Vegetation of Nalychevo Nature Park

The relief of Nalychevo Nature Park represents the variety of features and phenomena found on the southeastern coast of Kamchatka. Elevations within the park fluctuate from sea level up to the summit of Koryaksky Volcano at 3,456 m.

Thus it is not surprising that when traveling though Nalychevo Park, one can get an overall impression of the vegetation of eastern Kamchatka in general.

The most prevalent type of forests in the park are stone birch (Betula ermanii), Siberian silver birch (B. platyphylla), and floodplain shrubs. Dwarf alder (Alnus fruticosa) and dwarf pine (Pinus pumila) thickets grow in areas above timberline. Higher still, mountain tundra, cliffs, and rock slides prevail.

Bogs are found at all elevations. As a rule these are beautiful places covered with cotton grass (Eriophorum), bladderwort (Sparganium), and spur-reed thickets (Drosera anglica).

Vast areas of the park are buried in layers of volcanic slag, lavas of different ages, and travertine sediments from hot springs. In such areas, the vegetation cover is constantly undergoing transition, and observers can watch these processes with their own eyes.

The hot springs of Nalychevo are concentrated in the middle part of the park - in the headwaters of the Nalycheva River. Warm basins formed by the hot springs are surrounded with green mosses and algae year-round. The vegetative season and flowering period for plants are longer here than in other areas. In autumn and spring, these places resemble green oases, and with the onset of summer, the green colors mix with an array of yellow, violet, blue, and white colors of blooming chives (Allium schoenoprasum), buttercups (Ranunculus subcorymbosus), Far-Eastern marsh orchids (Dactylorhiza aristata), and verticulate louseworts (Pedicularis verticillata). The forests surrounding the hot springs are uncommonly rich in species of orchids and lilies.

The central part of the park delights its visitors with beautiful flowers of pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium macranthon) and spotted lady's slipper (C. yatabeanum), blooming from June 6-July 7 and from June 26-August 3, respectively. Kamchatka fritillary (Fritillaria camschatcensis), blooms from June 15-July 20. Siberian liana (Atragene ochotensis) flowers from June 21-July 10. Bog bean (Menyanthes trifoliate) blooms from June 27-July 07. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga simplex) flowers from June 3-September 4, and downy lobelia (Lobelia sessilifolia) blooms from June 28-September 9.

The park also boasts a number of not as beautiful, but nonetheless rare and endemic plants for Kamchatka. These include Asian makino (Isoetes asiatica), helleborine (Epipactis papillosa), early coral root (Corallorhiza trifida), St. John's wort (Hypericum gebleri), and the endemic Kamchatka daphne (Daphne kamtschatica).

Common plants in the park often blossom simultaneously, painting vast areas in amazing array of colors. Seeing these colorful landscapes can bring immense joy to plant-lovers. The best times to admire plants in bloom are - for carnations (Dianthus repens) from June 30-August 7; for wooly geraniums (Geranium erianthum) from July 13-25; for Arctic iris (Iris setosa) from July 10-22; for cow parsnip (Pleurospermum uralense) from July 4-19 (in Nalychevo, this plant blooms in even-numbered years); for lily (Lilium debile) from July 21-August 9; for fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) from July 23-August 6; and for Northern hawkweed (Hieracium umbellatum) from July 15-21. At the end of July, fields of globeflower (Trollius riederanus) and geranium are especially marvelous. Spectacular autumn colors can be viewed from September 5-18.

A botanical trail leads visitors on a tour through the center of the park, where they can acquaint themselves with plants found throughout the forests of Kamchatka.

In the mountainous regions of the park, the vegetative season begins as soon as the snow starts to melt and lasts until the first autumn snows. Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla nuttalliana) is the first to appear from under the snow. Then, rosebays (Rhododendron aureum) open their golden flowers. At the foot of Avachinsky Volcano, saxifrages (Saxifraga), louseworts (Pedicularis), glorious Arctic gentian (Gentiana algida), and endangered on Kamchtaka oxytrope (Oxytropis kamtschatica) and ermania (Ermania parryoides) bloom in large numbers.

Altogether, 513 species of plants inhabit Nalychevo Park, 13 of which have been recommended for listing in the Red Data Book of Kamchatka.

All the plants in the park strictly protected. Plant collection is permitted only with permission of the Park Directorate.