Nature Notes and Photos From Gangivecchio

Mediterranean thistle

2009-09-16T14:57:00.002+02:00

Few plants of the Sicilian countryside bloom in autumn, but the Mediterranean thistle is a unique and attractive exception. This stemless plant produces a single strikingly beautiful flower head 1.5 to 3 in (4 to 8 cm) in diameter at ground level in September or October after the rosette of prickly, divided leaves have dried. The large root of this thistle is toxic if eaten, but a thick resinous liquid extracted from it has commercial uses. Grows in open, sunny roadsides and borders of pastures and cultivated fields, most common on dry alkaline soils.

Scientific name: Atractylis gummifera, syn. Carlina gummifera

Italian common name: Masticogna laticifera

English common name: Mediterranean or Pine thistle

Tree of heaven

2009-08-26T15:56:00.002+02:00

Originally imported from China to England in the mid-18th century, this fast growing, aggressive and invasive tree is now naturalized over much of southern Europe, Canada and North America. It grows in dense stands of slender saplings or as a single specimen to 40 ft(12 m) tall. When bruised or crushed the leaves and flowers of male trees have a strong, unpleasant odor. Female trees bear thousands of winged seedpods in large clusters and turn an attractive reddish brown color in late summer. The tropical looking foliage is shed in autumn and the tree is leafless over winter. Tree of heaven is short lived and the wood is brittle but sprouts grow vigorously from the roots and stump. Once established this species is very difficult to eradicate. Grows along roadsides and disturbed or abandoned areas.

Scientific name: Ailanthus altissima

Italian common name: Ailanto, Albero del paradiso

English common name: Tree of heaven

Caper

2009-08-11T15:15:00.002+02:00

Treasured by humans for culinary seasonings and garnishes since ancient times, capers are the immature flower buds of a tough, drought tolerant shrub that is native to the Mediterranean region. This dense, scrambling or sprawling perennial bush may grow to as much as 5 ft (1.5 m) tall with an even greater spread. Solitary, 4-petaled white to pinkish flowers with long slender stamens open over a long period from spring into summer among thick rounded leaves. The stems may be spiny or unarmed. After harvest, the flower buds are preserved in granular salt or pickled in vinegar. Grows cascading or hanging from cracks and crevices in stone walls, boulders, and rock outcroppings with full sun exposure and in nutrient poor, fast draining soils of road embankments.

Scientific name: Capparis spinosa

Italian common name: Cappero comune

English common name: Caper

Wild teasel

2009-08-11T15:01:00.003+02:00

From mid-summer and throughout winter this herbaceous native with erect, prickly and hollow stems to 6 ft (2 m) tall and large seed heads is a conspicuous plant in the Sicilian countryside. The dark pink flowers attract bees and the seed heads that follow are a food source for some birds. Once used as a natural comb for raising the nap on fabrics, especially wool, the mature seed heads are now a favorite decorative element in dried flower arrangements. Grows in sunny, uncultivated fields and woodland clearings, open borders of cultivated land and roadsides.

Scientific name: Dipsacus

Italian common name: Cardo dei lanaioli

English common name: Wild teasel

SAGRA Della SPIGA

2009-08-11T14:46:00.002+02:00

Gangi, a hill town in the province of Palermo, is famous for its celebration of the summer wheat harvest. This 10-day festival that attracts spectators from all over Sicily and beyond includes:

- traditional folkloric dances, ('La Cordella' and others) performed by Gangi and Castellana Sicula dance groups

- special children's dance programs and music shows

-a procession to the Santuario dello Spirito Santo, celebration of mass, blessings and distribution of the special bread 'Pane di Burgisi'

-nightly concerts with traditional, popular and classical music programs and comedy plays

-agricultural meetings and tasting of local food products

-a final day parade with reenactment of ancient myths, musical and dance groups, examples of traditional rural culture and sleds pulled by oxen

Queen Anne's lace

2009-08-07T15:49:00.002+02:00

With dainty circular clusters of tiny white flowers, Queen Anne's lace is one of the leading characters in Sicily's summer wildflower display. A single red flower sometimes seen at the center of the flat bloom head serves to attract pollinating insects. As the flower cluster matures and produces seeds, it rolls inward to form a rounded, tan-colored 'bird's nest' shape. This wild ancestor of the cultivated carrot, classed as a variable biennial, has slender, erect and hairy stems 1.5 to 3 ft (0.5 to 1 m) tall and a large taproot that smells like a carrot.

Scientific name: Daucus carota

Italian common name: Carota selvatica

English common name: Queen Anne's lace, Wild carrot

Red Valerian

2009-08-07T15:38:00.002+02:00

Through spring into early summer, this showy native perennial displays dense clusters of small purple red to crimson or rarely white blooms along the upper stems. Much-branched and woody at the base, the plant grows 12 to 28 in (30 to 70 cm) tall. Red Valerian can be cultivated in the landscape, but it should be controlled to prevent spread into areas where it is not wanted. Grows on sunny roadsides, embankments and borders of fields and sometimes from old stone walls.

Scientific name: Centranthus ruber

Italian common name: Camarezza comune

English common name: Red Valerian

Current Activities

2009-07-06T16:27:00.002+02:00

In this photo, Glenn Story, Associate Professor at Classics and Antropology, University of Iowa, and his assistant, Brian Horton, Penn State University, are looking over the long bones from Burial 6 of the 2005 test pit in the Abbey courtyard. They are trying to determine the minimum number of individuals in this very mixed-up burial context by counting human skeletal elements. Currently, Story believes the burial consists of all women and children, victims either of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, or perhaps of an epidemic. The burial dates to around A.D. 350, and despite the apparent haste of the depositry of bodies, time was taken to bury them with ceramic jugs and glass vessels.

Current Activities

2009-07-06T16:18:00.003+02:00

In this photo, Amy Wood, graduate student in Landscape Architecture at the University of Arizona is gathering data in the Gangivecchio abbey courtyard in connection with her summer internship. This project will serve as the thesis for Amy's Master's degree program at the University of Arizona. Her final report will also provide a useful basis for future Gangivecchio applications for grant funds.

As part of this project, Amy will develop a Gangivecchio site analysis and inventory, a base map, proposed concepts, and a master plan as well as final recommendations.

Spanish broom

2009-06-29T09:12:00.002+02:00

For several weeks in Spring and early Summer, sweetly scented, bright yellow flowers appear in clusters at the tips of upright or ascending green cylindrical stems of this shrub which grows 2-9 ft (60-300 cm) tall, depending on site conditions. The leaves are small, few in number, and present only for a brief time. For most of the year photosynthesis is performed by the spineless green stems. This greatly reduces the evaporative loss of water from the plant during long periods of dry weather. Grows on dry sunny slopes, roadsides and pastures.

Scientific name: Spartium junceum

Italian common name: Ginistra comune

English common name: Spanish broom

Spiny broom

2009-06-02T15:35:00.002+02:00

In spring, this densely branched, spiny shrub with 3-parted leaves is blanketed with masses of bright yellow flowers. It grows to 6 ft (2 m) tall, and may be seen as a single specimen, in small groups and often in large spreading colonies. Bacteria which form nodules on the roots of this Sicilian native fix atmospheric nitrogen for the host and nearby plants. Grows on dry, rocky slopes and hillsides with full sun exposure.

Scientific name: Calicotome villosa

Italian common name: Calicotome

English common name: Spiny broom

Mauritania grass

2009-06-02T09:06:00.002+02:00

This tough, perennial Mediterranean grass may form clumps as much as 6 ft (2 m) tall and wide, although plants are smaller on less favorable sites. The long stalked flower plumes may extend 3 ft (1 m) above the foliage. In times past the slender, durable leaves were made into mattress stuffing and chair seats, rustic brooms and baskets, and short-lived torches. The leaves were also braided to make crude rope and fishing line and to fasten grape vines to their support. Housewives used the flower stalks for forming macaroni. Nowadays other materials are available for these needs and the grass is seldom collected to make artisanal products. Grows on sunny, rocky hillsides and is one of the first plants to appear after forest fire.

Scientific name: Ampelodesmos mauritanicus

Italian common name: Tagliamani

English common name: Mauritania grass

European elder

2009-05-29T08:48:00.002+02:00

This small native tree creates quite a show in Spring with flat-topped clusters of tiny white flowers against a dense background of bright green leaves. The flowers are still occasionally used in simple rustic fritter and bread recipes. When fully ripe, the small, juicy, purple-black berries are made into jam and in times past they were considered effective prepared as a tradional medicine.

Scientific name: Sambucus nigra

Italian common name: Sambuco comune

English common name: European elder

Poppy

2009-05-28T08:45:00.002+02:00

In spring the solitary orange-red flowers of Flanders Field poppies open on erect stems 8 to 24 in.(20 to 60 cm) tall. Some flowers of this species show a conspicuous black spot at the base of each of the four petals. The fiery splendor of great drifts of poppies in bloom is a favorite subject of landscape painters and photographers. They grow in sunny cultivated and uncultivated fields, pastures, stony slopes, roadsides and embankments.

Scientific name: Papaver rhoeas

Italian common name: Papavero comune

English common name: Flanders Field poppy

Giant fennel

2009-05-17T10:42:00.002+02:00

If we were to select a single native plant as a symbol of Sicily's spectacular spring flora it would surely be Giant fennel or Ferla. From a rosette of dark green, finely divided foliage Giant fennel sends up a thick, succulent bloom stalk to 6 ft. (2 m) tall in mid-spring. The rounded 3 in. (7.5 cm) clusters of bright yellow flowers that develop along the upper of this stem make a striking display of color and texture. Despite its similar appearance and common name, Giant fennel is not the true fennel of culinary fame. A simple identity test is to crush a small sample of the foliage. Giant fennel lacks the unmistakable sweet aromatic fragrance of edible fennel.

Scientific name: Ferula communis

Italian common name: Ferla, Ferula

English common name: Giant fennel

Sulla

2009-05-13T15:09:00.003+02:00

Few plants of the Sicilian countryside match the colorful display of bright red flowers that clothe this low spreading herb in spring. Whether you see it as a roadside volunteer or cultivated in a pure stand covering scores of hectares the glowing crimson color of its blooms is an unforgettable sight. Since they offer a rich source of nectar the flower clusters are attractive to bees. In Sicily Sulla is cultivated as forage, silage or a hay crop for feeding sheep and cattle.

Scientific name: Hedysarum coronarium

Italian common name: Sulla

English common name: Italian sainfoin, French honeysuckle

Calendula

2009-04-28T15:42:00.002+02:00

A brilliant orange floral display makes this low, compact herb to 12 in. (30 cm) tall one of the showiest of spring wildflowers. Both the branching, square stems and the spirally arranged leaves are covered with fine hairs. The flowers close at night and open the next day with bright light. Grows in sunny roadsides, pastures and borders of cultivated fields.

Scientific name: Calendula suffruticosa

Italian common name: Fiorrancio fulgida

English common name: Calendula

Honeywort

2009-04-21T10:06:00.002+02:00

One of the eye-catching wildflower beauties of spring in Sicily is Honeywort. The tubular yellow and purple flowers of this hardy annual open in nodding clusters on upright stems that begin branching near the base of the plant. Because of their generous nectar supply, the blooms are attractive to bees. Plant height varies from 8 to 20 in. (20 to 50 cm.) depending mostly on soil fertility. Grows in pastures and margins of cultivated fields, roadsides and open sunny places in woodlands.

Scientific name: Cerinthe major

Italian common name: Erba vaiola, Succiamele

English common name: Honeywort

Anemone

2009-04-09T14:47:00.002+02:00

In late winter and early spring, pink and lavenderAnemone flowers add vibrant splashes of color to the awakening flora of the Sicilian countryside. The solitary blooms of this small tuberous rooted perennial open at the tips of slender stems that grow to a height of 8 in(20 cm) or more above leaves divided into 3 to 5 segments. Grows in open, sunny locations in cultivated fields, pastures, olive groves, woodland clearings and along roadsides.

Scientific name: Anemone hortensis

Italian common name: Flor-stella

English common name: Anemone

Borage

2009-04-06T14:32:00.002+02:00

In spring, nodding clusters of intense blue star-shaped flowers with 5 triangular, pointed petals decorate the branch tips of this annual herb. Borage leaves and stems are covered with bristly hairs and the flowers attract bees. The plant has various culinary and medicinal uses, and an oil is extracted from its seeds. Grows in borders of cultivated land, orchards and citrus groves, roadsides and uncultivated fields and pastures.

Scientific name: Borago officinalis

Italian common name: Borragine

English common name: Borage

Buttercup, Lesser celadine

2009-04-06T09:25:00.002+02:00

From thickened underground tubers this low growing perennial developes a rosette of kidney-to heart-shaped leaves that are dark green, fleshy and lustrous. Each rosette sends up a single bright yellow flower made up of 8 or more glossy petals. Plants appear in late winter and spring, produce flowers and die back in a short time. Grows in sun or shade, in woodlands, orchards and borders of fields and pasture lands.

Scientific name: Ranunculus ficaria L.

Italian common name: Ranuncolo favagello

English common name: Buttercup, Lesser celadine

Terrestrial orchid

2009-04-05T16:13:00.002+02:00

The first and one of the showiest native terrestrial orchids to flower in Sicily is Richard's Barlia. In winter or early spring a cylindrical, upright spike bearing as many as 100 delicate rose-pink orchids speckled purple rises to as much as 16 in.(40 cm) above large waxy leaves. The plant grows from an oval shaped tuber or underground food storage organ. The species name of this orchid honors French botanist G.N. Robert.

Habit: Pastures, clearings in woodlands and arid Mediterranean scrub, on south slopes at higher elevations.

Scientific name: Himantoglossum robertianum

syn. Barlia robertianum

Italian common name: Barbone di Robert

English common name: Robert's Barlia

Wood violet

2009-04-02T09:52:00.002+02:00

Tiny, rich purple flowers that open in early spring above a clump of dense, low growing foliage are the special virtues of this small violet. Each bloom has 5 petals, with a noticeable spur at the base of the lower one. The soft, medium green leaves are heart-shaped with rounded teeth. This violet which spreads both by runners and seeds typically grows no more than 2 to 3 in. (5 to 7.5 cm) tall.

Habitat: woodlands and pastures in part shade to full sun

Scientific name: Viola riviniana

Italian common name: Viola di Rivinus

English common name: Wood violet

Myrtle spurge

2009-03-24T13:56:00.002+01:00

From late winter through spring this evergreen euphorbia adds bright colors to the Sicilian countryside with glowing chartreuse clusters of flowers. The plant forms a dense mound 1 to 2.5 ft. (30 to 75 cm) in diameter. Its large yellow flower heads open at the tips of branches that are crowded with spirals of stiff, pointed, gray-green leaves. As they mature, the color of bloom clusters change to an intense reddish pink. After flowering, the stems die back.

Habitat: Sunny rocky hillsides and along roadsides.

Scientific name: Euphorbia rigida

Italian common name: Euforbia rigida

English common name: Upright myrtle spurge

Silver Wattle

2009-03-08T10:05:00.004+01:00

In late winter, clusters of tiny pincushion flowers transform Silver Wattle into a dense free form mass of golden yellow color. The tree grows to as much as 30ft (9m) tall at maturity. Like many other Australian acacias, this evergreen species with fine-textured, feathery foliage is a popular landscape plant. It may also escape cultivation and grow wild in the Sicilian countryside. Throughout Italy, Mimosa or Silver Wattle is perhaps best known for the use of its cut branches heavy with flowers to commemorate the 'Festa Della Donne' (International Women's Day).

Scientific name: Acacia dealbata

Italian common name: Mimosa

English common name: Silver Wattle

Cream narcissus

2009-02-25T09:56:00.003+01:00

Clusters of showy flowers with an enticing fragrance are the special virtue of this native narcissus. First to appear are flat green leaves that grow from an underground bulb. The flowers--with their white waxy petals and a short yellow cup--open in bunches of 3 to 10 or more on erect cylindrical stems 12-20 in. (30-50 cm) in height. Depending on elevation and microclimate, flowering may take place anytime from November to March of the following year. This species is highly variable and many selections with different flower characteristics have been introduced into horticulture. They grow in open sunny pastures, cultivated fields and sunny roadside slopes.

Scientific name: Narcissus tazetta

Italian common name: Narciso nostrale

English common name: Cream narcissus

Almond tree

2009-02-20T14:25:00.002+01:00

In late winter and early spring the almond tree is one of Sicily's first trees to signal the impending end of winter. Throughout the countryside thousands of almond trees are transformed into radiant pink or white clouds by 5-petaled flowers that open in pairs or singly along branches, before new leaves appear. Almonds are a close relative of the peach, and their fruits look something like small leathery peaches covered with fine, fuzzy hairs. Mature seeds or kernels of the almond may be sweet or bitter, depending on the type, but both kinds have many uses. This small to medium sized non-native tree with a rounded canopy was introduced into Italy and North Africa in ancient times. This tree is cultivated for commercial and home garden for almond production. It also grows wild on dry sunny hillsides, in fence rows and along roadsides.

Scientific name: Prunus dulcis

Italian common name: Mandorlo

English common name: Almond

Snowy Sicily

2009-02-19T14:35:00.003+01:00

Last week a snow storm with occasional hail and dense fog left a blanket of glistening white snow over much of the hill country of Sicily. At Gangivecchio (elev. 850 m) the falling snow melted for several hours before beginning to stick. When the storm finally ended, we measured 12 in. (30 cm) of snow on the abbey grounds. Landslides have temporarily cut highway access to the nearby towns of Castelbuono and Nicosia. The upside to recent rains and this snow storm is that springs in our area are flowing fast and strong with crystal clear, cold water.

Lichens

2009-02-11T10:59:00.003+01:00

Lichens are often ignored life forms in the Sicilian countryside. They are unique however, and in many respects fascinating components of nature. Among the more than 10,000 species are those that can endure extremes of drought, temperature and solar radiation. All lichens are composite organisms. Many kinds are made up of a fungus and a green alga. The fungus absorbs water and minerals from rain and dust in the air or from the surface on which the lichen grows. The green alga within the lichen is photosynthetic, and produces sugars for itself and for the fungus. Some lichen species thrive on bare rocks, clay tile roofs or other surfaces that have no soil. Lichens that are epiphytes grow on other plants, often tree trunks and branches. Epiphytic lichens are not parasites. Instead they use the host plant merely as an anchor or a means of support.

Scientific name: Lichens are classified according to the fungus species

Italian common name: Lichene

English common name: Lichen

Common polypody

2009-02-11T09:23:00.003+01:00

This attractive woodland fern takes both its scientific and common names from the creeping, hairy rhizomes (underground horizontal stems) that grow in a spreading mat, near or at the soil surface. Fronds that are deeply divided into 10 to 18 pairs of leaflets appear at intervals along the rhizomes. On the bottom side of the fronds reproductive spores are produced in conspicuous oval spore cases.

Habitat: Wooded hillsides and stream banks, in rocky nooks and crannies, and at the base of trees in deep to dappled shade. Mid-to upper elevation zones.

Scientific name: Polypodium australe Fee

sin. Polypodium vulgare var. serrayum Willd.

Italian common name: Polypodio meridionale

English common name: Common polypody

African wood-sorrel

2009-01-20T14:36:00.002+01:00

Native to South Africa, this highly invasive perennial plant has become a naturalized weed in many agricultural regions of the world. African wood-sorrel grows from a small bulb and the leaves that form a broad rosette of leaves at the base of the plant are divided into heart-shaped leaflets. Showy clusters of 5-petaled flowers develop on slender stalks. In Sicilian olive and citrus groves African wood-sorrel often grows in dense colonies that spread a glowing blanket of bright yellow blooms beneath the trees throughout winter and spring.

Scientific name: Oxalis pes-caprae

Italian common name: Acetosella degli

English common name: African wood-sorrel

Field marigold

2009-01-20T14:25:00.002+01:00

During the first two weeks of January, generous rains coming in from Africa have encouraged heavy flowering of this attractive native. Don't be misled by the common name in English. This plant is not closely related to the well-known garden marigold of the genus Tagetes. The Sicilian Field marigold is a much-branched, herbaceous annual with lance-shaped leaves and single, daisy-like flower heads. The edible petals can be added to salads to make a more colorful presentation.

Scientific name: Calendula arvensis

Italian common name: Fiorrancio selvatico

English common name: Field marigold

Italian cypress

2009-01-11T12:35:00.003+01:00

Known almost universally in English as Italian cypress, this evergreen is actually not native to Italy. Instead, its range is thought to extend from the eastern Mediterranean, into north Africa and western Asia. The tree on the left in the attached photo shows the broad, pyramidal shape and horizontal branching habit of the parent species, C. sempervirens. To the right in the same photo, the narrow, columnar form and upright branching pattern of the cultivar 'stricta' can be seen. Both types have been cultivated throughout Italy for many centuries. The leaves are tiny, scale-like and dark green. Female (seed) cones are rounded or oblong, golf ball-sized and covered with 5 to 8 pairs of woody scales.

Scientific name: Cupressus sempervirens, C. sempervirens 'stricta'

Italian common name: Cipresso

English common name: Italian or Mediterranean cypress, Columnar Italian cypress

Old man's beard

2008-12-29T14:07:00.002+01:00

In autumn this vigorous perennial vine loses its 3 to 5 parted leaves, but the seed heads with their attractive, feathery white plumes persist longer, into winter. The faintly fragrant white to greenish-white flowers from which the seed heads grow make quite a show in spring and summer. These flowers have no true petals, just 4 sepals and a crowed mass of stamens and pistils, the reproductive organs of the plant. The fast-growing, woody stems of Old man's beard creates a dense foliage mass that can overwhelm the understory tree or shrub that support them. In some areas where it is adapted this plant is considered a noxious weed. Here in Sicily it may be seen climbing into woodland trees, and over small trees and shrubs of the maquis vegetation type.

Scientific name: Clematis vitalba

Italian common name: Clematide vitalba

English common name: Old man's beard

European Juno Iris

2008-12-19T15:59:00.002+01:00

A native Sicilian iris that flowers in December? As a matter of fact, yes. This species is dwarf (to 15 cm. or 6 in. tall), grows from a bulb rather than a rhizome, and has fleshy storage roots. It's often found growing on sunny, rocky hillsides and slopes at mid-elevation locations. This is the only European representative of the Juno iris type. At this time of year the lovely flowers are displayed against arching, sickle-shaped, glossy green leaves. Don't search for the plant in summer. It passes that hot dry season in a dormant, leafless state.

Scientific name: Iris planifolia

Italian common name: Giaggiolo bulboso

English common name: European Juno iris

Butcher's broom

2008-12-10T10:32:00.002+01:00

Butcher's broom is a low evergreen shrub with stiff, erect stems and short side branches. What appear to be bright green, glossy, spine-tipped leaves are simply flattened extensions of the branches and they are properly termed 'cladodes'. In spring, a small, solitary greenish-white flower grows from the center of the cladode. Each plant produces only male or female flowers. Plants bearing female flowers develop rounded fruits that turn bright red in Fall and persist on the shrub throughout winter. Shady country roadsides and dense woodlands are favored habits. During December, sidewalk vendors in Palermo's city center sell cut branches of this native shrub for holiday decorations. Butchers once cut branches of this plant and tied them in a bundle to make a broom. Hence the common name in English. Pungitopo, the Italian common name, refers to the household use, in bygone times, of cut branches around the pantry to discourage mice.

Scientific name: Ruscus aculeatus

Italian common name: Pungitopo

English common name: Butcher's broom

Osyris

2008-12-01T16:02:00.003+01:00

This small, fine-textured shrub with attractive red berries in autumn looks harmless enough. Like most other plants native to the island, Osyris contains chlorophyll and uses the energy of the sun for photosynthesis. However, it also invades the roots of nearby host plants to extract water and nutrients. In the Sicilian maquis, where soil moisture and nutrients are often in limited supply, this growth characteristic has significant survival value. Plant scientists classify such a plant as a 'semi-parasite'. Small, yellowish, honey-scented flowers that open in spring are male or female. Female flowers give way to one-seeded fruits that turn bright red in Fall.

Scientific name: Osyris alba

Italian common name: Ginestrella comune

English common name: Osyris

Strawberry tree

2008-11-23T08:30:00.004+01:00

Colorful yellow to orange-red and scarlet fruits in autumn make Strawberry tree one of the showiest of small evergreen trees or shrubs native to Sicily. Edible yellowish pulp with many tiny seeds lies beneath the rough textured strawberry-like skin of mature red berries. The slightly sweet taste of these decorative fruits and their mealy texture appeals mainly to local birds. At the same time that the current season's fruits ripen, small, white to greenish white, bell-shaped flowers open in drooping clusters. These give rise to fruits that mature the following autumn. Strawberry tree has attractive, reddish brown, shredding bark and dark green, leathery leaves with red stems. Because of its highly ornamental character, Strawberry tree is grown both as a container and landscape garden plant.

Scientific name: Arbutus unedo

Italian common name: Corbezzolo

English common name: Strawberry tree

English hawthorn

2008-11-15T09:52:00.002+01:00

In autumn, English hawthorn makes a breathtaking show of color with bright red fruits that decorate its branches against the background of a sapphire blue Sicilian sky. These small apple-like fruits which contain 2 or 3 seeds, have long been used in traditional medicines. They develop from clusters of white flowers that open in Spring. English hawthorn grows as a small thorny tree, often branching from the lower trunk, or as a shrub, depending on growing conditions.

Scientific name: Crataegus laevigata (C. oxycantha)

Italian common name: Biancospino selvatico

English common name: English hawthorn

Wild pear

2008-11-12T15:05:00.004+01:00

In Spring, wild pear trees are transformed into floating white clouds by the flowers that crowd their thorny branches. This is one of the Noble Hardwoods of Europe and its fine grained wood is considered ideal for wood wind instruments. Wild pear is seldom abundant in the Sicilian countryside, but isolated specimens grow along roadsides and borders of pastures and woodlands. The tree is deciduous, losing its leaves in mid-to-late autumn. Small, hard fruits that ripen to a brownish color about the same time or a little earlier, are inedible.

Scientific name: Pyrus pyraster

Italian common name: Pero selvatico

English common name: Wild pear

Dog rose

2008-11-09T15:09:00.004+01:00

At this time plant taxonomists recognize 16 species of native Sicilian roses. Dog rose, a thorny shrub with white to pink 5-petaled flowers in spring and summer, is one of the most common. In autumn, the blooms are followed by a dazzling and long-lasting display of bright red seed pods or 'hips'. Rose hips are an edible, rich source of Vitamin C but quite tart if eaten raw. However, they are often prepared as jellies, jams, syrups, soups, seasonings and tea, as well as a wide range of homeopathic remedies. Harvest ripe rose hips after a good cold snap makes them slightly soft, from plants that have not been treated with pesticides. Slice pods open to remove the seeds which are covered with a lining of irritating hairs and rinse fleshy parts of the pod before use.

Scientific name: Rosa canina

Italian common name: Rosa selvatica comune

English common name: Dog rose

Prickly pear

2008-10-24T08:59:00.002+02:00

In Sicily this large-growing, usually thornless cactus is cultivated for its abundant crop of fruit. It's also an aggressive invader of dry, sunny natural areas. Prickly pear is not a native Sicilian plant. However, growing conditions here are so well matched to its needs that this cactus can now be found wild or a garden plant over most of the island. When ripe, the purple or yellowish flesh of the fruit or 'tuna' is edible and sweet, but the small hard seeds that are densely packed in the fruit pulp may be a problem for people with gastrointestinal sensitivity. Besides being eaten raw, Prickly pear fruits are made into jams and jellies, and the Sicilian province of Enna produces a Prickly pear flavored liqueur called 'Ficodi'. Wear gloves when peeling Prickly pear fruits or handle them with tongs or a newspaper to avoid the clusters of tiny, sharp bristles that dot their surface.

Scientific name: Opuntia ficus-indica

Italian common name: Fico d'India

English common name: Prickly pear (India fig)

Service tree

2008-10-16T11:56:00.003+02:00

This interesting and attractive native tree of the Sicilian countryside is especially impressive in Autumn when showy clusters of orange-pink fruits decorate its branch tips. Resist the temptation to take a nibble of the fruits. They're usually astringent and mouth-puckering at this stage. However, when stored in a cool dry place until they almost begin to rot, the fruits become sweet and delectable to human taste buds. Even during the winter leafless period, Service tree has a stately, distinctive appearance. It is not abundant in nature, and rarely available in plant nurseries on the island.

Scientific name: Sorbus domestica

Italian common name: Sorbo domestico

English common name: Service tree

Gladwin iris

2008-10-12T08:08:00.003+02:00

Early summer flowers of the Gladwin iris are perhaps best described as 'interesting' rather than beautiful, but in Fall big seed capsules open to reveal showy orange-red berries. These are quite striking and longlasting whether left on the plant or added to dried flower arrangements in the home.

Scientific name: Iris foetidissima

Italian common name: Giaggiolo puzzolente

English common name: Gladwin iris

Mystery Stone Wheel

2008-10-06T15:41:00.002+02:00

One late summer morning we discovered an ancient stone wheel on a stream bank beside The Laurel Nature Trail. This heavy wheel measuring 19.5 in. (50 cm.) in diameter and 9 in. (23 cm.) thick lies at least a half kilometer away from the Abbey. What was its purpose? Maybe a millstone for grinding grain? 'No' say local amateur archeologists. The plan now is to move the wheel up a steep stream bank with as little damage as possible to the native vegetation. Our hope is that when the wheel can be examined carefully and up close, someone may solve the riddle of how it was used.

Yellow autumn crocus

2008-10-03T08:33:00.002+02:00

At Gangivecchio, the autumn-winter show of native flowering bulbs gets underway with a display of warm, glowing Yellow autumn crocus blooms. Growing to 8 in. (20 cm.) tall, this small perennial bulb has slender, dark green, waxy leaves. Flowering plants may appear as singles or in clusters of 10 or more scattered through sunny areas or in light shade. Although its flowers resemble those of the crocus, this plant is actually more closely related to Narcissus.

Scientific name: Sternbergia lutea

Italian common name: Zafferanastro giallo

English common name: Yellow autumn crocus

False yellowhead

2008-10-01T08:23:00.003+02:00

Adding a note of fall color to the countryside with small, bright yellow daisy-like flowers, False yellowhead is a common perennial in this region and throughout the Mediterranean basin on disturbed sites, in abandoned pastures and along roadsides. The plant's upright stems are woody at the base becoming herbaceous above. Both stems and leaves are covered with sticky hairs that may cause contact dermatitis in sensitive humans.

Scientific name: Inula viscosa, syn. Dittrichia viscosa

Italian common name: Enula cepittoni

English common name: False yellowhead, Sticky fleabane

Hazelnut

2008-09-24T08:20:00.004+02:00

In our Gangivecchio hazelnut groves the 2008 crop has matured and the ground is now literally carpeted with brown nuts. The hazelnut grows as a small spreading tree or a large clump-forming shrub. Its seeds or 'nuts' develop singly or in clusters of as many as five. Each nut is partly enclosed in a short leafy husk until autumn when it matures and falls to the ground. Hazelnut kernels are rich in unsaturated fats and protein and they supply vitamin B6 and thiamine as well. The nuts are eaten raw or roasted, in confections like cookies and cakes, and candies, especially in combination with chocolate. Other uses include a hazelnut vodka liqueur (Frangelico) and a flavoring for coffee. It happens that our local, ground dwelling porcupines also have a passion for hazelnuts, and at this time of year these nocturnal animals make regular nightly forays into the groves to feast on fallen nuts.

Scientific name: Corylus avellana

Italian common name: Nocciolo comune

English common name: Hazelnut

Sicilian Donkey

2008-09-17T14:43:00.003+02:00

The donkeys in this photo live on a farm just down the road from Gangivecchio. Their ancestors were domesticated in Egypt about 6000 years ago. In Sicily the donkey was once an important farm animal, valued for its ability to carry or pull heavy loads and work long hours. By nature, these animals are intelligent, curious and playful. The milk of the female donkey contains more sugar and protein than cow's milk and it was once considered highly beneficial for babies and people in poor health.

Scientific name: Equus asinus

Italian common name: L'asino Siciliano

English common name: Sicilian Donkey

Mandrake

2008-09-14T08:40:00.002+02:00

In ancient times, this perennial herb which is a common plant of the Sicilian countryside was thought to have strange mystical and medical properties. It was widely used by magicians, witches and sorcerers in both black and white magic rituals. In late summer and early autumn a cluster of violet colored flowers develops from the center of the rosette of flat green leaves. Autumn mandrake is a poisonous plant and all of its parts contain powerful chemicals that may cause serious illness or death if eaten.

Scientific common name: Mandragora autumnalis

Italian common name: Mandragora

English common name: Autumn Mandrake

Tortoise

2008-09-09T08:09:00.003+02:00

With its hillside oak woodlands, grassy slopes and dense blackberry thickets, Gangivecchio offers excellent habitat for this small brightly colored tortoise. In early morning and late afternoon Hermann's tortoise forages for plant leaves, flowers, seed pods and fruit. During the heat of midday it rests in its nighttime den, usually found beneath heavy vegetative cover. Hermann's tortoise may hibernate for 4 or 5 months during the mild Mediterranean winter and some individuals are believed to live for 70 to 100 years.

Scientific name: Testudo hermanni

Italian common name: Tartaruga di terra

English common name: Hermann's tortoise

Fig Season

2008-09-05T18:07:00.004+02:00

The enormous old fig trees that shade Gangivecchio abbey courtyards are now providing an extravagant harvest of sweet juicy fruits. Figs are eaten fresh or dried and they are used in a variety of Italian dishes from antipasto to dolce. Besides their nutritional value as sources of calcium and fiber figs contain vitamins A and C. Figs are believed to predate even wheat as a crop for human use. The Egyptians were cultivating this tree for its fruit in 4000 BC.

Scientific name: Ficus carica

Italian common name: Fico commune

English common name: Common Fig

Nature Trail

2008-08-26T09:56:00.000+02:00

A recent addition to the distinctive character of Gangivecchio is a one-kilometer long nature trail known as "Il Sentiero Dell'Alloro" in Italian or "The Laurel Trail" for English Speakers. This trail follows a clear, spring-fed stream through woodlands rich in native plant species. It is a perfect place to experience something of Sicily's complex natural hertiage, do a bit of bird watching, or simply enjoy nature in a tranquil sanctuary of great beauty. Guided tours are available for small groups.

Blackberry

2008-08-22T16:06:00.000+02:00

In late summer clusters of ripe blackberries are a common sight on bushes growing in dense thickets along local roads and in pasture lands. These blackberries may not be as juicy as some from other regions but the flavor is excellent and the fruits are eaten fresh or cooked to make jam or jelly. Arching, thorny blackberry stems or 'canes' grow to full length in one season and develop white to pink flowers followed by purple-black fruit the following summer.

Scientific name: Rubus caesius

Italian common name: Rovo bluastro

English common name: Blackberry

Field Horsetail

2008-08-15T11:27:00.000+02:00

This feathery perennial grows in dense drifts along shady banks of the stream at Gangivecchio. Its slender, jointed stems are hollow, green and photosynthetic. Spores rather than seeds are produced at the stem tips. Chemicals derived from Field Horsetail are used in a wide variety of medicinal, nutritional and cosmetic products.

Scientific name: Equisetum arvense

Italian common name: Equiseto dei Campi

English common name: Field Horsetail

Common Fennel

2008-08-09T15:29:00.000+02:00

Sweetly scented and highly aromatic, with many culinary and medicinal uses. That's one way to describe this robust perennial we call fennel. The plant grows wild in great abundance locally. Its feathery, almost hair-like leaves have mostly fallen now, but tall slender fennel stems tipped with clusters of tiny yellow flowers and maturing seeds are still a familiar sight along sunny country roadsides and in pasture lands.

Scientific name: Foeniculum vulgare

Italian common name: Finocchio

English common name: Common Fennel

Black Elder

2008-08-05T14:35:00.000+02:00

Black elder trees at Gangivecchio are now heavily laden with clusters of purple-black berries. For some birds these are an important food source. When cooked, the fully ripe berries are used for making excellent jams and jellies and they are also made into wine, cordials and a number of traditional medicines.

Scientific name: Sambucus nigra

Italian common name: Sambuco

English common name: Black Elder

Jack in the Pulpit

2008-08-03T15:52:00.000+02:00

In spring this tuberous-rooted perennial displays a fleshy, erect flower stalk (spadix) partially enclosed by a sheath-like hood (spathe). At this dry time of year, a cluster of scarlet fruits crowded on a stem is all that remains of the plant above ground. These berries are conspicuous and attractive but are considered toxic to humans and to livestock.

Scientific name: Arum maculatum

Italian common name: Cigaro scuro

English common name: Jack in the Pulpit, Cuckoo-pint

Common Chicory

2008-07-21T10:05:00.000+02:00

A native perennial noted for its showy, sky blue flowers, chicory leaves are harvested from the wild as well as from home gardens, for use as a bitter, spicy salad green and as an ingredient in a number of kitchen recipes. Large-rooted varieties are cultivated in Europe and elsewhere as a coffee substitute and additive. Each day during the bloom period, all flowers open promptly in early morning and close en masse in late afternoon.

Scientific name: Cichorium intybus

Italian common name: Cicoria

English common name: Common chicory

Wild Teasel

2008-07-21T09:56:00.000+02:00

From mid-summer and throughout winter the large seed heads of this tall herbaceous native add considerable drama to the local countryside. The dark pink flowers of teasel attract bees and the seed heads that follow are a food source for some birds. Once used as a natural comb for raising the nap on fabrics, especially wool, the mature seed head is now a favorite for dried flower arrangements.

Scientific name: Dipsacus fullonum

Italian common name: Cardo dei lanaioli

English common name: Wild teasel

Mille grazie !

2008-07-17T17:44:00.000+02:00

Thank you University of Arizona Plant Science summer interns Claire Heinitz and Janon Al Failakawi for your excellent work on the Gangivecchio Nature Trail, the organic vegetable garden and plant care throughout the project !

Hedgehog

2008-07-17T17:29:00.000+02:00

This small spiny animal is a nocturnal visitor to Gangivecchio where it is welcomed for its role in garden pest control. Although officially classed as an insectivore it eats many other things--including pet food. Hedgehogs are native only to the Old World and they have changed little over the last 15 million years.
Scientific name: Erinaceus europaeus

Italian common name: Riccio

English common name: Hedgehog

Nature Trail

2008-06-13T08:33:00.000+02:00

Two University of Arizona Plant Science interns, Claire Heinitz and Janon Al Failakawi, helping to create our nature trail.

Wild Gladiolus

2008-06-07T15:34:00.000+02:00

An erect stem bearing 5 to 15 dainty pink flowers make this wild gladiolus one of the most striking of spring flowering bulbs. Although not abundant locally, one to several plants may be found growing in open, sunny locations or in shady oak woodlands.

Scientific name: Gladiolus italicus

Italian common name: Gladiolo del Campi

English common name: Italian Gladiolus

Italian Viper's Bugloss

2008-06-07T15:26:00.000+02:00

The dense, pyramidal "Christmas tree" shape and the unique fuzzy texture of this native herb set it apart from other spring vegetation. Small white flowers appear as Viperina matures at a height of 0.5 to 1 m.

Scientific name: Echium italicum

Italian common name: Viperina bianca

English common name: Italian Viper's Bugloss

Red Valerian

2008-06-07T15:19:00.000+02:00

At Gangivecchio, conditions have been ideal this spring for a generous and extended flowering of Red Valerian. It's commonly seen along roadsides and sunny open areas, usually on poor dry soils. Because of its attractive, long-lasting blooms, some gardeners grow this plant as a cut flower.

Scientific name: Centranthus ruber

Italian common name: Valeriana rossa

English common name: Red Valerian

Gladwin Iris

2008-06-07T15:02:00.001+02:00

The tan and pale bluish flowers are unusual for an iris but the shape of the leaves suggest the genus identity. Each bloom develops a large pod which opens in fall to reveal colorful, long-lasting orange red seeds.

Scientific name: Iris foetidissima

Italian common name: Giaggiolo Puzzolente

English common name: Gladwin Iris

Bear's Breech

2008-06-07T14:55:00.000+02:00

An erect spike of densely packed rose-pink and white flowers make this one of the most characteristic and elegant spring flowering plants of Gangivecchio. The luxurious clump of dark green foliage at the base is thought to be the architectural leaf motif used in Corinthian columns.

Scientific name: Acanthus mollis

Italian common name: Acanto

English common name: Bear's Breech

Tree Mallow

2008-06-07T14:33:00.000+02:00

Big radiant pink flowers with purple streaked petals open generously and continuously to create an eye-catching spring show of color. Because of the intense pink floral display, this species is sometimes used in landscape beds and borders.

Scientific name: Lavatera thuringiaca

Italian common name: Malvone di Turingia

English common name: Tree Mallow