25. Sicilian Snapdragon

Sicilian Snapdragons (M: Papocci Bajda) are one of those plants that flower virtually all year round. But spring still has that je ne sais quoi that makes them bloom more vigorously. The Sicilian Snapdragon grows most happily on near-vertical surfaces - like rubble walls - with plenty of cracks where soil can collect and where the plant can lodge its roots. Despite the foreign name, the plant is just as native to Malta as it is to Sicily - indeed, until recently, the species was actually endemic to just these two islands (it has since spread to other regions). As for the Maltese name, we all know the "papocci" connection: that big lower petal bears more than a passing resemblace to a most comfy-looking, velvety, pale yellow house-slipper.       

Text by Victor Falzon, photo by Alex Casha. Copyright to Birdlife Malta.