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Acer pseudoplatanus L.

The tree is 22 meters tall and it’s circumference is of about 4.80 meters .

It hails from Europe and Caucasus and it belongs to the Aceraceae family. It is a quite schiaphilous plant, which prefers fresh and deep soils, while it is sensitive to water stagnation and aridity. In Italy it is possible to find it in its wild form, in mountain areas, in mixed beech woods till 1800 m. In the Po valley, it is nearly substituted by hedge maples.Its wood is used in artisanal workmanship, especially in the violin making sector. In ancient times, people used to cut the cortex to extract its lymph, from whose fermentation it was possible to obtain an alcoholic beverage. The lymph, when consumed fresh, has a high concentration of vitamin C. According to a legend, two young shepherds, one of them was deaf-mute, were surprised by a snow storm in the middle of Summer and they found shelter under a great maple tree, where they saw the apparition of the Madonna. The young deaf-mute came home after being healed and communicated the Madonna’s will: being venerated at the great maple tree, because of this many peregrines come on 5^th August and participate to the so called “Madonna dell‘Acero” featival.

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