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It was created in 1982 thanks to professor Giuliano Cesca, who taught Systematic Botany at the university of Calabria, and it represents a true open-air Laboratory of Nature, in which it is possible to observe more than 400 vascular spontaneous species of Calabrian flora.
It is located in the Crati basin, the most important Calabrian stream, in the “Monaci” of Arcavata zone, near the multifunctional area of the University. The Botanical Orchard has an extension of eight hectares, situated between 180 and 230 above the sea level, and benefits of the local weather conditions: abundant rainfalls in winter and around three months of aridity in summer. It is possible to see some of the reaches of the orchard already from the fence and among them there are many climbing plants like roses, passion flowers, wisterias, begonias and ivies. There are four autonomous sections: the botanical orchard, the zoological section, the geopaleontogical section and the Phyto pharmacy section. There are two different entrances bordered by cypresses on the southern side and by a great oak tree on the eastern side.

The structure of the Orchard. It is possible to find woods of oak trees (Quercus spp.), poplars (Populus spp.), moist fields, cultivations of olive trees and wheat inside the orchard, in addition to the plant collection. The Orchard’s surface is divided in four sections: the olive tree Orchard, the oak Orchard, the love wood and the spring wood, which preserve partially a semi-spontaneous vegetation. The offices are composed of equipped laboratories, a classroom and an herbarium with more than 24000 samples of vascular plants with a detailed documentation.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)