Anemone

The kalanit (כלנית) — the red anemone (Anemone coronaria) — is Israel's national flower, chosen by popular vote in 2007. Every spring, vast carpets of crimson kalaniyot (plural) blanket the hillsides of the northern Negev and the western Galilee, creating one of Israel's most spectacular natural displays. The word kalanit comes from the Hebrew root k-l-h (כלה), meaning 'bride,' likely because of the flower's stunning, blushing beauty. The annual blooming season, known as 'Darom Adom' (Red South), draws thousands of visitors to the Negev between January and March. The event has become an unofficial national celebration of spring and renewal. While the kalanit is not mentioned by name in the Bible, many scholars believe it is among the 'flowers of the field' (perach hasadeh) referenced in Isaiah 40:6 and Psalm 103:15. The flower's vivid red color has also connected it to themes of sacrifice and remembrance in Israeli culture. The kalanit is protected by Israeli environmental law — it is illegal to pick wild anemones. This legal protection, dating back to the 1960s, was one of Israel's first nature conservation laws and helped save the flower from near-extinction. Today, the kalanit symbolizes both the beauty and fragility of the Land of Israel's natural heritage.