Chestnut
Chestnut (Castanea sativa), commonly known in Italy as “castagno”, is a tree with boldly toothed leaves belonging to the family Fagaceae.
It is originally native of southeastern Europe. North America and West Asia. The number of fruit castanea sativa are drastically decreased in Italy after some disease, even if in the last few years it has been made an effort to recover this trees. The cultivation of chestnuts is particular important in regions such as Campania, Sicily, Lazio, Piemonte and Tuscany. In the province of Salerno there are many areas with chestnuts, from the mountain area of the Amalfi Coast (Scala, Ravello, Tramonti) to the Cilento’s area.
Chestnut can reach a height of 25 meters with a trunk even 10 meters in diameter for the oldest specimen. The foliage is expanded and roundish. The sweet chestnuts are rich in starch and in most of the mountain areas in Italy it was the main source of food until the ‘50s. In October one of the most ancient villages of the Amalfi Coast, Scala, organize the “Sagra della Castagna”, a special festival of the sweet chestnut.
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Notes
Alberi, guide Compact De Agostini