Flora in Greenland

    Three-hundren and ten species of vascular plants are found in Greenland, including 15 endemic species.  Except for in Qinngua Valley, which consists mainly of downy birch and grey-leaf willow, growing up to 7–8 metres tall, Greenland has no native forests.  In northern Greenland, the ground is covered with a carpet of mosses and low-lying shrubs such as dwarf willows and crowberries. Flowering plants in the north include yellow poppy, Pedicularis, and Pyrola.  Plant life in southern Greenland is more abundant, and certain plants, such as the dwarf birch and willow, may grow several feet high.  Horticulture shows a certain degree of success. Plants such as broccoli, radishes, spinach, leeks, lettuce, turnips, chervil, potatoes and parsley are grown up to considerable latitudes, while the very south of the country also holds asters, Nemophila, mignonette, rhubarb, sorrel and carrots.

    According to a 13th-century Old Norse text, the Vikings had tried to grow barley but failed.  But recently archaeologists have discovered barley grains which shows that the Vikings’ efforts were not in vain.