The arctic vegetation in the Sermermiut valley tells a wonderful story. Although the vegetation appears to be very sparse, there is in fact a great variety of species. The growing season for this vegetation is short, limited to four to five months between the end of spring and summer when there is no snow cover. In that short time, plants must complete their annual growth cycle. The most frequently occurring shrubs are dwarf birch and various species of willow. There is also a lot of crowberry and blueberry, which are both gathered and enjoyed by local people here every year—these berries will be preserved and eaten over the winter. Some of the more curious species, such as Moss Campion (Silene acaulis) is observed as a tuft of small pink flowers. The Moss Campion will start its blooming in the southern end toward the direction of the sun and during the season the flowering will continue up over the plant - ending the blooming at the north side. This means that you can use Moss Campion as a kind of compass to always locate the direction of geographical north by looking at the blooms. Another special plant here is the carnivorous Common Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris). The flower resembles a small purple bell at the end of a 5 to 10-centimeter-long stem. It can be recognized by the light green sticky leaves that radiate from the center of the stem along the ground. These sticky leaves are a trap for insects who crawl over these light green sticky leaves and get stuck. The leaves then secrete a digestive enzyme which slowly dissolves the insect, allowing the plant to absorb the nutrients it needs. After flowering, the leaves wither and a winter bud forms that ensures the flower’s survival the following year.
As part of the protection of our UNESCO site, restrictions have been introduced to protect the fragile arctic vegetation. It is not permitted to pick flowers or collect plants in the valley.
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