The plants of Kurdistan, by their Kurdish names.

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

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Jasmine

Netted iris

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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”.

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Crown imperialFritillaria imperialisŞilêr

The şilêr is known as the flower of the Kurds. In 1753 Carl Linnaeus gave it its scientific name, Fritillaria imperialis. It is widespread in most regions of Kurdistan, especially in Colemêrg (Hakkari) and Serhed. Because of its loveliness and delicacy it has long been on the lips of poets and singe

Did you know?In Kurmanji it is also called Şilêra sernixwûn.

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.

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Evening light on a valley in the Kurdistan Region: dry, tree-dotted hills with a winding road and a few houses in the foreground, and bare rocky mountains behind under a pale sky.

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The Importance of Names and the Kurds: Institutions and Open Questions

Part 9 of 9 inThe Importance of Names and the Kurds

In the last few articles I put the weight on some historical dimensions and on the stages that Kurdish names have lived through and passed through. This in no way means that I…

Weysî Silêman Elî · 15 November 2026 · 6 min read

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The plants of Kurdistan, by their Kurdish names.

Today’s plantToday’s plant

Articles

The Importance of Names and the Kurds: Institutions and Open Questions

The Importance of Names and the Kurds: Restoration

The Importance of Names and the Kurds: Loss