Have you ever seen such a flower? Probably not, if you have never been to Tenerife! Tenerife’s tajinaste (Echium wildpretii) is in fact native to the volcanic heights of the Teide National Park, where this iconic flower grows majestically among the rock formations. Not surprisingly, the tajinaste is nicknamed ‘the pride of Tenerife’ and the first time one encounters it, it is hard not to let a ‘wow!’ escape. Flowering corresponds to the beginning of summer, when in June Teide’s valley is tinged with spots of red, the most common colour of the tajinaste, but which also appears in rarer versions, white and blue.
All the flora in the Teide National Park is spectacular, but trust us when we say that the tajinaste is truly unique. From a distance it appears as a long conical spike (it can reach up to 3 metres in height) growing in the most unusual spots in the National Park, but it is when you look at it up close that the real magic happens. In fact, the spike is composed of an infinity of tiny flowers that create a unique contrast with the volcanic colours of the National Park’s earth and the blue sky above Teide.
If you spot a tajinaste during your exploration of Tenerife, don’t miss the chance to get a closer look and take some photos of it! Tell us, have you ever seen such a flower?
