Apennine Flora
Mountain pine (Pinus mugo Turra)
By Redazione Published: 28/06/2012
The mountain pine is a pioneer plant and very “elastic”. Its hardiness and shrubby habit make it very useful for slope conservation projects in mountain areas and for protection against avalanches.It's a microthermal species (it…
Swiss stone pine or cirmolo (Pinus cembra L.)
By Redazione Published: 28/06/2012
It plays an important role for the landscape, for nature and for protection. Its wood is highly prized and soft. It's used for wood carving or for interior panelling.The Swiss stone pine is one of…
Floristic overview: the basics
By Barbara Colaninno Published: 22/06/2012
Thanks to the mountain backbone formed by the Alps and the Apennines and to its latitudinal extent, Italy is characterised by a great variety of microclimates, subject to Mediterranean climatic influences in the central-southern areas…
Floristic overview and the montane belt
By Redazione Published: 22/06/2012
The characteristic forest species of the montane belt are the beech, the silver fir, the Scots pine, the black pine and the laricio pine.Accompanying these and sometimes forming stands of their own are the birch,…
Dog rose (Rosa canina L.)
By Redazione Published: 13/06/2012
The rose is widely used for its content of vitamin C, tannins and organic acids. It has astringent, vitamin-giving and diuretic properties. For external use it is employed as a decongestant (eye baths, gargles for …
Picea abies (L.) Karst - Norway spruce (abete rosso or peccio)
By Redazione Published: 12/06/2012
It is a species that can be described as half-shade tolerant: Norway spruce regeneration can survive for over a century under cover and then recover if brought into the light. It does not tolerate drought…
The subalpine belt
By Redazione Published: 12/06/2012
Floristic overview...The characteristic forest species of the subalpine belt are the Swiss stone pine and the mountain pine (rarer), the larch and the Norway spruce.The typical woods of this vegetation belt have the tree line…
Common juniper (Juniperus communis L.)
By Redazione Published: 12/06/2012
Juniper has diuretic, antiseptic, balsamic, expectorant and stimulant properties. Precisely because of these properties it was widely used in the past as an antidote against animal bites and poisons. It was also believed it could…