Nanos

Nanos is a 1313 m high montain in Western Slovenia, a habitat for Sempervivum tectorum.

http://www.burger.si/Nanos/Nanos-Razdrto.HTM
Web cam

Map of Slovenia and Nanos:
http://www.najdi.si/search_maps.jsp?q=nanos&tab=maps&o=0

Plants can be found close to church Sv. Brica above willage Strane.

S tectorum ex Nanos, Slovenia
May 2008

I went up Nanos from the southwestern side and found a small colony S. tectorum on and around some rocks on the barren, open landscape near the top. There are probably more places where it occurs. I am amazed by the landscape up there, but think that the climate can be verry inhospitable.

Disturbing was a planted tectorum (probably var. murale) next to a small monument at the roadside, halfway up the slope. This could be withing a bee's flight-distance from wild tectorum habitat, but the nearby cliffs require climbing skills which I don't have. Therefore I can't tell for sure if there really is tectorum very nearby. Moral dilemma: respect a monument or respect the integrity of a possibly nearby wild population? I left the plant where it is but feel ambivalent.

One more photo from habitat:

http://galerija.foto-narava.com/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pos=16

A photo of flower - beautiful close up:

http://galerija.foto-narava.com/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pos=21

A photo from the peak:

http://galerija.foto-narava.com/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pos=36

Photographed at the top of Nanos, 2 August 2012. Everything, including semps, very very dry. Hot sunny weather (35'C), high radiation. Sweaty climb: I could have driven to the top as well, there is a dustroad in so-so condition towards there. In stead I chose to hike past a small chapel on the east slope. Behind this chapel is another rock wall, which is supposed to be another habitat for S. tectorum. I found the chapel (after walking strainght past at first) and the rock wall, but it is nearly verticall and my climbing skills are definately not for this kind of walls. Interestingly, there was a Horvath's rock lizard on the wall (quite a rare species). I suppose the lizard knows if there are semps, but he didn't tell me anything.

I learned from this trip that even now in the hot summer weather, my semps at home look very lush and green compared to these ones in their natural habitat. Next time when I get new semps, I will arrange them in such a way that I only have to water them, and not also some well established ones which are besides them. Once established and growing: no water from a can anymore. The ability to stand severe drought is one of the aspects which makes these plants exceptionally interesting, so why not let them go through that in my collection as well?

In a way photo gives us a sad look to Sempervivum colony. But on the other hand, rosettes are closed to prevent evaporating the water and I know they are going to be o.k..

Photo is but for the highest prize !!!

I have visited the mountains Nanos during the Easter this year. I moved between the church of Sveti Hieronim and Strmec. Under the top of the mountain Strmec there is a possibility to leave the car next to the mountain cottage. I explored the south oriented rocks, cliffs and walls. I was very interestring. The plants of S. tectorum are growing there on these south oriented cliffs, rock and walls. I did not find any bigger colony, always only six rosettes at most. The variability of the plants is huge.

And the weather? Rainy, temperature about 6 degrees of Celsius. The wind was blowing. But I can imagine, that I must be very hot there during the summer.

Photo of the landscape of the mountains Nanos, view to west; there is the church of Sveti Hieronim on the right side and there are the rocks, cliffs and walls on the left side, there are growing the plants of Sempervivum tectorum on the south oriented places


Sempervivum tectorum, the mountains Nanos, very close to the church of Sveti Hieronim

Nanos in the background, seen from the Adriatic sea. 10 february 2013.