its geographical location on the crossroads of civilization had the opportunity to excel in both eastern and western medicine. Mount Pelion with its vibrant plant life is the home of many pharmaceutical herbs which were widely used by the knowledgeable medicine men.
In olden times people flocked to this area seeking cures for various ailments. On the Mediterranean shrub-lands that covers the lower altitudes of this mountainous region are seen many aromatic and pharmaceutical plants growing in the wild. Plants like Greek sage (Salvia fruticosa), Thyme (Thymus spp.) and the Greek Mountain Tea (Sideritis spp.) are found in abundance in this region.
Just above the shrub-land at middle altitude are the Mediterranean broad-leaved deciduous zones where the oak and the chestnut forests are seen and above this region is the beech forest at higher altitudes. These forests provide the vital undergrowth for many of the medicinal plants to grow.
 Some of the Pelion vegetation include sword-leaved helleborine, woodland strawberry, mistle thrush, red deadnettle, ranunculus acris, cistus ctericus, white willow, wild carnation, common vetch, spanish broom, cyclamens, anemone, yellow crocus, apple tree, vinca minor etc. An abundance of wild medicinal plants and herbs are still seen growing untended among the wildflowers that cover the slopes at Pelion.
A study on the medicinal plants found in the Mt. Pelion area of Greece has listed a total of 225 species representing 77 families. The study also throws light on a number of psychoactive, anti-anxiety and narcotic plant uses including the fact that ivy could be added as an additive to wine and also many other little known therapeutic uses of medicinal plants found in the Pelion region.
Greek mountain tea is widely used as an anti-inflammatory drug and for maintaining respiratory health. It is also used as an anti-pyretic and is believed to help the immune system and the digestion process. |
 |
 Travel Services |
        
| Famous destinations |
|
Back:
Pelion Related: