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Malotira Harvest Season Peaks on Crete's White Mountains

Friday, 19 June 2026/Source: Haniotika Nea/1 min read

Malotira, Crete's iconic mountain tea, is currently being harvested on the Omalos Plateau in the White Mountains region. Local producers like Eftyxis Mavridakis hand-cut the flowering tops of the plant at peak bloom, which is when the herb carries its strongest aroma and flavor. Malotira (Sideritis syriaca) grows wild and cultivated at high altitudes across Crete and has been used for centuries as a medicinal and everyday tea. The harvest season runs through early summer. Tourists visiting the Omalos area, already a popular stop on the way to the Samaria Gorge, can look for locally harvested malotira sold at village shops and roadside stands. It makes an excellent, lightweight souvenir and is best brewed as a simple herbal infusion.

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