These veteran trees – and especially this one – are a visible reminder of our heritage. di fùrmini, e saitti By then, it had grown to an incredible size, which is exactly what led to its fateful run in with royalty. Side branches have collapsed over time, but where they have made contact with the ground, all have taken root and continuously send up new shoots. E l'albero - Briareo lignificato - The tree was measured in 1770 (and again in 1780) at an incredible 58 meters (190 feet) in diameter. from a nettle-woven soil. It devastated forests in eastern USA during the first half of the 20th century, killing an estimated 3.5 billion trees after it was accidentally introduced from Asia, probably during the 19th century. Pollination may be either by insects or by wind. Sorry for my inaccuracy the first time. Sweet chestnuts roasting on an open fire at Christmas, whilst in the kitchen preparations are under way in making chestnut stuffing. In North Wales, beside the Ruthin to Denbigh road, there once grew three enormous Sweet Chestnut trees that had sufficient significance to be marked on OS maps. The Romans probably brought Sweet Chestnut (also known as Spanish Chestnut) trees to Britain, and in the south of England and Wales, where the climate is warm enough for self-sown seeds to germinate, these stately trees have become naturalised in the wild; elsewhere they are … And that’s exactly what it was used for – a small road passed through the tree for several hundred years. Time eventually took its toll on the tree, and it has since cracked and split into 4 separate trunks. quannu ppi visitari Mungibeddu To answer the other part of your question, the forests have been replaced by other native species, especially oaks and hickories. Beaten back by strong winds and chainsaws, she is now intent on a south-westerly route. was taken by surprise by a fierce storm. Sweet Chestnut – Colwyn Bay, Conwy – early November, English name(s): Sweet Chestnut, Spanish Chestnut Latin Name: Castana sativa Welsh name: Castanwydden Felys Family: Fagacaea. This is more impressive for a chestnut! The ancient tree’s story goes back thousands of years, an incredible feat considering its location just a few kilometers from one of the world’s most active volcanoes. And the tree – wooden Briareus – This tradition has largely faded out here, probably something to do with ‘health and safety, but it continues to thrive in other European countries, particularly Italy, Spain and Portugal, where many festivals are held during October and November to celebrate the year’s harvest. Researching this post I found that the ancient Sweet Chestnut at Bodnant Gardens was a nominee in the Woodland Trust’s annual Tree of the Year competition and that the winning tree in Wales for 2019 is the Old Sweet Chestnut of Pontypool, which confirmed that this was the perfect time to be putting the post together. The Latin sativus is based on satus, meaning ‘sown’, perhaps implying the tree has been cultivated by humans. So many facts about chestnut trees I didn’t know. that its branches formed an umbrella We live in Alberta, Canada, so don’t have them growing here, but they do very well in the Okanagan in British Columbia and are beautiful to behold in the fall. Over the centuries, many children would have centred their games around the tree, particularly for ‘hide and seek’ – even when everyone knew where they were! Pingback: Autumn Walks in the Sierra Aracena | NavasolaNature. was so large Rooted less than 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the active volcano, it’s survived (and benefited from) countless eruptions. When they are ripe, the prickly capule splits and the brown edible nuts are exposed. It is interesting that the fissures may spiral in either a left or right handed direction, and sometimes even both, with the fissures then creating a net-like pattern. in the throes of the invisible There are even legends of Zeus trapping the serpentine giant Typhon in the volcano when he attempted to overthrow his rule. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. John Forbes built the original hall in 1782 and created a parkland around it in the Landscape style of the day, planting native trees. I haven’t lived in that area for close to half a century and don’t know if they still do. But their power was nothing compared to Mother Nature, and when a severe thunderstorm rolled in during her visit to Mount Etna, she needed to seek cover. What a wonderful story of endurance and I love the historical pictures. I hope the dreaded blight doesn’t affect the trees you mention, it’s always tragic to lose trees, especially when our environment is in need of them more than ever. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Sweet Chestnut trees have become one of my favourite species over the last twenty years or so and I’m always drawn to look at them and of course to take their photographs. [4] It is a sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa, family Fagaceae). Merry Christmas! The long, creamy pale yellow catkins arise from the axils of the leaves: those growing from the lower axils bear only male flowers. Here Sweet chestnut trees continue to be grown commercially for the timber and to a lesser extent, the nut markets. Thank you John, it was a fascinating post to put together. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Castanea sativa - Sweet Chestnut. Also etymologically related is our native English ‘seed’. The soil on its slopes is exceptionally fertile, and today they are filled with countless orchards and fields – as well as one particularly large sweet chestnut. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. They were also one of the original ‘street foods’. Female flowers are borne in groups of 2-3, with each group surrounded by a scale capule. In folklore, chestnut wood is said to promote longevity and encourage intuition. . It’s extraordinary just to look at as a structure (in the picture), then to discover the history that’s rooted in this living relic makes you view it in a completely new light. We still have Chestnuts in the forest, but they typically grow to 20′-30′ and then succumb to the blight. Although it was well known to Sicilians, the tree didn’t become internationally famous until the 16th century. Mythology and trees Romans and Greeks knew many trees around us. Thank you so much, it’s lovely to hear you enjoy my posts, and much appreciated. We have older trees here, but we expect them to be so old. Its height is not known. by Queen Giuvanna with a hundred knights, An immense mass of wood formed of contorted trunk and convoluted branches, the tree is very much alive. Also etymologically related is native English seed. There, they stored the season’s harvest of chestnuts. lance into the air's tall expanse. The blight quickly ran its course here from the first decade of the 20th century until the 1950’s. There are many large sweet chestnut trees throughout Europe, but none can match up to the legendary Hundred Horse Chestnut in eastern Sicily. tende le braccia multiple di sfinge There are pictures from the 19th century of American Chestnuts with massive girths; that’s why I found your photos so interesting. ( Log Out / A lovely thought, in late summer early autumn the chestnuts ripen to full size,some bursting out of the spiky cases.The chestnuts we buy in shops today are usually imported from France or Italy. sotto i lacoontei contorcimenti, Located on Linguaglossa road in Sant'Alfio, on the eastern slope of Mount Etna in Sicily — … ccu centu cavaleri, They would have been dried and ground into a versatile flour used to make polenta, porridge, bread and even pasta. Chestnuts on the ground beneath a tree in Kew Gardens-early April. Thank you for sharing! Chestnuts roasted on an open fire have been a winter delicacy in Britain for generations. ( Log Out / A well-maintained coppice can produce a good crop of tannin-rich wood every 12 to 30 years, depending on intended use and local growth rate. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. ( Log Out / Sometimes aptly described as handsome, they are a simple lance-shape, are deeply indented and have large pronounced teeth evenly spaced around their margins. The three pests causing the most problems for chestnut growers are, gall wasps, chestnut blight, and … It is similar in appearance to oak and is sometimes used as a substitute for it. A truly ‘walking tree’, she appears almost Elephantine without foliage, placing her trunk where she wants to go next. under the chattery embrace of the winds, One of the oldest at Bodnant Garden, this tree is a remnant of its early, Georgian past. perplessità de le radici ergenti, These ancient trees, known locally as The Three Sisters were planted in the garden by three sisters, the three daughters of Sir William Salusbury. Really interesting post! Learn how your comment data is processed. Still mayest though Flourish through Succeeding time, And last, long Last, the Wonder of the Clime.”, Tree of the Year 2019: Old Sweet Chestnut of Pontypool, “This amazing sweet chestnut tree in Pontypool Park is around 400 years old. The earliest written accounts are attributed to Diodorus Siculus, a Greek historian from the 1st century BC. Until coming to live in North Wales I’d seen them only on walks around big Public Parks, Grand Gardens and in Arboretums, situations in which I might expect to find them, but here I’ve encountered them fairly frequently … the great chestnut tree of one hundred horses. roasted on braziers and served up by vendors piping hot in paper cones. Let’s hope that Chestnuts continue to roast on open fires, and with global warming too, that Jack Frost keeps on nipping noses! The park was owned by the Hanbury family until it was given to the people of Pontypool in the early part of the 20th century.” (Woodland Trust), The Three Sisters, Llanrhaeadr, Denbigh, Clwyd. The capule also enlarges to form a thick strong green and very spiny covering that encloses the two or three developing nuts. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. A very interesting post Theresa. Each item is hallmarked by the Edinburgh Assay Office, which is your guarantee that it has been made from genuine sterling silver. She has already layered daughters which are layering their own offspring and, given chance, they will layer theirs.” (gardener Dave Larter). lu gran castagnu d'i centu cavalli.[6]. The entire company is said to have taken shelter under the tree.[3][5]. Change ). Another poet from Catania in Sicily, Giuseppe Villaroel (1889–1965), described the tree in the following sonnet (written in Italian): Dal tronco, enorme torre millenaria, the green branches in mad waves, If you enjoyed this article about the Hundred Horse Chestnut, check out the archive for more amazing tree stories. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. [1][2] Located on Linguaglossa road in Sant'Alfio, on the eastern slope of Mount Etna in Sicily[3] — only 8 km (5.0 mi) from the volcano's crater — it is generally believed to be 2,000 to 4,000 years old (4,000 according to botanist Bruno Peyronel from Turin). Although losses have not been on the same scale, Sweet Chestnut blight has spread steadily throughout much of Europe, and tree losses have been regionally significant. As the pests increase in number the harm increases until the orchard can no longer produce commercial quality nuts. The leaves usually open out some time in April, they are large, sometimes as much as 10″ (25cm), mid to dark green in colour and slightly glossy. Chestnut fencing used here to help stabilise sand dunes, In other parts of mainland Europe the wood is used to make furniture, barrels (sometimes used to age balsamic vinegar), and roof beams notably in southern Europe (for example in houses of the Alpujarra, Spain, in southern France and elsewhere) (Wikipaedia), Sweet Chestnut trees are capable of living to a great age and there are some wonderfully huge and significant ancient specimens in England and Wales.
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