There is a great variety of vegetation in Switzerland due to the different topographical and climatic conditions.

Today, only one quarter of the country is wooded. Beech is the main tree species up to 1000 metres. Above 1000 metres sliver fir is predominant. Spruce is the most important tree species in Switzerland.

According to attitude, the vegetation is divided into several levels which include:

The hill or cultivated level (500 - 200 metres).

This is the lowest and warmest. It is where arable farming has pushed forestry back to the mountain slopes. The crops grown here are: wheat, grapes, stone fruit, apples, pears, maize, tobacco, vegetables; the sweet chestnut grows on the shores of Lake Geneva and in the Ticino. Apricots and Peaches are grown in Valais and Ticino.

The Mountain deciduous level (700 - 1500 metres)

North of the Alps the beech is the commonest tree. Others include the ash, elm, alpine, maple, lime and scotch pine. The Alder and poplar grow near the water and on the edge of woods beech, apple and pears do grow. South of the Alps the Walnut, Pseudo -acacia, mountain ash, holly ad broom predominate.

The sub-alpine or coniferous level:

The forests are mainly covered by the spruce. Others include silver fir, larch and scotch pine.

The Alpine to permanent snow level:

Above a dwarf-pine and alpine rose belt there follows the alpine pasture zone. Above the tree level is a zone of rock, ice and eternal snow.