The plants of Kurdistan, by their Kurdish names.

Every plant with its names in each Kurdish dialect, when it blooms, and its story.

Explore the plants

Jasmine

Netted iris

Iris See all

Today’s plantToday’s plant

Saturday 14 NovemberSaturday 14 November

Two dense spikes of bright yellow snapdragon-like flowers on tall stems with narrow grey-green leaves, in dry grassland.

Linaria kurdicaLinaria kurdicaBelgîzera kurdan

Linaria kurdica is a tall perennial with dense spikes of yellow, spurred flowers. It grows wild from the Caucasus to Lebanon, Syria and Iran. In Kurdistan it has been collected in North Kurdistan (Bakur), South Kurdistan (Başûr) and East Kurdistan (Rojhilat). It was described in 1844 from Mount Gara

Did you know?Kurdica, in its Latin name, means “Kurdish”.

More plants

Kurdish fritillaryFritillaria kurdicaŞilêr

The şilêr is known as the flower of the Kurds. It was first recorded in 1849, around Lake Van, by the Austrian scientist Friedrich Wilhelm Noë, under the name Fritillaria kurdica. It is widespread in most regions of Kurdistan, especially in Colemêrg (Hakkari) and Serhed. Because of its loveliness an

Did you know?Kurdica, in its Latin name, means “Kurdish”.

Kurdish hollyhockAlcea kurdicaHêro

The hêro is known and celebrated as a flower of the Kurds. It is widespread in most regions of Kurdistan, especially from the south to the north of the Zagros. Because of its loveliness and delicacy it has long been on the lips of poets and singers, and its beauty makes it one of the most prized and

Did you know?Kurdica, in its Latin name, means “Kurdish”.

Linaria kurdicaLinaria kurdicaBelgîzera kurdan

Did you know?Kurdica, in its Latin name, means “Kurdish”.

TomorrowA new plant

Articles

Essays on Kurdish names, language and the land.

All articles

Latest

The Importance of Names and the Kurds: Restoration

Part 8 of 8 inThe Importance of Names and the Kurds

Place names in Turkey, Syria and Iraq have been officially changed, but they have survived in the local dialects and in the people’s memory, and in some places they are coming…

Weysî Silêman Elî · 12 November 2026 · 5 min read

All articles

The plants of Kurdistan, by their Kurdish names.

Today’s plantToday’s plant

Articles

The Importance of Names and the Kurds: Restoration

The Importance of Names and the Kurds: Loss

The Importance of Names and the Kurds: Veering