Thickly wooded when they were discovered in the 15th century, the Azores flora now comprises a lush mixture of tropical and temperate species introduced from all parts of the world. Brazilian yellow-woods, Australian eucalyptus, coniferous sequoias from California, dragon trees from Madeira and the Canaries, Japanese larches, oriental plane trees, tulip trees, rhododendrons and a hundred other species. Native plants include myrtles junipers, heather, hollies and yew, now heavily outnumbered by the naturalized newcomers, either from forestry plantations or ‘escapees’ from parks and gardens. All the islands are well cultivated. When the cultivation of vegetables and cereals is not possible, the slopes are covered with vines and trees of the most varied kinds.
In spring and summer the islands are a riot of colour. Blue hydrangeas and agapanthus lining the roadsides and dividing fields, rosy azaleas glowing against dark forested hills, waxy white camellias and arum lilies, purple bougainvillea, scarlet hibiscus and lots more. There are several varieties unique to these islands, notably in the orchid family such as the heart-flowered orchid (Serapius cordigera) and the endemic butterfly orchid (Platanthera micrantha), just two additions to this exuberant display of floral riches.
As far as they are from both America and Europe, perhaps it’s not surprising that the Azores have virtually no native fauna save the birds and marine life. When the Portuguese first came here they named the islands after a prolific local bird which they incorrectly identified as acores or goshawks — buzzards or kites, more likely, though they no longer inhabit these islands. The early colonists brought all the domestic animals, cattle, sheep, boats, horses etc, and later either by accident or design, rabbits, rodents, frogs, lizards, cats, dogs and every other animal now found in the archipelago, including quail and partridge introduced for game.
Now the seabirds share the islands with hundreds of non-native species, including several familiar birds which have evolved into separate sub-species, such as the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs moreletti), with a greenish tinge rather than chestnut. Another local finch is the wild canary (Serinus canaria), its song as sweet as in the Canary Islands from whence it came.
