Trees and plants in Tuscia

The territory of Tuscia is varied and presents landscapes of hills, mountains, lakes and sea. For this reason the flora is varied and different, according to the area.Every season offers beautiful impressive landscapes with flowered, scented or lively images of precious corners of our region.

A large part of the territory is covered by forests but also by cultivated hectares , whose growth is helped by abundant rainfalls, sunny and mild climate and soil fertility.

Agriculture produces many

kind of green salad and fruits,

such as tomatoes, potatoes,

peppers, artichokes, wheat,

sunflowers, cereals, apples,

watermelons, kiwis,

strawberries, cherries….

.

There are also high forests of oaks, pines, beech trees, all of them of considerable size. Among our ancient trees and plants there are those considered a real richness because of their fruits.

Our natural environment is very beautiful and many trees are related to the economic development of the area.

In particular Olive tree, Chestnut and Hazelnut are considered a richness for many villages around Cimini Mountains and Lake Vico.

For this reason we look after them carefully.

Hazelnuts

• In Italy the cultivation of hazelnuts is located mainly in the regions of Campania and Lazio .• In particular in Tuscia our economy is

largely based on its production and and their fruits are sold to the main factories using them all over the world, such as Perugina and Lindt.• The villages near Viterbo, where hazelnuts

are produced, are mainly located around Cimini Mountains, such as Caprarola, Sutri, Capranica and Nepi.• These trees are well preserved because

they are considered very precious: so, each year the landowners defeated them from their usual diseases.

Hazelnut disease

The Gonocerus acuteangulatus hazelnuts attacks all branches,leanes and fruits from may.The fight against Gonocerus acuteangulatus is almost exclusively agronomic. However,in casa of heavy infestation, farmers can perform chemical treatments.

Olive tree• The Olive tree (Olea europaea ) is a typically Mediterranean plant that grows in countries such as Italy, Spain, the south of France and Greece.

• The cultivated Olive tree belongs to the large family of oleaceae . The 30 species are divided into two subspecies, the cultivated olive tree (Olea europaea sativa) and wild olive (Olea europaea oleaster).• In our region it grows and is

cultivated almost everywhere, around Cimini Mountains, Lake Bolsena, around Viterbo countryside, until the shores of Maremma.

Olive tree disease

• Olive fly ( Dacus oleae ) is the main and the worst disease that strikes Olive tree it feeds on the whole fruit.

• The struggle is both chemical and , in recent years, we are experimenting with biological control methods carried out with the participation of natural enemies.

ChestnutChestnut is located in Southern Europe,

North Africa and Western Asia. The chestnut are now much reduced in Italy, though in recent years it is rediscovered for productive and economical purposes.

The regions in Italy where the cultivation of chestnut fruit takes on greater importance are Campania, Sicilia, Lazio, Piemonte and Toscana.

Chestnut is a long-lived plant, up to 25 meters high, elliptical-shaped. In Tuscia it grows on Cimini Mountains and it is linked to economic richness of many villages set there.

Chestnut diseasesThe chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) , is

a small wasp considered one of the most damaging insects . it was found for the first time in 2002. The damages that the insect does are very important:it attacks all the tree, especially its leaves and its fruits.

The last experiment to struggle this insect is represented by the introduction of an antagonist insect, the Torymus sinensis. The first results are attended in 5 years.

Chestnut diseasesThe chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) , is

a small wasp considered one of the most damaging insects . it was found for the first time in 2002. The damages that the insect does are very important:it attacks all the tree, especially its leaves and its fruits.

The last experiment to struggle this insect is represented by the introduction of an antagonist insect, the Torymus sinensis. The first results are attended in 5 years.