#13 PT DAS FLORES - AGAPANTO Traditional Cache

O Trilho do Agrião começa na Estrada Regional entre as Furnas e a Povoação, perto da Lomba do Cavaleiro, e termina na Ribeira Quente. Tem a duração total de cerca de 1h30m. Inicia-se descendo por um caminho, primeiro em terra batida entre pastos e depois em pé posto, que desce sempre até chegar a uma ribeira. Deve atravessar a ribeira e continuar, subindo por uma mata de incenso (Pittosporum undulatum), acácia (Acacia sp.) e vinháticas (Persea indica). A seguir chegará a uma bifurcação, já num caminho mais largo de terra batida. Nesse local, deve virar à esquerda, seguindo a sinalética até encontrar, um pouco mais tarde, novo atalho à esquerda, que o/a levará a uma ponte de madeira. Depois de passar esta ponte, deve virar novamente à esquerda e continuar por um caminho de terra batida ao longo de uma ribeira, até chegar à Ribeira Quente, onde o trilho termina.

AGAPANTHUS

Agapanthus is an endemic plant from the coastal areas of the south part of Africa. It’s name comes from the greek words ἀγάπη, ης (‘love’) e ἄνθος, ους (‘flower’), therefore means “love flower”. This flowers are used as ornamental in gardens and parks. They are very adaptive, resilient and easy to grow, reason why they are common on the side of roads. In the Azores they grow side by side with the hydrangeas. The flowering season occurs between the end of spring and summer. Although they tolerate any kind of soil, the best flowers grow in deep and fertile soils. They grow better under direct sunlight or partial shadow and demand abundant watering during spring and summer and less during winter. They grow from seeds or by divided bulbs in the autumn.

AGRIÃO HIKING TRAIL

This trail starts on the Regional Road between Furnas and Povoação, near Lomba do Cavaleiro, ends in Ribeira Quente and has the total estimated time of about 1.5 hours. It starts by descending a track, first a beaten earth track between pastures and then a narrow short cut that descends until you reach a rivulet. Cross the rivulet and continue ascending through a wood of Australian Cheesewood (Pittosporum undulatum), acacias (Acacia sp.) and "vinhática" (Persea indica). Then you will reach a fork, already running on a wider beaten earth track. There, turn to the left and follow the marks until you find another short cut on your left that will take to a wood bridge. After passing this bridge turn again to the left and continue on a beaten earth track, along a rivulet, until you reach Ribeira Quente, where the trails ends.