A rare plant, which grows on the alpine meadows and in the vicinity of the glacial lakes of Retezat, but also in other wild lands of the Carpathians, attracts many tourists to the national park during this period. The mountain peony gives color to the spectacular landscapes captured in the photos from Retezat.
The mountain peony at Tăul Tăpului in Retezat. Photo: Lucian Ignat
The rhododendron, also known as the mountain peony or myrtle (Rhododendron myrtifolium), colors the alpine meadows of the Carpathians pink and attracts, during this period, many hiking and photography enthusiasts. The spectacle of nature only lasts for a few weeks, but the plant is protected and its tearing or uprooting is prohibited.
The pink ornaments from Retezat
The mountain peony is a small alpine shrub with reddish-pink flowers that grows at high altitudes on meadows, rocks and nutrient-poor soils, where it becomes one of the most spectacular displays of early summer. Mountain peonies adorn the alpine meadows and the shores of the glacial lakes in the Retezat Mountains, in Romania’s oldest national park. These days, the mountain landscape acquires intense colors, which contrast with the last patches of snow remaining in the shaded areas of Retezat.
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Taul Tapului Photo Daniel Morar jpg
For hiking and photography enthusiasts, the trails in the Retezat National Park offer an extra reason to explore. On social media pages dedicated to travel, mountain peonies have become, in recent days, an increasingly common topic, and many Romanians have set their hiking plans taking into account the blooming period of rhododendrons.
“Meeting the rhododendrons in bloom on the trail to Tăul Țapului, in the heart of Retezatu, was one of the most beautiful surprises of the summer. Their colors gave life to the mountain and turned every step into an unforgettable experience, reminding us how precious and spectacular nature is when we respect it. On this occasion, I remind hikers and travelers not to destroy the flora by picking or trampling these wonders, but only to photograph them and enjoy their presence”says Lucian Ignat, a photographer from Hunedoara who is passionate about hiking in nature.
The moment of mountain peonies
For the photographer Daniel Morar, the flowering of the mountain peony is one of the most spectacular moments of the year in Retezat, along with autumn when the alpine meadows take on the color of copper and the light becomes softer. He says that the pink flowers change, for a few weeks, the appearance of the alpine hollow and bring a touch of fragility to a landscape dominated by cliffs, sharp cliffs and glacial caldera.
“Of all the times of the year spent in the high mountains, three are the most dear to me: winter, when the ridges are covered in snow, the period of the mountain peony, when the alpine hollow is unexpectedly colored in deep shades of pink, and autumn, when the alpine meadows take on the color of copper”, says Daniel Morar, for Adevărul.
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Mountain peonies in Retezat National Park Photo Daniel Morar (19) jpg
The photographer confesses that he returns to Retezat every year for the feeling of witnessing some of the most beautiful moments in the life of the mountain: the explosion of color brought by the mountain peonies and the warm silence of autumn, when the harsh relief seems tamed by the light.
“And if we have the chance to see it, I think we also have a duty to respect it: to stay on the paths, not to tear the flowers and to leave behind only memories and images. All these belong to the mountain. We only have the privilege to see them and the responsibility to keep them unspoiled.” he declared, for the Truth.
Mountain peonies can also be found on the alpine meadows of the Rodnei, Făgăraș, Parâng, Bucegi, Călimani or Țarcu Mountains, where they bloom at the beginning of summer and color the high slopes of the Carpathians pink.
June – July, the period of mountain peonies
Alin Alimpesc, director of the Retezat National Park Administration, explained to “Adevărul” that mountain peonies can be seen during this period in the alpine area, especially near the glacial lakes, where they form some of the most spectacular landscapes of the summer. According to him, the flowering of rhododendrons usually occurs in mid-June and lasts for several weeks. Now is the time when the colors of the flowers are the most intense, and the contrast with the still short vegetation makes the landscape all the more spectacular.
THE TRUTH: In which areas of the Retezat National Park can mountain peonies be seen during this period?
Alin Alimpesc, director of the Retezat National Park Administration: Mountain peonies can be seen in the alpine zone, in the alpine gap zone. The most beautiful landscapes are in the area of lakes, especially in the caldera of Lake Bucura.
What is the usual blooming period for mountain peonies in Retezat and how long does it last?
The usual flowering period is mid-June, so right around this time. Flowering lasts for several weeks, until the flowers dry and fall. Now is the most intense period, when the coloring is the most beautiful. The rest of the vegetation is not yet very developed, the grass is smaller, and the contrast is very nice.
Why is the mountain peony considered an important species for the ecosystems of Retezat?
All protected flora species are important. The mountain peony is also a special species in terms of beauty. It is a small plant, anchored very well in the soil, which does not need soils very rich in nutrients. It grows on poorer soils, in the alpine area, on rocks, in areas with less rich soil.
What protection status does mountain peony have? Is it forbidden for tourists to break it?
Not only the mountain peony, but any plant on the territory of the Retezat National Park is forbidden to be harvested.
What do tourists risk if they tear the flowers or trample the plants? Can they be fined?
Usually these plants do not grow right on the trail. Deviation from the route is prohibited, both for safety reasons and for flora protection reasons.
In recent years, have you noticed problems with plants breaking or tourists entering sensitive areas?
There were no big problems. Eventually, some flowers are picked, but it’s not that big of an impact. The flowers are sometimes picked for own use, but the plants are not plucked, because they are bushy and cannot be broken very easily. No fines were imposed.
What recommendations do you have for tourists who come to photograph the flowers in Retezat?
Try not to deviate from the route and be careful where you step. Next is also viper season and may encounter other animals as well. If they deviate from the route, they can put themselves in danger.
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Retezat National Park Photo Lucian Ignat (15) jpg
Retezat National Park, the glacial land dominated by wild animals
Established in 1935, Retezat National Park it was the first natural reserve of this kind in Romania. The mountainous land covers almost 40,000 hectares, of which about 2,000 hectares belong to the Gemenele scientific reserve, where tourist access is prohibited and nature is allowed to evolve freely. Retezat preserves the traces of one of the most spectacular glaciations in the Carpathians. Glaciers here have shaped glacial cirques, U-shaped valleys, moraines, erratic blocks and ice-polished cliffs, and more than 50 glacial lakes adorn the caldera of the massif. In addition to its spectacular relief, Retezat is also appreciated for its biodiversity.
“In the area of the park, 98 species of birds, 53 species of mammals, 6 species of fish, 7 species of reptiles and 7 species of amphibians were inventoried. The invertebrates are also of great interest to Retezat, among which are most endemic species for the park (endemic species = found only in that place). Retezat is famous for its floristic diversity, housing almost 1,190 species of native higher plants, from over 3,136 known in Romania”, shows the PNR administration.
Retezatul Mic, the land of rare flowers
Next to the area of glacial lakes, the meadows of Retezatul Mic they also turn into a real paradise of flowers. Located in the southern part of the Retezat National Park, this land less known to tourists than the area of glacial lakes impresses with its calcareous ridges, through steeps, alpine meadows and extensive meadows, where, in the summer months, many species of plants protected by law can be found.
Among them are mountain peony or myrtle (Rhododendron myrtifolium), cups (Gentiana acaulis), gentian (Gentiana punctata), yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea), foxgloves (Soldanella pusilla) and other alpine flowers that give color to the mountain.
Alpine and subalpine pastures occupy an important part of the territory of the Retezat National Park, at altitudes of over 1,700 meters, and in Retezat Mic the floristic diversity is complemented by the spectacular landscapes of the Piule, Drăgșanu and Piatra Iorgovanului peaks.
According to the administration of the Retezat National Park, the existence here of more than a third of Romania’s vascular flora is one of the reasons why the area was declared a national park. To these are added an approximately equal number of lower species: bryophytes (mosses), lichens and algae.
“Very important for the conservation of plants in Retezat are the endemic species, among which we mention the sedge (Draba dorneri), and other rare species, such as the grass of the neck (Tozzia carpathica), the lady’s slipper (Cypripedium calceolus), the yellow ginseng (Gentiana lutea), the bull’s blood (Gymnadenia rhellicani) and the cornflower (Leontopodium alpinum), the last four being designated natural monuments in Romania”says the PNR administration.
Also, many plant species have their classic place here, such as Barbarea lepuznica, Centaurea pseudophrygia retezatensis, Oxytropis jacquinii retezatensis, Hypochoeris maculata var. carpatica and Festuca rupicola var. retezatensis.
The plants that color the rocks
One of the rarities found in Retezatul Mic is the lady’s slipper or lady’s slipper (Cypripedium calceolus), an orchid species declared a natural monument. Its flower, with its unusual “slipper” shape, yellow color and purple vines, is considered one of the most beautiful protected plants in Romania’s mountain flora.
The biologist Ferdinand Tauber mentioned, in a work about the flora of the Retezat National Park, the vegetal wealth of these mountains. Some plants appear isolated on the cliffs, such as cornflower, mountain wormwood, mountain carnation or blood of the strong, while others, such as smirdar and juniper, grow en masse and cover the mountain with a rich vegetation. In the meadows of the subalpine and alpine hollows, you can also find the brightly colored flowers of the gorse and the gorse, which intersperse the green clothing of the mountain.
Retezatul Mic is accessible mainly from the Jiului Valley, while the roads to the area of the glacial lakes usually start from the Hațegului area. Regardless of the route, on the unpaved sections, tourists are advised to drive with caution, preferably with all-terrain vehicles, and before leaving to check the condition of the routes and roads, which can change quickly depending on the weather.
