Considering that the ratio of about 2400 pants spreading in Ankara to the Turkish population is 1/5,the number of mammalian animal species is 5,which again corresponds tothe ratio of 1/3 when looking at the whole country,Ankara has an important place in our country in terms of biodiversity.The fact that 400 endemic plant species are distributed in Ankara and 90 of them are unique to Ankara is an indication of how important the biodiversity of our capital city is. 

It is known that there are 11 endemic insect species in Ankara and 5 of them are species that require protection measures. The plant diversity shaped and emerged as a result of factors such as climatic conditions, temperature and rainfall within the provincial borders of Ankara consists of 1365 flowering plant species belonging to 495 genera from 99 families. Among these species, 271 (19.85%) are endemic to Turkey, 22 of which are unique to Ankara.

The average annual precipitation varies between 346-564 mm and the average annual temperature is between 10.2-13.2 degrees Celsius in a city that is mostly covered with steppes and ranges between 550-2000 meters in elevation.The highest and wettest areas are around Kızılcahamam in the northwest of the city. While representatives of the Western Black Sea vegetation are generally found here, arid and saline plants are encountered in the northern parts of the Salt Lake, near Şereflikoçhisar.

Another factor affecting the plant diversity in Ankara is the soil structure. While plants that can live on clay and calcareous soils are widespread in Ayaş, species growing on gypsum soils are encountered in Nallıhan and Polatlı regions. In Bala and Kalecik regions, species specific to non-calcareous soils rich in heavy metals such as magnesium, nickel and cadmium are found.

ENDEMIC 

PLANT 

SPECIES 

IN 

ANKARA

Ankara Yarrow

        It grows at an altitude of 1400-1800 meters, on riverbanks, mountainous slopes and grasslands. It blooms in July-August. It is a narrow-spreading, 2-year plant that spreads on gypsum hills around Polatlı and Beypazarı.

Yoruk Stone Bag

         It is a multi-stemmed, perennial, endemic species with thick woody rhizome and grows up to 20 cm in length. It is distributed in Central Western Anatolia, Upper Sakarya sub-regions in Turkey. It grows on marly and gypsum slopes at 840-1400 m altitudes.

Beypazari Geveni

         It grows only in the Beypazari district of Ankara in the world. Beypazari cereal, which has a flowering period between May and July, lives at an average altitude of 600 meters above sea level and in soils with steppe characteristics. The ideal soil type for the plant, which lives in direct sunlight and where the average annual temperature is above -15 degrees Celsius, is moist and permeable soil. 

Kizilcahamam Bluebell / October Bell

    It blooms in July. It is a flower that grows in the volcanic rock cracks between Kızılcahamam and Işıkdağ.

Ankara Crocus

     Ankara crocus is an endemic species native to Ankara. Many cultivars have been developed and it is widely grown in Europe as an ornamental plant in gardens. Its bulbs, which spend the winter under the ground, bloom yellow flowers between February and April with the melting of the snow. In general, crocuses are perennial, tuberous, herbaceous plants with yellow or blue flowers that occur at altitudes of 1000-1600 m.