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The heather forest in Madeira is a transitional zone between the laurel forest and the high mountains, as the harsh climatic conditions prevail above the laurel forest at high altitudes. Woody heather and broom heather predominate here, reaching heights of up to four metres or, in some places, remaining in bushy form. Madeira blueberries, which reach heights of up to six metres, are equally common.

The flora of the high mountains is characterised by rare, stony and very thin soils.  In addition to Madeira blueberry and tree heather, one can find Madeira rowan, pine and Canary Island cedar found in sheltered areas. Some endemic plants also grow in the hills, such as Madeira's sea-rose, which looks like a rose but has no thorns, and Madeira's best-known plant, Madeira heather, which has adapted to mountain conditions. On the Paul da Serra plateau, deforestation has led to there being only grass, ferns.

Madeira's natural heritage is a valued and protected treasure of the archipelago. Whether above or below the waterline, life here multiplies and changes shape year after year. The local flora and fauna add colours, sounds and create unimaginable landscapes to the island. Madeira, in its uniqueness, is classified as a protected area, whether on land or in the ocean there are many nature reserves here to protect biodiversity, the quality of the environment and the diverse development of the archipelago, because where nature wins, we all win.

The coastal flora zone is made up of coastal vegetation inhabiting an area up to 300 m.a.s.l., such as dracaena draco, many species of wolfsbane, growing up to 2 metres high. In the rocky regions, rare plants of the disc sedum, found only here, or the sticky sedum growing in the local shrubs, can be found. Among the native plants, daisies, immortelles, thistles and chrysanthemums are widespread. In order to prevent erosion as a consequence of deforestation, terraced fields were planted to grow bananas, citrus fruits or vines and the blue gum tree, which was imported from Australia. Unfortunately, this blue gum tree has become the bane of the island, especially in the south. It grows quickly, anchors itself firmly in the ground and pulls water out of the soil through its root system, thus giving other plants no chance to survive.

The transition zone to the laurel forest occurs from 300 m to 800 m above sea level and still has remnants of the original forests of Madeira. Their main representatives are trees such as wax myrtle, canary laurel and canary willow. Due to the constant fog at this altitude, these forests are very humid. The Laurisilva forest mainly contains Azores or Canary laurel, Canary holly, tree heather, Madeira lilac and Madeira mahogany, while the undergrowth of the laurel forest is mainly composed of ferns and mosses.

ISLAND OF FLOWERS

Madeira is not without reason called the 'Island of Flowers' or the 'Floating Garden of the Atlantic' for its diversity and uniqueness of flora. However, it is important to bear in mind that almost no flower originally came from here. Many of the wonderful flowers found on the island were introduced later and became native. Only 16% of the plants are endemic and do not grow anywhere else in the world. The change of the island from a lush forest to an island of flowers took place in the 18th century, as Madeira served merchants and aristocrats from England as a stopover on their way to their homes. Many of the island's parks were created so that the plants brought by the foreigners could adapt and thrive on the island. They brought with them attractive tropical, subtropical and exotic plants to decorate the conservatories, gardens and parks. From South Africa came the 'bird of paradise', protea, aloe, agapanthus, torch lily and calla. Hibiscus, jasmine and cucumber were brought from China, while jacaranda and coral tree came from Brazil. Fire trees and acacia arrived from Australia, while agave plants, dahlias, zinnias and poinsettias came from Mexico itself. These and many other species of Madeira's flora can be visited at the Botanical Garden in Funchal. It houses a collection of more than 2,500 species of native and exotic plants. The parks can be visited at any time throughout the year. An example of such a park is the Palheiro Gardens, which includes around 760 species of a huge collection of exotic plants and trees.

Fauna of Madeira

The island of Madeira is famous for its extraordinary biological heritage, which manifests itself in a great diversity of flora and fauna, at every turn. Due to the specific conditions that prevail on the island, i.e. the subtropical climate, the geographical location, the region is considered a centre of biodiversity, from the sea coast to the highest mountains. The flora of Madeira, meanwhile, brings together plant communities that are unique in the world, with the native Laurissilva forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, leading the way with its large trees, known as til (Ocotea foetens) or laurel (Laurus novocanariensis), but also a multitude of ferns, mosses, lichens and other small plants. In the mountain massifs, the vegetation is characterised by the presence of plants such as Madeira violet (Viola paradoxa) or Madeira heather (Erica madeirenses), which contribute to water capture through hidden rainfall.

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