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The island of S. Andrea rises on a flat limestone surface at an average height of about 6.5 ft above sea level. Its rocky coasts offer “priority habitats” such as salty steppes of glasswort and Limonium japigicum, a rare endemic species.

The coast of Punta Pizzo includes several environments such as the Mediterranean scrub, Mediterranean pseudo-steppes, and humid-marshy habitats. This range of different environments favours the presence of variegated flora, featuring strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo), heather trees (Erica spp.), myrtle (Myrtus spp.), rosemary (Rosmarinus), heather trees, Spanish broom, myrtle, wild asparagus, marigolds, blessed thistle, daisies, and orchids (including the very rare Italian orchid).

There are also two very rare shrub legume species: Anthillis hermanniaie, Punta Pizzo it’s the only place where it grows in the Salento peninsula, and bean clover (Anagyris foetida).