Neusiedler See/Austria

[Gerdk]

Here are some recent impressions (end of March) from the area around the Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl). First of all I was looking for Viola ambigua which was indicated as a member of the steppe vegetation for some places near the lake. Besides by the violet mentioned and numerous hybrids with it I was pleasantly surprised by a lot of other accompanying early flowering plant species.

1. The Calvary Hill of Neusiedl (with remaining typical steppe Vegetation)
2. + 3.   Viola ambigua
4. Hybrid of Viola ambigua and perhaps Viola odorata/hirta
5. View from the hill to the lake

Gerd

[Gerdk]

Neusiedler See - part 2

1. + 2. Adonis vernalis
3. - 5. Pulsatilla grandis - please note the wind-blown flowers in pic 5.!

Gerd

[Gerdk]

Neusiedler See - last part


1. + 2. Iris pumila - two colours
3. - 5.  Viola alba, Anemonella  Isopyrum thalictroides,  last Galanthus nivalis
within the Leitha mountains (west of the lake)

Gerd

[Robert]

Gerd,

Very beautiful plants. All native to the region? In some of the photographs it look as if there has been human activity for thousands of years! Where do you find the native plants with all the agriculture, industry, and housing? Or are they kept safe in some sort of national park or public lands?

My wife had family in Vienna, Austria. Unfortunately, when we were last there it was wintertime and we never had the opportunity to leave the city.

Yes, my wife is more or less fluent in German (Spanish too). We were watching a German movie the other evening, I needed subtitles as I could not understand anything.

I did get germination with Aster alpigenus var. andersonii. How are yours doing?

Thank you for the posting. I hope that I did not ask too many questions.

[Armin]

Gerd,
lovely to see the violets, the pulsatillas and iris

[Gerdk]

Gerd,
Very beautiful plants. All native to the region? In some of the photographs it look as if there has been human activity for thousands of years! Where do you find the native plants with all the agriculture, industry, and housing? Or are they kept safe in some sort of national park or public lands?

Robert, Thank you for your special interest.
Yes, obviously there was agricultural use of the land since a lot of years. Nowadays most of the region around Lake Neusiedl was
covered with vineyards - well fertilized and no interesting vegetation between the rows of vine stocks (only chickweed) - not the kind I remember from the steep hills of the Mosel valley/Germany. Places with plants as shown are rare and protected. Especially parts of the Calvary Hill of Neusiedl were kept free from shrubby vegetation recently which indicates that the steppe character evolved by human influence. So I believe that a lot of the plants found now are immigrated from eastern parts of Europe (Hungary),
but a long time ago.

My wife had family in Vienna, Austria. Unfortunately, when we were last there it was wintertime and we never had the opportunity to leave the city.
Yes, my wife is more or less fluent in German (Spanish too). We were watching a German movie the other evening, I needed subtitles as I could not understand anything.

To find places of interest for plantlovers I recommend an excellent Austrian Website -
botanische-spaziergaenge.at
unfortunately in German but I believe because of the skills of your wife for you no problem.

I did get germination with Aster alpigenus var. andersonii. How are yours doing?
Thank you for the posting. I hope that I did not ask too many questions.

Because of our unusual cold spring until now no germination in most of my pots.
No problem with too many questions - the only problem for me is translation but some exercise for an old brain isn't
bad. 

Gerd

[Gerdk]

Gerd,
lovely to see the violets, the pulsatillas and iris

Thank you Armin - I know we share a special interest in pulsatilla!

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

It looks a very pleasant place Gerd.

[Robert]

Gerd,

Compared to Europe, major human development in California is fairly recent. When looking for native plants in areas where there has been considerable development I often find them along roadways, between the private property fence line and the spray zone of the roadway. Sometimes old cemeteries are good places to look. This is part of my motivation about where the plants were found in Austria. I am very concerned about our California native flora. Some species are hanging on by a thread in these out of the way locations. I thought that this might be the same situation in Europe. Maybe the native plants can survive for very long periods of time in small overlooked locations.

I am very happy to here that some location are protected!

Thank you for all the information.

[Hoy]

Hi Gerd,

I like those violets. I can very well understand your passion for them

Isn't Anemone thalictroides (syn Thalictrum thalictroides) an american genus? Does it grow wild in Austria?

[Gerdk]

It looks a very pleasant place Gerd.

Indeed it is, unfortunately more than 900 km far from here (a little bit more from the UK) but well worth a visit!
Gerd

Hi Gerd,

I like those violets. I can very well understand your passion for them

Isn't Anemone thalictroides (syn Thalictrum thalictroides) an american genus? Does it grow wild in Austria?

Hoy, shame on me - you are absolutely right - it is Isopyrum thalictroides ! Not the first time I made this mistake!

Gerd

[Hoy]

Gerd,

you are forgiven You're not the only one to make such mistakes. I do it myself very often!

It is a beautiful plant anyway!