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Castanea sativa Mill.

The “Chestnut of the Hundred Horses” is one of the most famous monumental trees in Italy.
Its name comes from the legend about Joan of Aragon and her hundred knights who visited Mount Etna and found shelter under its vast foliage. It is just a legend, as Queen Joan of Anjou never travelled to Sicily in her entire life. In any case, in 2008 this tree was also acknowledged as a “Messenger of Peace” by UNESCO.

This beautiful specimen has been growing in Sant’Alfio (Catania) for more than 2.000 years.
Actually, it’s three specimens of Castanea sativa Mill. growing next to each other.
The three crowns have a circumference exceeding 1.030 ft, while the total circumference measures about 72 ft.

Botanical card

The Castanea sativa Mill. is a large deciduous and very long-lived tree, which can live for more than 500 years. It belongs to the family and originated in south-east Europe. It is a moderately thermophilic and heliophilous plant that can vigorously re-grow when coppiced. Its root system is not very deep and prefers loose soils rich in potassium and phosphorus with a slightly acid reaction.
In Italy, chestnut trees can be found throughout the mountain range of the Apennines and the major islands, as well as in the foothills of the Alps.

It is cultivated for the production of chestnuts and wood.
Grinding the fruits, a precious flour is obtained – it used to be an essential ingredient of rural food, also thanks to its high caloric content.

Chestnut trees are highly melliferous and pollinating plants, which have found their perfect place also in many apiaries. Chestnut honey is particularly rich in fructose, has a dark colour, a bitter aftertaste and can avoid crystallization for a long time.
The wood is more resistant than that of other trees and is thus suitable for outdoor furnishing.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)