Red Valerian

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

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

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

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

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

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