As we climb the frozen hills, he tells us that a number of beautiful flowers grow here in the spring and summer. In fact, the vegetation is surprisingly rich in Svalbard, with about 170 flowering plant species. Two typical flowers are the white or yellow Svalbard poppy and the fragrant purple saxifrage.

[Picture on page 25]

Many flowering plants, such as the purple saxifrage, survive in the harsh Arctic climate

[Credit Line]

Knut Erik Weman