This article was published on The Herbarium, a membership-platform of the Herbal Academy.

“Greece is an extraordinary and vibrant country in Europe. Located at the crossroads of three continents, it is home to approximately 11 million residents and is comparable in size to the state of Florida in the United States. Approximately 80% of the country is mountainous, including the 6,000 islands and islets that dot the Aegean, Mediterranean, and Ionian seas surrounding the mainland to the east, south, and west, respectively. The country’s unique location in the Mediterranean region provides a haven for a diversity of flora and fauna. Ranked as one of the sunniest countries in Europe, Greece is a treasure for exploring herbal bioregionalism and the impact it has had on both ancient and modern civilizations living on this picturesque land. 

According to a 2016 study by the Convention on Biological Diversity, there are 6,500 species and subspecies of Greek flora, of which 1,274 are endemic (Legakis et al., 2018). The primary areas where many of these native plants grow include the island of Crete, central Greece, and the Peloponnese, where the highest number of endemic species and subspecies (464 taxa) has been reported (Legakis et al., 2018; Petrakou et al., 2020). Learning about native species of plants in Greece can help herbalists, historians, and botanists understand the types of plants that thrive in certain climates, the important local customs of harvesting and making herbal preparations, and the sustainability of plant diversity in a rapidly changing world.”

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What is The Herbarium?

The Herbarium is an online membership program hosted by the Herbal Academy, designed specifically for students to begin their herbal journey or advance their herbal education. Membership is priced at $45 / year and includes access to lessons by a variety of diverse herbalists on many herbal subjects, including the Ancient Greek Herbalism Intensive written by The Greek Herbalist. Register for The Herbarium here.