Plucking “Yörük Rose” incurs 248 thousand lira penalty in Turkey.
Paeonia Turcica, also known as the “Yörük Rose” or “Bear Rose,” is a unique flower found only in Anatolian lands. The flower, which is also the symbol of “EXPO 2016 Antalya,” blooms for just 10 days a year and turns the cedar forests of the Taurus Mountains pink. It is considered endemic to the Antalya region, where there are 700 endemic plant species, according to researchers from Akdeniz University.
The Nature Conservancy and National Parks teams are responsible for protecting the flower, and those caught plucking it face a fine of 244,000 Turkish liras under the relevant law. It is stated that the spreading area of the flower has increased due to recent measures taken to preserve it.
Researcher İsmail Gökhan Deniz from Akdeniz University Faculty of Education, Department of Biology Education, added that the flower is adapted to rapid climatic and topographic changes. However, the flower can only grow and bloom in its natural habitat under the cedar trees, and cannot survive in other environments. Therefore, plucking it to grow in balconies or gardens is not recommended even with good intentions.
The flower is of special interest to tourists walking the Lycian Way, a long-distance footpath in Turkey, and is a reminder of the diverse and precious biodiversity that is unique to Anatolian lands.
