Andalucia Life Fauna and Flora, Flowers of Andalucia Southern Spain

June 2006, Italian Sainfoin, Hedysarum cornarium

Italian Sainfoin - Do not ask why this flower is called Italian, it is native to the west of the Iberian Peninsula and between April and June flowers on both cultivated ground and the garrigue in huge drifts of bright reds and pinks. It seems that the stonier the ground the brighter the flowers. Although it can reach a metre high it normally grows to about half that. You will see this flower all over the region of Andalucia and this year seems to have produced a brilliant display.