Powered by
  Undiscovered Places of Svaneti. Affordable Hikes and Climbs.
  • Home
  • Mountain Climbing
  • MULTI DAY TRIPS
  • DAY HIKES
  • REVIEWS
  • BOOKING & PAYMENT
  • FAQ
  • EQUIPMENT RENTAL
  • Blog
  • GEORGIA
  • SVANETI PANORAMA

TREES AND SHRUBS OF SVANETI

7/25/2020

2 Comments

 
" The forests show richer and more varied foliage than we are accustomed to in the High Alps.            Pines present themselves as dark shadowy cones amidst the fresh green of the desiduous forest, of beeches and alders, of ash and walnut, of copses that in June are bright and fragrant with golden azalea blossom.
From the beauty of flowers and forests close at hand, the eye is carried through soft gradations of distance to the pure glaciers which hang down like silver stairs from the snowy chain.
In October, golden against fresh autumn snows, the brilliancy of landscape must be marvelous.
Space, variety, sunniness - those are the constant and characteristic qualities of Svanetian scenery. 
  "           
("The Exlploration of the Caucasus", Douglas W. Freshfield)
​
Picture
photo:  lush  and shady woodlands above Lagami (Mestia)

Most  of following photos  were taken around Mestia. 
You may even recognize some of these trees!


​

​Crataegus ambigua,
hawthorn, thorn apple (E) Боярышник (R) კუნელი (G)
Flowering in April - May. The fruits ripen in September-October.
​Crataegus, is derived from the Greek kratos "strength" because of the great strength of the wood and akis "sharp", referring to its thorns.
Picture
Picture



​Fagus orientalis
, Oriental beech (E) წიფელი(G) Бук восточный (R)
25% of all forests in the Caucasus, humid areas 

without undergrows,  up to 45 meters high
Picture
Picture



​​Pýrus commúnis
,  Pear (E) მსხალი (G) Груша (R)
Picture
Picture
​


​Corylus avellana
, common hazel (E) თხილი (G) Лесной орех (R)
Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat. They also contain significant amounts of manganese, copper, vitamin E, thiamine, and magnesium.
Picture
Picture

​
​
​Quercus iberica
, Georgian oak (E) ქართული მუხა (G) Грузинский дуб  (R)
Picture
Picture

​
​

​Betula litwinowii
, Litwinow Birch (E) არყი (G) Берёза Литвинова (R)
Picture



​Carpinus betulus
,    Hornbeam (E) კავკასიური რცხილა (G) Граб (R)
It has a shallow, wide-spreading root system and is marked by the production of stump sprouts when cut back. The common English name hornbeam derives from the hardness of the woods (likened to horn) and the Old English beam "tree" (German, Baum).
Picture

​

​Pinus kochiana
, Koch Pine (E) ფიჭვი (G) Сосна Коха (R) 
Picture

​

​Populus tremula
, Aspen (E) ასპენი (G) Осина (R)
In North America, it is referred to as Trembling Aspen because the
leaves "quake" or tremble in the wind. 
Picture

​

Berberis, barberry (E) კოწახური (G) Барбарис (R)

The berries are common in Persian cuisine such as in rice pilaf and as a flavoring for poultry. Because of their sour flavor, they are sometimes cooked with sugar before being added to Persian rice. Iranian markets sell dried zereshk. In Russia it sometimes used in jams (especially with mixed berries), and extract of barberries is a common flavoring for soft drinks, candies, and sweets.
Picture




​Alnus subcordata, Caucasian alder (E) Ольха сердцелистная (R)

Alders are commonly found near streams, rivers, and wetlands. Most of the pilings that form the foundation of Venice were made from alder trees!
Picture



​​​Ilex colchica, Black Sea holly (E) падуб остролистный (R)

During the Cenozoic Era, the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions had a wetter climate and were largely covered by laurel forests. Holly was a typical representative species of this biome. With the drying of the Mediterranean Basin during the Pliocene, the laurel forests gradually retreated, replaced by more drought-tolerant  plant communities. 
Picture


​
​Fraxinus, ash (E) ნაცარი (G) Ясень (R)

Due to its elasticity, robbust structure and good looks ash is
​ideal for indoor furniture and stairs.
Picture


​
​Rowans, Mountain ash (E) როუანი (G) Рябина обыкновенная (R)
Picture


​Red Raspberry (E) ჟოლო (G) Малина (R)
Picture
Blackberry (E) მაყვლის (G) Ежевика (R) ​
Picture


​Red Currant (E)  Смородина красная (R) წითელი მოცხარი (G)
Picture


​Blueberry (E), მოცვის (G), Черника (R)
Picture


​Prúnus cerasífera, cherry plum (E), ტყემალი (G), Алыча (R)
Picture

​

​Juglans regia, Walnut (E) орех грецкий (R) ნეძი (G) 
Picture

​

​Prúnus ávium, wild cherry (E) ალუბალი (G) черешня (R)

Wild cherries have been an item of human food for several thousands of years. The stones have been found in deposits at Bronze Age settlements.
Picture


​Chestnut (E) ჭუბური (G) Каштан (R)
Picture

​
​Rhododéndron lúteum, Yellow azalea (E) იელი (G) Рододендрон жёлтый (R)

Despite the sweet perfume of the flowers, the nectar is toxic, records of poisoning of people eating the honey date back to the 4th century BC in Classical Greece.
Picture

​
​Abies nordmanniana, Caucasian fir (E) კავკასიური სოჭი (G) Пихта Нордмана (R)

The tallest tree of the continent of Europe (grows up to 85m)
Picture

​
​Juníperus sabína, Savin juniper (E) Можжевельник казацкий (R)
Picture


​Ácer platanoídes, Norway Maple (E) Клён остролистный (R) ლეკა (G)
Picture


  წყავი (G), cherry laurel (E), Лавровишня лекарственная (R)
is an evergreen species of cherry (Prunus), native to regions bordering the Black Sea and southeastern Europe,  through Turkey to the Caucasus Mountains and northern Iran.
The seed inside the fruit (and the leaves) contain larger concentrations of hydrogen cyanide, and should never be eaten. The toxicity of the seed inside the fruit is similar to the cyanide toxicity of the seeds inside the common fruits apricot and peach 
Picture


Lombardy poplar (E), ოფი (G), Тополь пирамидальный (R)
selected in Lombardy, northern Italy, in the 17th century. The growth is fastigiate (having the branches more or less parallel to the main stem), with a very narrow crown.
Picture


​Viburnum opulus, Калина (R), guelder rose (E)
The fruit is edible in small quantities, with a very acidic taste; it can be used to make jelly. The name of the Russian song Kalinka is a diminutive of Kalina. Viburnum opulus is also an important symbol of the Russian national ornamental wood painting handicraft style called Khokhloma.
Picture
2 Comments

SNOW PEAKS IN ART

4/1/2020

2 Comments

 
​The landscape genre came relatively late, in the mid 17th century  Holland. Not surprising,  these paintings show environment which is predominantly flat.
However, one hundred years earlier the great Peter Bruegel traveled to Alps and introduced mountains  into his paintings.     We have to wait another 250 years to see something  similar!
Picture
Peter Bruegel,  November, (detail) 1565
 The perception of the Alps changed in the end of eighteenth century from that of a "gloomy, frowning, oppressive, and a disfigurement of the landscape" to one more attune to the wonder and beauty of nature.  Its remoteness and awe-inspiring  grandeur with constant change of weather and light added to attraction. 
Picture
Mont Blanc,  end of   18th century


​Topographic

Meticulous  drawings of the  Alps in period when  they became a subject of  scientific interest.
They have both geological and historical significance.
Picture
Hans Conrad Escher, Matterhorn, 1806
Picture
Gustav Radde,  Layla from Pari, 1866

​Romantic
For Victorian painters mountains  were manifestation of sublime natural architecture with it's spires and towers bathed in transitional light. Watercolor on paper was most suitable for this task.
Picture
John Ruskin,   Aiguille Verte ,   1850

​Academic 
It was popular in North America and the Continent. Very close to life these paintings (oil on canvas) are views of  snow peaks  in stark contrast with lush valleys. It's style traces back to Poussin.
Picture
Alexey Savrasov, Jungfrau, 1875

Modern (Symbolist)
Just as Romantics these artists payed much attention to light.  But their palette was more intense and forms more defined. 

Picture
Ferdinand Hodler, Jungfrau,  1914
Picture
Nikolay Roerich, Elbrus, 1933

Modern (Expressionist)
Free use of color and dynamic compositions. 
Picture
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Davos,  1925

Modern (Classical)
This painting  with strong contrasts of light and shade has limited palette and gives an excellent idea of how mountains are built.
Picture
​Howard Somerwell, Marmolada, 1936

​Outdoor
These two examples show different approach to on-site painting. One  has almost photographic quality while another is free in handling and color.  
Picture
Franz Roubaud, Kazbek, 1882
Picture
Henri Matisse,  Savoy Alps, 1901
2 Comments
<<Previous

    Categories

    All
    Adventures In Svaneti
    EQUIPMENT
    Mountains Of Racha
    Mount Layla FAQ
    Svaneti Art / History
    SVANETI NATURE
    Svaneti Travel Info
    WORLD OF MOUNTAINS

    RSS Feed

You may not, except with my express written permission, copy, distribute or commercially exploit the content.
© COPYRIGHT 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Mountain Climbing
  • MULTI DAY TRIPS
  • DAY HIKES
  • REVIEWS
  • BOOKING & PAYMENT
  • FAQ
  • EQUIPMENT RENTAL
  • Blog
  • GEORGIA
  • SVANETI PANORAMA