Silent witnesses, escaping the shade
The quest for light has given the weeping silver lime a distinctive leaning appearance indeed its drooping branches grow densely on the side opposite the shadow cast by the nearby Ginkgo. Its beautiful cascading canopy is the result of a selective breeding, and one cannot rely on seeds to preserve these characteristics in new trees. This tree is the result of grafting a shoot from a weeping lime (scion) onto a hardier lime tree (rootstock). A circular callus on the trunk marks the spot where the tissues fused together many years ago.
Italy’s monumental tree (cod: 38/E715/LU/09)
Scientific name: Tilia tomentosa Moench ‘Petiolaris’
Family: Malvaceae
Estimated age: over 100 years old
Circumference at 1,30 m: 380 cm
Estimated height: 14 m
First classified as a new species in 1824 by de Candolle as Tilia petiolaris, it is now regarded as an ornamental variety selected by humans from the Hungarian lime.
LOOK FOR…
the protruding ring on the lime tree’s trunk, marking the graft point between two different trees.
The heart-shaped leaves, dark green above and silvery underneath, fluttering in the wind, add charm of the weeping lime, as do the highly fragrant flowers that bloom in summer. A small wing-like structure formed by a modified leaf (a bract) sits above the flower clusters. In autumn, the small, hard fruits (nutlets) are carried far away from the parent tree by the wind, spinning like miniature helicopters, thanks to the membranous bract to which they remain attached.
Silent witnesses, a green flame
All Irish yews are female and feature dense, upward-pointing branches growing close to the trunk, exactly like the parent plant. The distinctive appearance of this tree, discovered in Northern Ireland during the 1700s, was so admired that millions of specimens were propagated for ornamental use. The variety was named ‘Fastigiata’ due to its narrow conical shape, yet the specimen in the Botanic Garden resembles a large flame, with its lower branches emerging from the base of the trunk. It has likely been in the Botanic Garden since before 1860.
Italy’s monumental tree (cod: 39/E715/LU/09)
Scientific name: Taxus baccata L. ‘Fastigiata’
Family: Taxaceae
Estimated age: over 150 years old
Circumference at 1,30 m: 260 cm
Estimated height: 13,5 m
An evergreen conifer found in Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa, thriving in diverse climates, environments and soil types. The ‘Fastigiata’ variety is a naturally occurring mutation of the common yew.
LOOK FOR…
the common yew (Taxus baccata) and compare the different positioning of the branches with that of the Irish yew.
It is said that sleeping in the shade of a yew tree can be fatal. This misconception stems from the fact that all parts of the tree, including the seeds, but excluding the structures (arils) that contain them, are highly poisonous. The Irish yew shares the same characteristics, including its bright red, fleshy arils, which are especially attractive to birds.
Caption
By 1925 the Irish yew was already of considerable size
Silent witnesses. An American symbol
Lightning struck the white pine in the Garden, leaving a vertical scar running down the trunk, that is clearly visible from the greenhouse side. The electrical discharge likely snapped off the pointed crown typical of the species. Today, the top of the tree appears broad and flat, with an unusual tangle of branches that makes it look like a large stork’s nest. As the tree is so tall, this feature can only be appreciated from a distance: try viewing it from the Garden entrance or, even better, from the city walls or the high Guinigi Tower in Lucca.
Italy’s monumental tree (cod: 30/E715/LU/09)
Scientific name: Pinus strobus L.
Family: Pinaceae
Estimated age: over 100 years old
Circumference at 1,30 m: 385 cm
Estimated height: 32 m
Native to the area between Canada and the USA, this species once formed extensive forests that were drastically reduced in the 18th century. It is also known by the name of Lord Weymouth, who introduced it to England in 1705.
SMELL…
the resin found on the tips of the woody scales of the large female cones lying on the ground.
SHAKE…
the cones, seeds might fall out.
Native Americans used the leaves for infusions, the wood to build canoes, the wet bark to soothe wounds, and the resin as an antiseptic. Colonists — discovering that the tall, straight and durable trunks were also perfect for making ship masts — developed a thriving trade that through the clearing of vast areas enriched England in above all. This was precisely the underlying cause of the early uprisings that led to the American independence and the choice of the white pine as a symbol on flags.
Capture
The needles, arranged in clusters of five, range in colour from deep green to blue-green and remain on the tree for 2–3 years.
Silent witnesses. Straight up, all the way!
The first monumental tree encountered upon entering the Botanical Garden was planted in the year of its founding, two centuries later it has grown tall enough to tower over almost all the other tree canopies. Corsican pines have been used for millennia as ship masts prised for their tall, straight and weather-resistant trunks. Found in a small cluster on Monte Pisano, southeast of Lucca, they are believed to have been introduced from Corsica by the Maritime Republic of Pisa to ensure a supply of high-quality timber close to its shipyards.
Italy’s monumental tree (cod: 29/E715/LU/09)
Scientific name: Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold subsp. laricio Palib. ex Maire
Family: Pinaceae
Estimated age: over 200 years old
Circumference at 1,30 m: 283 cm
Estimated height: 32 m
It is a Mediterranean subspecies of the black pine, native to the mountains of Corsica, Sicily, and Calabria, where it forms extensive forests on the Sila region.
LOOK FOR…
the holes made by the green woodpeckers to catch small insects.
The fragrant resin of the Corsican pine was once used to produce black pitch, a substance that is very hard at room temperature but soft when heated. It was used to seal ship timbers and to manufacture varnishes and torches. To collect the resin, the bark was scored with a series of cuts that, even decades later, still leave a strong scent on the skin if rubbed with the hand.
Captions:
1 – male strobili 2 – female cones (both on the same tree)
The young Corsican pine was purchased in 1822 from the prestigious Martin Burdin Nursery in Chambéry, Savoy.
Silent witnesses, an aromatic grove
A single tree appears to form a small grove, with new shoots growing around the old hollow stump. Indeed, both the slender, straight stems and the large gnarled trunks, belong to the original false camphor tree planted in the Garden in 1888. Although the tree is affected by various fungi and suffers from frost damage, it endures and continues to produce new shoots, forming an evergreen, aromatic canopy. Its small white flowers produce fruits much loved by blackbirds. The scattered young saplings are the result of their seed dispersal.
Italy’s monumental tree (cod: 37/E715/LU/09)
Scientific name: Cinnamomum glanduliferum (Wall.) Meisn.
Family: Lauraceae
Estimated age: about 140 years old
Circumferences at 1,30 m of the largest trunks: 207,150, 140, 135, 125 cm
Estimated height: 12 m
A evergreen species native to South-West Asia, introduced to Europe in the 19th century for ornamental purposes; it requires monitoring, as global warming puts it at risk of becoming invasive.
SMELL…
the fallen leaves after cruscing them, then
LOOK FOR
the real camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) near the library and repeat the action. Do you notice any difference?
Highly fragrant essential oils are found throughout the plant, but the primary reservoir of aromatic compounds is its evergreen leaves, which turn red as they age. The most abundant of these is eucalyptol, with its pungent camphor-like scent that helps us breathe more easily when we have a cold. True camphor, however, is a waxy substance obtained from the leaves and wood of the true camphor tree, as its scientific name – Cinnamomum camphora – suggests.
Silent witnesses, a small heritage tree
The appearance of the Balearic boxwood might mislead those unfamiliar with its history. It looks like a young tree, but it is actually over century old, having been planted by Bicchi in 1880. Although not imposing in size, it is officially recognized as a heritage tree. It is a slow-growing evergreen species; partly for this reason, its wood is so dense that it does not float in water. All parts of the plant are poisonous, thereby reducing the risk of animals feeding on it and interfering with its already slow growth.
Italy’s monumental tree (cod: 36/E715/LU/09)
Scientific name: Buxus balearica Lam.
Family: Buxaceae
Estimated age: about 156 years old
circumferences at 1,30 m: 88 cm
Estimated height: 7 m
This species is native to the Mediterranean Basin. It occurs in the wild, in Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, the southeastern coast of Spain, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia, where it is extremely rare and at risk of extinction.
LOOK AT
the branches and trunk: for the most part they are largely covered with a thick coat of moss.
Its yellowish wood is highly prized for its hardness and elasticity, which make it suitable for artistic carving. It was also traditionally used to make moulds, small tools, and medicine containers.
Caption
Its flowers emit a delicate fragrance. Male and female flowers are separate but grow in dense, tightly packed clusters (known as glomerules).
Thick, water-rich leaves, or leaves reduced to spines on fleshy, grooved stems, are just some of the characteristics of “succulent” plants. To withstand such extreme conditions, these species have developed convergent adaptations, even though they belong to different botanical families spread across distant continents. This is clearly evident in the green stems of African euphorbias and American cacti. This greenhouse dedicated to Africa, also features aloes and other less conspicuous species, demonstrating the great diversity among succulents despite many common features. In Africa and America, many species are protected to prevent their harvesting.
LOOK OUT
… for plants with “variegated” leaves. This is an effect caused by the presence of cells and thickenings that reflect light differently to reduce the damage caused by continuous exposure to sun.
The most unusual species in the greenhouse is in a tall, narrow pot. It is Welwitschia mirabilis, which has a long main root (taproot) that extends deeply into the soil. Native to the Namibian desert, it is a gymnosperm, like firs, cycads, and ginkgoes, but it is the only one to consist of just two leaves that continue to grow and fray throughout the plant’s life, even beyond 2,000 years.
Captions:
Aloe vera: Aloe spines are never woody.
Euphorbia grandicornis: Thorns are transformations of branches or, if paired, of leaves, and in this case are called spines.
Living stones Lithops sp. pl.
Haworthia cooperi var. pilifera: The leaves tips emerging from the ground are transparent to let light in.
To withstand the aridity and temperature fluctuations in rocky, very sunny environments, succulent plants have developed adaptations to retain as much water as possible. Their roots are extensive but shallow to more easily absorb the precious liquid which is then stored in specialized tissues in thickened stems or fleshy leaves. The greatest wealth of succulent species is found in southern Africa and Mexico. This greenhouse displays American plants, such as the well-known cacti (Cactaceae) and agaves (Asparagaceae), while the other one features African species.
SEARCH
… in the two greenhouses, to see which family from the American continent has species with leaves similar to those developed by the Asphodelaceae family from the African continent.
The spines of Cactaceae are modified leaves that minimize surface exposure to the sun, reducing transpiration and protecting the plant from herbivores. In this family, spines and flowers, along with stinging hairs and bristles, arise from small circular areas (“areole”), that are essentially very small branches. The stem, green to aid photosynthesis, also serves as a water reserve; it can be columnar, spherical or flattened (as in the prickly pear cactus) or it can be climbing or creeping.
Captions:
The spines trap moist air, limiting evaporation; thanks to the grooves, the plant expands when is hydrated and vice versa. Mother-in-law’s cushion (Echinocactus platyacanthus)
Espostoa lanata: The downy hairs (‘fluff’) reflect the sun’s rays.
Pachycereus pringlei: It can reach a height of 20 m.
Agave ferdinandi-regis: The apical spines are woody.
Ferocactus chrysacantus: Areole are clearly visible.
The highly fragrant flowers bloom at night and are pollinated by bats and moths. Queen of the night (Hylocereus undatus)
Curious structures shaped like elongated, inverted cones surround the trunks of the two cypress trees in the Garden, one on the bank and one on the island. They are called pneumatophores and, literally, they bring air to the roots, submerged in flooded, oxygen-deprived soil. These structures are hollow inside and Native Americans used them as beehives. This tree is also known as the swamp cypress.
ITALY’S MONUMENTAL TREE (cod: 33/E715/LU/09 on the island and cod: 32/E715/LU/09 on the bank)
Scientific name: Taxodium distichum (L.) A. Rich.var. distichum
Family: Cupressaceae
Estimated age: about 145 years old
circumference at 1,30 m: 280 cm (island) 315 cm (bank)
Estimated height: 21,5 m (island) 20,5 m (bank)
The species is native to the marshy areas of the Gulf of Mexico in the United States.
Introduced to Europe in 1640. The distichum variety features drooping or horizontal branches with spreading leaves.
LOOK AT
… the two bald cypresses nearby. They are characterized by the long wooden structures (pneumatophores) surrounding the trunk. Which of the two has the taller ones?
Rich rust-coloured hues are reflected in the pond in autumn, when the cypress trees, before going “bald” and losing their leaves, offer a burst of colour. This phenomenon is very rare among conifers, and in this species, it adds a special touch: along with the leaves, the smaller branches to which they are attached also fall.
Picture caption:
The scales that form the female cones, when separated, remain attached to the seeds.
They float in water and, carried by the current, contribute to seed dispersal.