A green veil covers the mountainous and hilly grand relief of our village. One would suggest that the village is hugged by the mountains with their highest peaks being the ones of ‘Vyzakia’ and ‘Laouna of Konstantinas’ which predominate like natural fortresses.
Wild vegetation and cultivated pieces of land compile an idyllic landscape. The largest part of the village’s land is covered by varied natural vegetation, such as “latzies”, “xistarkes” and “spalathos”. Several species of fruit trees thrive in areas where there is water. As Karouzis distinctively remarks, “an oasis of fruit trees and vegetables is created in places where there are springs or some kind of a successful water drilling”.
More specifically, the mild climate in combination with the composition of the ground, favour the cultivation of citrus fruits, mainly mandarins. Our village is dressed with nature’s most beautiful colours during the fructification season, when the mandarin trees are loaded with fruits.
In the past, the residents of the village also dealt with viticulture. This specific cultivation was the main production of the community. Nowadays, vineyards have been replaced with cultivations of vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers. Karouzis adds that “it is with great difficulty that one sees vineyards today in Prastio, apart from the pergolas in the entrance of houses”.
In our village, apart from citrus fruits and vegetables, there are also some small olive trees, carob trees and almond trees.
A large part of the state forest of Lemesos, with the distinctive flora and fauna of Cyprus such as native birds and hares, falls within the administrative boundaries of our village.
Sources:
Kellaki Prastio Community Council
Giorgos Karouzis, Peridiavazontas tin Kypro (Reading through Cyprus), Lemesos, City and District, Nicosia 2001
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