The Salento landscape, especially in its countryside and along the dry-stone walls, safeguards a rich botanical heritage of wild plants and flowers that have been part of local community life for centuries. Some are still used today in cooking, folk medicine, liqueur production, as textile fibers, or to dye fabrics. Let’s explore some of the most significant wild plants of the Salento area and their traditional uses, often passed down from generation to generation.

The Salento, particularly the province of Lecce, boasts one of the highest levels of plant biodiversity in Italy. The region is rich in typical Mediterranean scrub species, including olive trees, holm oaks, myrtle, and many other shrubs and trees. This plant diversity is a crucial value for the local ecosystem and contributes to the beauty and richness of the Salento landscape.

Medicinal Plants: The Green Pharmacy of the Past

Mallow (Malva sylvestris)
With its soft leaves and lilac-colored flowers, mallow is one of the most versatile plants. In Salento, it’s mainly harvested in spring. It was traditionally used for emollient compresses and soothing teas for coughs and intestinal issues.
Where to find it: In uncultivated fields around Serrano and Carpignano Salentino, and along rural paths through olive groves.

Wild Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
It grows freely in fields and along roadsides. Its seeds and leaves have long been used as digestive aids.
Where to find it: Common along dirt roads near Specchia, in the countryside around Giuggianello, and along the paths of the Idro Valley near Otranto.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Recognizable by its fragrant, bright orange petals, calendula is a favorite among herbalists and country women. Used in skin ointments against irritations, burns, and insect bites, it was also added to anti-inflammatory teas.
Where to find it: In sunlit fields, roadsides, and gardens near Spongano, Cannole, and the countryside around Neviano.

Curiosity: Some women in Salento prepared “calendula oil” by steeping fresh flowers in olive oil under the sun for nine days—a homemade remedy for babies, burns, and chapped skin.

Edible Plants: A Humble Cuisine Rich in Flavor

Wild Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
The undisputed queen of Salento’s humble cuisine. It’s boiled and then sautéed or served with fave nette (mashed fava beans).
Where to find it: In rotating or abandoned farmlands, especially between Corigliano d’Otranto and Galugnano.

Wild Asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius)
They sprout in March among thorny bushes. Ideal for omelets and risottos.
Where to search: In the woods of Montesardo and the Costa Otranto-Santa Maria di Leuca Natural Park.

Kritimi (Crithmum maritimum) – Sea Fennel
This succulent plant with a sea-salt scent grows between sun-drenched rocks along the Salento cliffs. Its fleshy leaves are harvested in summer and preserved in vinegar or oil.
Where to find it: Along rocky coastlines between Porto Badisco, Castro, Torre Vado, and San Gregorio.

Anecdote: In some families of the Capo di Leuca, kritimi were part of the Christmas preserves; fishermen used them at sea to prevent scurvy.

Caper (Capparis spinosa): A Treasure Hidden in the Walls

With its showy flowers and rounded leaves, the caper grows stubbornly among dry-stone walls, in the cracks of old buildings, and on sun-exposed rocks. Its buds (the true capers) and fruits (called cucunci) are harvested in spring and summer and preserved in salt or vinegar. Their intense flavor makes them precious in Mediterranean cuisine—perfect in salads, on bruschetta, or in sauces for fish and pizzaiola-style meat.

Where to find it: Abundant among the stone walls of Minervino di Lecce, in the stone houses of Giurdignano, around the Vaste archaeological site, and on the cliffs between Santa Cesarea Terme and Castro.

Curiosity: In many Salento farming families, caper picking at dawn was entrusted to the youngest, as it required delicate handling before the buds opened. The hands would be sticky with resin, but the fragrance released in the kitchen when salting them marked the arrival of summer.

Plants for Liqueurs: Aromas of the Territory

Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
A classic of the Mediterranean scrub, its fragrant berries are used to make homemade liqueurs.
Where to find it: In the scrub between Santa Cesarea Terme and Porto Selvaggio, and near Torre dell’Orso.

Rue (Ruta graveolens)
A strongly aromatic plant, once added—sparingly—to grappa and digestifs.
Where it grows: In rustic gardens and orchards between Cutrofiano and Soleto.

Fiber Plants: Nature’s Hidden Threads

Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum)
Its stems were used to produce a tough fiber for ropes and fabrics.
Where to find it: In the arid areas between Tricase and Maglie, and along old rural railway lines.

Dye Plants: The Colors of the Earth

Dyer’s Rocket (Reseda luteola)
Traditionally used to dye textiles a bright yellow.
Where it grows: In the limestone areas between Alessano and Tiggiano, and near the stone quarries of Melpignano.

Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
Its petals were used both for dyes and calming herbal teas.
Where it thrives: In the wheat fields between Scorrano and Taviano—especially stunning between April and May.

 

A Heritage Worth Preserving

Today, many of these plants are at risk of being forgotten, crowded out by modern consumer habits and a landscape increasingly transformed by human activity. Yet, in Salento, there’s growing interest in reviving the land’s ancient traditions: synergistic gardens, botanical excursions, herbal remedy workshops, and rural gastronomy experiences are on the rise.

Recommended experiences:

  • La Cutura Botanical Garden in Giuggianello, to explore native flora.

  • The Via dei Pellegrini trail, from Tricase to Santa Maria di Leuca, with ethnobotany experts.

  • The farmers’ markets of Melpignano, Calimera, and Corsano, where one can find preserves and products made from wild herbs.

Want to Rediscover the Authentic Salento?

Walking through spring fields, breathing in the scent of wild fennel, harvesting kritimi along the rocks, or spotting sea lilies on the dunes—these are all ways to connect with the slow, deep rhythm of this land.