Plants that Shape the Nature of Ankaran
Ankaran, with its diverse vegetation, offers many examples of how closely nature, history, and people are interconnected. A special place is held by medicinal and aromatic plants, which already played an important role in the monastic gardens of St. Nicholas and still form part of the characteristic Mediterranean landscape of this area.
World Wildlife Day, celebrated every year on March 3, highlights medicinal and aromatic plants this year and their importance for human health, natural ecosystems, and the preservation of traditional knowledge.
Ankaran itself is a place where vegetation represents an important part of both natural and cultural heritage. In the area of Debeli rtič Landscape Park, diverse plant life has developed on flysch soil under a typical sub-Mediterranean climate. On the gentler parts of the cliff, thermophilic shrubs thrive, including Spanish broom and southern sweet clover. Along the upper edge of the cliff stretches a belt of forest vegetation with maritime pine, oak, black hornbeam, and manna ash. Oak forests, in particular, play an important protective role, helping to prevent erosion.
The importance of plants in Ankaran is not only linked to nature but also to the history of the area. In the former monastery area—today the Hotel Convent—the Benedictines most likely established a monastic garden, where a herb garden, known as herbularius, held a central role. Such gardens were not intended only for self-sufficiency but also for healing, as monks cultivated plants to help people and passed on knowledge about their use.
Among the herbs typically grown in monastic gardens—and which could have grown in Ankaran—were sage, rue, wormwood, mint, fennel, lovage, chervil, catnip, and celery. Due to the mild Mediterranean climate, aromatic plants such as lavender and rosemary also thrived, while lemon and orange trees could even grow in containers. These gardens were both practical and healing, as well as aesthetically pleasing, enriched by flowers such as lilies and roses.
Today, the botanical heritage of the area is further enriched by the park of the Slovenian Red Cross Health Resort at Debeli rtič, where more than 200 plant species from all continents grow across approximately seven hectares. Notable among them are Mediterranean cypresses, black pines, cedars, oleanders, bay laurel, rosemary, lavender, and myrtle. The park represents the largest curated collection of Mediterranean trees in Slovenian Istria and stands as an important testimony to Ankaran’s connection with plant diversity.
This year’s theme of World Wildlife Day reminds us that plants are not merely part of the landscape but an essential part of our everyday life, health, tradition, and future. In Ankaran, caring for nature is closely linked to understanding local heritage and maintaining a responsible relationship with the environment—an important pillar of sustainable destination development.
Interesting fact:
Although this year’s theme highlights plants, the natural environment of Ankaran is also remarkable in terms of animal species. Several endangered marine organisms have been recorded in the waters off Ankaran, including the Adriatic sturgeon, one of the most endangered fish species in the Adriatic.
