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Quercus pubescens Willd.

This specimen is about 28 m tall and has a trunk circumference of 6,2 m.
Downy oaks are native of the Black Sea and belong to the Fagaceae family.
Thanks to their tapering rooting system, they have a high resistance to aridity. They are plants which love the sun and high temperatures but because of their being rustic, they are able to resist cold weather.
In Italy it is present in all the regions, preferably on calcareous soils with a Southern exposure between 200 and 800 m of altitude.
Their wood, even though it is composed of irregular fibres which make it difficult to manufacture, was used to build farming instruments, shipbuilding industry and railway one (sleepers) but it is also a good fuel, thanks to its solidity.
In ancient times, their acorns were used to feed pigs or to make a type of bread. The specimen of Pieve di Montarsolo is also called “La Rovere Grossa” and it is near the sanctuary of Madonna dell’Aiuto.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)