The Children of Extinct Trees

 

 The gardens at Ninfa are said to be the most romantic in the world. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certainly many vistas could be the backdrop for Belcanto operas.

One of the most interesting aspects of this huge park, the site of a medieval city abandoned  in the 15th century, was the so-called gene bank to preserve the genes of otherwise extinct trees, in this case Oak trees.

Oak is a suitable subject for a wine blog even if the species represented here will probably never be used for making barrels. Not many of us will be around in any case even if they are. 

For us even more relevant to this blog are the efforts to save ancient varieties of oak from extinction. Just as moving as when we record the efforts of winegrowers to save grape varieties for posterity.

So here are the 9 species currently planted in the gene bank.

 

 

 

Children of extinct trees

The garden of Ninfa hosts a gene bank to preserve the genes of the plants of the future.

Starting from 2024, the Garden of Ninfa – a natural monument where poetry embraces architecture - hosts the children of the great trees that are no longer with us

Welcome to the Children of Extinct Trees

The Garden of Ninfa hosts a gene bank to preserve the genes of the plants of the future Starting from 2024, the Garden of Ninfa - a natural monument where poetry embraces architecture - hosts the children of the great trees that are no longer with us, but which were the most resistant and suitable plants to combat climate change. This is why we wanted to save their offspring and part of their DNA as natural heirs from extinction by creating a gene bank that will be fundamental in mitigating the environmental stresses taking place in our era. Thanks to the collaboration between the Roffredo Caetani Foundation (to whose family we owe the optimisation of this unique place seven centuries ago) and the association "Patriarchi della Natura in Italia" (Patriarchs of Nature in Italy) these small trees of great genetic value will grow and help us to better face our future.

 

Farnia di Meduna di Livenza
Meduna di Livenza English oak
(Quercus robur L.)

Comune / Location: Meduna di Livenza (TV)
Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk circumference: 5,8 mt
Età stimata / Estimated age: circa 300 anni / about 300 years
Splendido esemplare monumentale che troneggia nel giardino
della cinquecentesca Villa Weil, nel comune di Meduna
di Livenza. Si tratta probabilmente di una delle farnie più bélle
e grandi del Veneto, ma purtroppo è ormai giunta alla fine
dei suoi/giorni.

A splendid mohumental specimen towering in the garden
of the 16th-century Villa Weil, in the city of Meduna di Livenza.
It is probably one of the most beautiful and largest English oaks
in the Veneto region, but unfortunately it has now reached the end
of its days.

 

Leccio di S. Francesco
Holm Oak of St. Francis
(Quercus ilex L.)

Comune / Locarion: Sermoneta (LT)
Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk circumference: 5,1 mt
Età stimata / Estimated age: circa 528 anni / approx. 528 years

The plant is linked to St Francis and is said to have been planted
in 1495 at the behest of Pope Alexander VI, on the occasion
of the donation of the convent ef Sermoneta to the Minor Friars.
Unfortunately, the patriarch has lost a large branch and
is unbalanced, to the point that they had to build a scaffold to support
him. But it does not look like he will be able so resist for long.

 

 

Rovere di Caronia
Caronia durmast oak
(Quercus petraea subp. austrotyrrhenica)

Comune / Location: Caronia (ME)
Età stimata / Estimated age: 400 anni / years

Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk circumference: oltre 5 mt / over 5 mt
Caduta probabilmente nel 2021 / Probably fell in 2021

The mother plant grew in the extensive forests of the Nebrodi
Natural Park, where there are several monumental oaks that have
survived human action. During an excursion organised
in the summer of 2021, the large durmast oak was found
on the ground with its trunk broken; next to it were some small
seedlings that were recovered like this specimen.

Cerro di Amatrice
Amatrice Turkey oak
(Quercus cerris L.)

Comune / Loçation: Amatrice (RI)
Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk circumference: oltre 7 mt / over 7 mt
Età stimata / Estimated age: circa 600 anni / about 600 years
Caduta nel 2021 / Fell in 2021

It was the largest and oldest Turkey oak in Italy that had withstood
even the great earthquake of 2016, but died a few years ago.
In all likelihood, this small seedling daughter of the old Turkey oak
is the only surviving offspring that will be able to preserve the genetic
makeup of the mother plant. If we had not reproduced
its DNA would have become extinct forever.

Quercia delle Streghe
Witches' Oak
(Quercus puberscens Willd.)
Comune / Location: Loreto Aprutino (PE)
Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk cireumference: 6,5 mt
Età stimata / Estimated age: circa 420 annă / approx. 420 years
Caduta nel 2023 7 Fell in 2023
Una delle più belle e grandi querce d'Abruzzo cresceva in località
Passo Cordone (Pescara). A causa di lavori agricoli probabilmente
sono state tagliate alcune grosse radici. Una conseguente potatura
ha farto si che questo monumento della natura sia crollato esanime
afterra nel 2023. L'associazione Patriarchi della Natura aveva
recuperato alcune plantine nel 2022; eà oogi possiamo conservare
M getmoplasma di questa mapriarca.
One of the most beautiful and largest oaks in Abruzzo which used
to grow ar Passo Cordone (Pescara). Due to agricultural work, some large
roots were probably cut off. Subsequent pruning caused this monument
of nature to collapse lifelessly to the ground in 2023. The Patriarchs
of Nature association had recovered some seedlings in 2022, so today
we can preserve the germplasm of this matriarch.

Farnia di Forlimpopoli
English Oak of Forlimpopoli

(Quercus robur L.)

Comune / Location: Forlimpopoli (FC)
* Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk circumference: quasi 4 mt / almost 4 mt
Età stimata / Estimated age: circa 200 anni / about 200 years

This oak, unfortunately, has now reached the end of its days: in fact
it has begun to dry out part of its branches. Since it grows inside
the urban park of the hometown of the famous gastronome Artusi,
for safety reasons it has been surrounded by a fence that prevents
it from being approached. This is why it is important to preserve
its genetic makeup before it disappears forever.

Cerro di Brienza
Brienza Turkey oak
(Quercus cerris L.)

Comune / Location: Brienza (PZ)
Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk circumference: 7,8 mt
Età stimata / Estimated age: quasi 500 anni / almost 500 years
Caduta nel 2020 / Fell in 2020

The mother tree grew in the municipality of Brienza, in the Cerasa
valley and was one of the largest Turkey oaks in Italy Although
its trunk was hollow it resisted until the summer of 2020 when
it collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, the Petriarchi of Nature
association had visited this monumental tree and bad taken
a seedling, thus saving the matriarch’s genetic makeup.

Rovere di Mozzo
Mozzo durmast oak
(Quercus petraea Matt.)

Comune / Location: Mozzo (BG)
Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk circumference: oltre 5 mt / over 5 mt
Età stimata / Estimated age: circa 220 anni / approx. 220 years

The plant - a gigantic monumental oak - grew near an ancient villa
on a hill near the town of Mozzo. Today it no longer exists because
it was burnt down a few years ago. Unfortunately, man's ignorance
knows no bounds, but luck would have it that at its feet were born
some of its offspring, such as this one that is standing here.

Rovere Tiglieto
Tiglieto durmast oak
(Quercus petraea Matt.)

Comune / Location: Tiglieto (GE)
Circonferenza del tronco / Trunk circumference: 4,7 mt
Età stimata / Estimated age: circa 300 anni / approx. 300 years

This monumental oak has a curious history: it is said, in fact, to have
been planted by Napoleon's troops during the Italian campaign
in 1800. This is due to the discovery of a horseshoe in its trunk,
baring the imperial symbol 'N'. The horseshoe had probably been
substituted to a horse in the troops' force.