Garigue

Garigue is one of the main natural habitats in Malta. The other main habitats are the steppe, maquis and woodland. 

It is found in other parts of the Mediterranean in areas with limestone soils usually near the coast where the conditions are not as hot and dry as further inland. 

In Maltese garigue is known as xagħri. In Greece it is known as phrygana, in Spain as tomillares and in Israel as batha. 

In the American west a similar habitat is known as chaparral. Garigue is best described as open rocky areas with pitted and fissured ground in which one can find a thin layer of soil. In other parts of the Mediterranean and probably in Malta as well garigue was formed as a result of the cutting down of the original trees to create land for agriculture by prehistoric man as well as by grazing of domestic animals and fires.

Garigue vegetation is low and usually consists of aromatic shrubs such as the Mediterranean thyme (sagħtar) Mediterranean heath (erika), spurges (tengħud), the olive-leaved germander (żebbuġija) and the white hedge-nettle (te Sqalli) amongst others. Very often one particular species of plant dominates a particular area.

It is believed that these shrubs produce aromatic oils and other chemicals which leach into the soil and these prevent the growth of other plants in the vicinity especially annuals. 

This gives rise to the characteristic open spaces of garigue areas. The flowers of garigue shrubs are an important source of nectar which is collected by bees to form honey. Malta has been well known since antiquity for its thyme honey and it is believed that the name Melita is derived from the Greek word for honey.

Much of the garigue of the Maltese islands has disappeared. Vast areas have been built upon and tracts have been covered with soil and converted into fields. Some areas have been ‘reclaimed’ and planted with trees. There are now fewer thyme bushes for bees to visit with a consequential loss in the production of thyme honey.

It is not possible to bring back lost garigue but it is important that what is left is protected. It is also possible to increase the amount of thyme and native plants in gardens and in urban areas. 

This would help native species of insects and other animals and provide bees with nectar. The Environment Landscape Consortium would do well to plant these plants in areas for which they are responsible such as roundabouts and road verges instead of non-indigenous species with no ecological value. These plants have the added value that they require very little water thus reducing the amount of water used in keeping these areas green. 

This article was published in The Times on 27.01.2010

Garlic and its medicinal properties

Garlic is a species in the onion family. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek and chive. Several wild species belonging to this family can be found growing in the Maltese countryside include two endemic species.

The Maltese dwarf garlic (tewm irqiq ta’ Malta) is a small delicate plant that grows in shallow depressions with a thin layer of soil in garigue habitat. It has white flowers which appear in the hot months of June and July when few people venture out in the countryside.

 Until some years ago this plant was mistaken for another species which is found also in Sardinia and Corsica but further studies by Italian and Maltese botanists including Edwin Lanfranco have shown that it is a separate species found only in the Maltese islands.

Another member of the onion family, the Maltese leek (kurrat ta’ Malta), is probably endemic to the Maltese islands but further botanical studies are needed before one can be sure of the exact identity of this plant and other closely related species.

The origins of cultivated garlic are unknown but it is now grown in large quantities in many parts of the world. The largest producer is China which produces 77% of the world garlic. The second and third largest garlic produces India and South Korea trail far behind. 

Garlic is cultivated in the Maltese islands in small amounts. It is harvested mostly in early spring, before it is fully mature, to be used as stuffing for artichokes. 

Garlic is very easy to grow by planting individual cloves in the soil in late autumn at about the same time as the bulbs of other flowering plants. Each clove gives rise to a single plant which in early spring produces a bulb with several cloves. A few large pots can supply enough garlic to last for several weeks or months.

Garlic has been used as food and medicine for thousands of years. Its pungent flavour is a requisite for many dishes in various parts of the world including Malta where it is one of the main ingredients of the Maltese fish soup known as aljotta, and the snail condiment known as aljoli. The names of these two dishes are in fact derived from the Italian name for garlic aglio.

This article was published in The Times 05.05.10