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Quercus pubescens (Fagaceae)

This majestic oak has grown undisturbed for 750 years near a land that was once occupied by a monastery of Capuchin friars.

Due to its impressive size (trunk circumference of 5,70 m and 24 m high) it is impossible not to notice it. Its trunk is bulky and large; the main branches start at about 3 m and go up in the sky.

About ten years ago, somebody tried to set fire to the tree. This resulted in the removal of a big branch.

The specimen is inscribed in the monumental tree register since 1982 and 20 years ago the city asked for a safeguard order.

This tree might be what remains of a larger wood that once occupied the area, now replaced by younger trees that one day might grow into majestic monumental trees, such as Donato’s oak.

How to get there:

From the square of the Municiplaity of di Scurcola Marsicana (AQ), it is a 45 minutes drive to Cappeti where the oak is located.

Botanical profile of the oak:

The specie has a big range, whose central area concentrates in the southern part of Europe.

The oak can be found in each Italian region.

The specie is heliophilous and xerophilous, it resists at low temperatures but need high temperatures in summer. It grows between 200-800 m of altitude on southern slopes.

It grows in dry woods and shrubbery.

In the North of Italy, on calcareous, rocky and well-drained lands, it grows together with Fraxinus ornus, Carpinus betulus and Pinus nigra. In the Centre and South of Italy it only grows in holm oak woods and in the upper parts of Turkey oak woods and durmast woods.

The wood of this specie is harder and heavier than that of other oaks, its fibres tend to detach and therefore it is less used than durmast and English oak; it is an excellent fuel and produces excellent carbon.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)