The Magic of Flowers

The Eifel is rich in moments of tranquility in nature—and its flora is as diverse as its landscapes. In the damp stream valleys of the north, wild daffodils herald the start of the blooming season in March and April. Later, between late April and early October, rare orchids unfurl their delicate splendor on the limestone-rich slopes in the south. Where the soil near Stolberg has been shaped by ore mining, the calamine violet—a botanical rarity found only here—blooms from May through August. On nutrient-poor plateaus, juniper defies the wind with its striking form—and from August through early September, heather turns the landscapes of the Vordereifel and the Drover Heide near Kreuzau violet.
Every place tells its own blossoming story—sometimes hidden, often surprising, always unique.

You can experience this plant diversity in a wide variety of places throughout the Eifel.

• You can discover rare orchids and juniper trees on a guided llama hike in Schönecker Schweiz or on a hike along the EifelSpur near Blankenheim.
• You can find the calamine violet on the Schlangenberg near Stolberg.
• You can admire the daffodils in the Oleftal valley as well as in the Perlenbach and Fuhrtsbach valleys.
• And in the summer, you can see the heathland on a hike along the Traumpfad Wacholderweg trail and in the Drover Heide.
• You’ll encounter “Eifelgold” (broom) on the hiking trail of the same name in the Irsental valley.