THE cypresses of the Val d’Orcia hey giants of Bolgheri made immortal by Carducci’s verses, the Olivo della Strega in Maremma and the high sequoia of Sammezzano castle which with its 55 meters and 840 cm trunk circumference is among the tallest specimens in Italy. Through the map of monumental trees in Tuscany we get to know a new face of the region. A reality where environmental protection meets local stories and traditions, revealing unusual and unexpected implications.
In Tuscany there are 77, as stated in the report Small Municipalities and Monumental Trees of Italy 2024 promoted by the Symbola Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Coldiretti, Fai Cisl, AMI Monumental Trees of Italy.
Champions of biodiversity and the very symbol of the relationship with the environment and nature. Plants concentrated mainly between Florence, Arezzo, Grosseto, Siena, Livorno, Prato and Pistoia. FromWhite fir from Abetone Cutigliano almost 300 years old and 46 meters high Lime tree from Podere Porcareccia in Castiglione d’Orcia but there is no shortage chestnut, lime, cork, plane and mulberry trees.
The census of the 77 monumental trees
Of the 77 monumental trees identified, 17 (one in four, 22.1%)They are in small municipalities with less than 5 thousand inhabitants while 9 in protected areas. There Checche oak in the small municipality of Pienza is the first tree in Italy to become green monument in 2017. To boast a real record Montemurloin the province of Prato: it is the municipality with the greater number of specimens. As many as 21 were registered.
The holm oak of San Francesco in Montevarchi
Legend has it that the Leccio di San Francesco developed from a mash that the Patron Saint of Italy planted during one of his pilgrimages. AND’ one of the largest and oldest holm oaks of our country. It is located in the square of the Capuchin convent that it overlooks Montevarchi.
The holm oak of Gnicche and the brigand
We are in the province of Arezzo, in Sargiano Foresta usual destination for a trip out of town on the slopes of Monte Lignano. The holm oak of Gnicche boasts the nickname of the Arezzo brigand Federico Bobini. It seems that he planned his ambushes right in the shade of the big tree.
The view from the holm oak of Faltognano – © Municipality of Vinci
Vinci, the goat and the holm oak of Faltognano
The holm oak of Faltognano it is over 300 years old. It differs from other plants by its characteristic foliage, which, according to legend, is the work of a mischievous goat. Is found not far from Vinci. You can take advantage of the visit to Leonardo’s birthplace: just take CAI path 14. Upon arrival you enjoy an extraordinary view. In the shade of the imposing plant every year celebrated with a festival in July.
The Witch’s Olive Tree in Maremma
In Maremma in Magliano in Tuscany there is an ancient olive tree: a thousand-year-old tree, a silent witness of the dominations that have occurred over the centuries. According to legend, a group of women gathered around the plant to dedicate themselves to witchcraft. Hence the name of Witch’s Olive Tree. Starting from the medieval village of Montiano through an easy itinerary you can admire the foliage of one of the oldest olive trees in Italy.
The olive tree of 30 clogs – © FB page The tree register
The Olive Tree of Trenta Zoccoli in Massarosa
The name of Trenta Zoccoli olive tree it is thanks to the German traveler’s suggestions George C. Martini who was fascinated by the image of the farmers’ hooves hanging from the tree. The monumental tree is a Pian del Quercione. From Massarosa you follow the Sentiero della Pievewhich runs from the Romanesque church of Pieve a Elici through centenary olive trees.
Pinocchio’s oak – © Municipality of Capannori
The oak that inspired Collodi for Pinocchio
In the collective imagination the most famous oak is the one where he was hanged Pinocchio. Carlo Collodi would have been inspired by Witches’ Oak in the hamlet of Gragnano in Capannori. The plant of Villa Carrara it is about 600 years old and has a crown with a diameter of over 40 meters.
This oak come on long and tortuous branches It is located along the Via Francigena, making it easy to reach. It owes its name to the Sabbath rites that took place around the plant.
The green giants from Baratti to Fosdinovo
There is a trekking itinerary from Baratti to Buca delle Fate to get to contemplate the giant oak Populonia. A monumental tree with a circumference of 4 meters, 20 meters of height and a canopy of 32 meters. But among the monumental oaks we also find that of Cinto in the park of San Rossore in Migliarino in the province of Pisa and the Elm Oak in Fosdinovo, near Massa Carrara.
Finally, there is a beautiful circular itinerary around the eighteenth-century Villa Arcena to admire the Roverella di Castelnuovo Berardenga in the province of Siena.
Vallombrosa, land of centuries-old trees
The Vallombrosa nature reserve constitutes the ideal habitat for centuries-old plants and super trees. The monks of the nearby convent on the other hand have always been known for their management skills and forest conservation. In 1869 the first one was created inside the abbey Italian forestry school.
So here we find the Holy Beech of Vallombrosa witness to a miraculous event. He remembers it from an epigraph nearby. Under the feet of Giovanni Gualberto monk of Vallombrosa proclaimed Patron Saint of Italian Foresters in 1951, a spring of crystal clear waters appeared.
You can combine the visit to the Holy Faggio with Chapel routeto visit 10 devotional chapels of a period ranging from the 1300s to the 1600s. Here in the woods you can also find the two trees, two American firs, tallest in Italy.
Val d’Orcia
Cypresses, the very symbol of Tuscany
To the list of monumental trees the cypresses, the very symbol of Tuscany, could not be missing. The best known, and most photographed, group of plants in the world is found in the heart of the Val d’Orcia landscape. A stretch of landscape so well known that images for commercial use are covered by copyright.
The cypresses, 136 specimens, are in locality Triboli and can be reached on foot or by bike starting from San Quirico and traveling along the Cassia. You will find them along the ancient route of the Via Francigena on the border between the Val d’Ombrone and the Val d’Orcia.
No less well known are the cypresses of Bolgheri avenue so loved by cyclists and included in every trekking route. The young giants who Giosuè Carducci made immortal in poetry In front of San Guido.
Coldiretti Tuscany: “An answer to the climate crisis”
“Trees are the answer to the climate crisis that our planet is experiencing. Their presence improves air quality by reducing the smog that grips many cities, mitigates temperatures and combats hydrogeological instability – explains Letizia CesaniPresident of Coldiretti Tuscany -. The presence of so many magnificent trees, and thus of almost 12 thousand hectares of woods and forests which make our region the second largest in terms of wooded area, was certainly not always accidental but is the fruit of a mature and conscious will of the generations who they preceded us. Those who left us this heritage perfectly understood the importance, not only economic and practical, of trees. Trees were and are, even more so today, the mortgage on our future. There are many reasons why we need to take care of them and plant new ones, especially in urbanized areas where we can count on just 19.9 trees per 100 inhabitants.”
