According to the myth, Rhodes is the island born of the union of Helios, the Greek sun god, and Rhode, a nymph. The cities in the island is named after their three sons. Now, it may not be as big as a city, but something was named after Rhode as well. It is a pink hibiscus, called rhoda, only found in the island.

Aside from rhoda, the island has plants and flowers that will just amaze you with their vibrant colors and unique beauty. It was not a common knowledge, even to the islanders, that orchids is part of Rhodes' flora. It was only in 1993 when a local, by the name of Giorgios Pastrikos, held a photo exhibit featuring native orchid species. It was not the fault of the locals if they were not aware of it before. It was believed that orchids only grow in tropical zones. Although there are some islanders, most of which belong to agrarian families, who knows the plant's local popular names, they were not aware that it is under the orchid species.

In Europe, there are around 300 to 350 existing species of orchids. Almost half of the species are found in Greece. Fifty-two species are found in Rhodes. This is a large number considering that other countries, like Great Britain and Ireland, who are bigger only grow around 42 species.

One of the orchid species found in Rhodes is Orchis anatolica var. leucantha. It is present in western Iran and in the islands of eastern Aegean Sea. You cannot see much of this in the mainland of Greece. The habitat where it grows is either sparse forests or in places in high altitudes. In Rhodes, it grows from 30 meters to 1,200 meters above the sea level. The color it takes is a shade of pink, from pale rose to dark fuchsia. There are rare occasions when this flower takes the color of pure white. Another orchid species is found in deserted olive groves and forest's edges. It is called Ophrys rhodia. This is also present in other islands in Greece, in Carpathalos and Cyprus, for example. In Rhodes, it is discovered in small numbers and specifically on the northern part of the island.

Time and again, orchids hold some fascination over people. Flower lovers or not, orchids have a distinct quality that warrants them a second glance or further observation. Their forms is a typical of any flowers. Plus they come in varying colors that provides a nice contrast o the green-colored leaves.

Of course, orchids is not all there is to the island's flora and fauna. Even though the mainland of Rhodes is mostly mountainous and sparsely inhabited, it has some forests filled with pine (Pinus brutia) and cypress (Cypressus sempervirens). Other than ornamental plants, the island also grow fruits and crops. Yes, the shores are rocky, but the land itself is fertile. Majority of the fruits and crops grown in Rhodes are the citrus fruit, wine grapes, and olives.

In terms of fauna, it is the home of the Rhodian deer. It is smaller compared to other fallow deers in Europe. Regardless of the size, it is considered a national asset. A likeness was built in the Mandraki Harbor. It is called the Modern Guardians of Mandraki. Another asset of the island is the tiger moth. The Valley of the Butterflies, located in the Petaloudes Valley, is the favorite gathering place of the tiger moths especially during summer.

The inland of Rhodes is hilly and wooded, but is balanced with a lush and flowered landscape. The highest point of elevation in the island is at 3,986 feet—Mount Attavyros. One of the tourist attractions of the island is the Seven Springs, locally known as Epta Piges. It is a breathtaking gorge with seven springs which never run out of water even during summer season.