Curiosity and power of observation help to grasp how intriguing this section, housing several collections is. The largest collection, the Hortus sanitatis, contains medicinal species native to Italy and other plants from faraway countries.
The most unexpected collection is the agrobiodiversity one, composed of vegetables of the Lucchesia (Lucca area), representing important genetic heritage, the result of a long process of diversification, but also basic ingredients of the traditional cuisine.

The area changes its face with the seasons, in fact with at the first cold weather, many potted tropical species are moved to the greenhouses.

Map of botanical school

Photos
Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna)
Tree cotton (Gossypium arboreum)
Flat-leaved vanilla (Vanilla plantifolia)
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

LOOK OUT FOR … the labels identifying large and small plants through their common names. You will find many friends from everyday life such as cooking or personal care. You will be able to identify through leaves and stems coffee, vanilla, cotton, foxgloves and many others.

The name of the area, ‘Botanical School’, dates back to its original function which, according to the tradition of botanical gardens, housed collections that were living examples of the various systems of plant classification, the most famous of which is the Linnaeus’one.

Beautiful, useful in medicine, capable of re-blooming even on cut branches, frangipani, or Pomelia, have conquered the world starting from Central and South America and the Caribbean.
In Mexico and Asia they are linked to spiritual rituals that are related to their medical proprieties and mechanical resistance. In Hawaii and Mauritius they have found a second homeland and their flowers are used to make the famous welcome necklaces.
The flower is the symbol of the city of Palermo (Sicily, Italy), and tradition states that a home pomelia flower is given by the mother to her daughter who gets married.

TOUCH

• The particular texture of the petals of the frangipani flowers that have fallen to the ground.

• Waxy, firm and strong enough to make…a necklace!

The plants of Plumeria genus arrived in Palermo in 1821 where it was love at first sight. Here they are called “pomelia”, but in the rest of Italy they are “frangipani”, probably in memory of Muzio Frangipane, the noble who created a famous fragrance very similar to that released by Plumeria rubra.

Waters with particular characteristics feed a small pond where a sphagnum peat bog has been reproduced, a humid and delicate environment that is rare south of the Alps but is present in Tuscany even at low altitudes. Sphagnum is a moss that forms soft carpets soaked in water. It also contributes to the formation of peat with its dead parts that, due to acidity and low temperatures, only partially decompose and accumulate over time.

LOOK OUT FOR … the small and rare Drosera rotundifolia, a plant that the Botanical Garden is preserving outside its natural habitat, then LOOK OUT for other similar carnivorous plant species that are gathered in the ‘Botanical School’ area.

Unique in their kind, the small and rare peat bogs of the Lucchesia (Lucca area) have offered refuge to plants from very different past climates. Drosera rotundifolia, a relict of glacial eras, finds moisture and low temperatures on the sphagnum moss even in summer, while the royal fern (Osmunda regalis) captures the hot summer air with its long fronds.

PHOTOS
Peat moss (Sphagnum)
Marsh spurge (Euphorbia palustris)
Snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum)
Marsh gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe)
Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)
Common sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Different species, with their roots sunk into the muddy bottom, populate the small pond and its banks. They have all developed specific adaptations to grow in wetlands, environments particularly rich in biodiversity, not only plants but also animals. Most of the plants come from the wetlands of the Lucchesia (Lucca area), but there are also interesting species from other continents.

LOOK OUT FOR

The blooms that brighten up the green canopy in spring and summer. With the help of the images, try matching colours to flowers and discover which species are part of the Italian flora and which are not.

The pond, present since the foundation of the Botanic Garden, was enlarged by the Director Bicchi in 1870. The rich vegetation, ensuring oxygenation and purification, keeps the environment in balance and the water clear.

PHOTOS

Rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) native to the eastern United States
White water lily (Nymphaea alba) Italian flora
Yellow iris (Limniris pseudacorus) Italian flora
Yellow water lily (Nuphar lutea) Italian flora
Tufted sedge (Carex elata) Italian flora
Coastal hibiscus (Hibiscus pentacarpos) rare, Italian flora

The Garden’s uncontested patriarch is a majestic tree planted in 1822 in the newly opened garden, it was born from the seeds of the first Cedar of Lebanon arrived in Italy.
Four adult people holding hands forming a circle would give an idea of the size of its trunk, which has a circumference of 6.5 metres at ‘chest level’, or exactly at hugging height. The canopy, called “tabular”, is formed by large flat branches covering a very large surface area and it is supported by tie rods for stability problems. To protect the sensitive surface roots, it is not possible to get close to the trunk.

Italy’s monumental tree (cod: 26/E715/LU/09)
Scientific name: Cedrus libani (L.) A. Rich.
Family: Pinaceae
Estimated age: more than 200 years old
Circumference at 1,30 m: 655 cm
Estimated height: 20 m

The Cedar of Lebanon is native to the mountains of Lebanon, Turkey and Syria where it formed extensive forests now reduced due to the millenary exploitation for timber. It was introduced in Italy to the Botanical Garden of Pisa in 1787.

LOOK OUT FOR

On the same plant there are male and female reproductive organs, the former (strobili) are soft and smaller than the latter barrel-shaped (cones or pinecones) that are woody and
located on the highest branches. TOUCH those in the box The Bible often cites the Cedar of Lebanon as a symbol, linking the features of the species to the qualities of strength, grandeur and incorruptibility. In fact, cedar trees can live for millennia, becoming imposing, their wood does not rot easily and they produce an aromatic resin that was used in embalming processes.

Observe the size of the stump of this Ginkgo planted in 1862. Struck by a lightning in the middle of the last century, the tree recovered magnificently producing three shoots which, therefore, belong to the same individual. The Ginkgo is called ‘the fan tree’ in homage to the shape of its leaves. When in November, these turn bright yellow and fall to the ground, they form a golden carpet that allows one to appreciate the canopy breadth.

Italy’s monumental tree (cod: 27/E715/LU/09)
Scientific name: Ginkgo biloba L.
Family: Ginkgoaceae
Estimated age: more than 160 years old
Circumference at 1,30 m: 326-353-325 cm
Estimated height: 26 m

The species Ginkgo biloba is native from Cina. It is considered a living fossil and it seems to be extinct in the wild. In the East it has been cultivated in sacred places for millennia and arrived in Italy, at the Padova’s Botanical Garden, in 1750.

LOOK OUT FOR

• the leaves divided into two lobes, present at the tips of the youngest branches, from which the name ‘biloba’ comes from;

• the “chi chi”, udder-like structures, which in the East are considered a good omen for fertility. They form at the base of the oldest branches and our tree currently only has one. Some of the chemical compounds that contribute to the yellow colour of the leaves provide beneficial properties for many different ailments. Active ingredients are also extracted from the
  seeds, but our tree is a male, so it does not produce any.

Some of the chemical compounds that contribute to the yellow colour of the leaves provide beneficial properties for many different ailments. Active ingredients are also extracted from the seeds, but our tree is a male, so it does not produce any.

VISITATION IS ALLOWED ALONG THE GRAVEL PATHS
Visitors are required to follow the gravel paths and not to step on the grass mats and areas under the trees, as continuous trampling compacts the soil causing damage to the root system of the plants. Lying on lawns, climbing trees, and hanging from branches are not allowed. Benches located along the trails may be used for resting.
For the safety of visitors and the preservation of habitats, monumental trees and other sensitive elements of the museum’s heritage, some areas have been banned; it is recommended not to cross any barriers.

SMOKING AND PICNICKING ARE NOT ALLOWED
Out of respect for the museum institution, smoking and picnicking are not allowed in any area of the Botanical Garden.

DO NOT PICK PLANTS, FLOWERS, FRUITS, MUSHROOMS OR DISTURB ANIMALSIn the Botanical Garden it is not possible to collect or damage plants or parts of them even if they have fallen to the ground (flowers, fruits, pine cones, seeds), mushrooms. It is recommended not to disturb animals, including fish in the tanks, and not to feed them.

DO NOT RELEASE TURTLES, OTHER ANIMALS AND PLANTS
Turtles, fish and other animals or plants of any species cannot be introduced and released into the pond and other garden areas.

DO NOT BRING IN VEHICLES, GAMES, BULKY OBJECTS
It is not possible to enter the Botanical Garden with bicycles, skateboards, Frisbees, balls, drones, bulky objects, etc., nor to carry out activities that may cause damage or disturbance.

DO NOT LEAVE CHILDREN AND SCHOOLCHILDREN UNATTENDED
The Botanical Garden is a museum, and for safety and heritage reasons it is necessary to supervise children and schoolchildren. It is not possible to run, play sports and organize play and recreational activities that are not authorized and concerted in advance with the city administration.

SMALL DOGS ARE ALLOWED ACCESS
Small dogs are allowed on a leash or in a carrier. However, access to guide dogs is always allowed. It is strongly recommended to pick up droppings and take all necessary precautions. Animals should remain on the visiting trails, not dig holes, damage plants and other animals.

YOU CAN TAKE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY
It is permitted to take photos and audio-video footage only for strictly personal use and if taken in the spaces ordinarily open to the public, during the hours and in the manner prescribed for opening to the public. The use of additional equipment (e.g., tripods, stands, tracks, microphones, remotely piloted aircraft, etc.) or setting up photo set for personal use is not permitted. Any filming for commercial purposes or with the use of additional equipment must be authorized by the city administration and agreed upon with the Botanical Garden management.

DO NOT MOVE STONES, PEBBLES AND GRAVEL AND DO NOT THROW THEM INTO FOUNTAINS, PONDS, POTS AND LAWNS
Please do not take any stones from the mound, paving, walls and other artifacts, and do not throw gravel and other material into the pond, bog, fountains and basins. Do not move pots, plant identification tags and other items related to garden management and decoration.

WARNING. MANY PLANTS ARE TOXIC
Toxic or poisonous plants are grown in the Botanical Garden, which can cause even serious problems, especially in children, if ingested or touched. Please be careful and supervise your children and pets.

THE BOTANICAL GARDEN MAY CLOSE IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS
For safety reasons, with the sudden worsening of weather conditions or for other force majeure reasons, the Botanical Garden reserves the right to close earlier than the opening hours and to invite the visitors to leave.