At La Santona near Lama Mocogno, there is a splendid specimen of a wild pear tree.
It stands in an almost magical place, with a spectacular view of Mount Cimone.
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The only one of its species on the list of monumental trees in Italy present in Emilia-Romagna, the Pyrus Pyraster (wild pear tree) of Lama Mocogno (MO), in the locality of La Santona, is a truly rare tree. 13.6 m tall, with a trunk measuring 252 cm in circumference, it is truly one of a kind among fruit trees.
It stands isolated in the middle of a sloping meadow at a height of over 1100 m, facing the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and with the highest peak, Mount Cimone, in full view.
The wild pear tree is the ancestor of the cultivated pear tree, which has been providing us with many varieties of its fruit for over 2,000 years. First consecrated to the moon, then to the bride of Zeus, Hera, due to the shape of its fruit, reminiscent of the female womb, it has also been associated with fertility and the goddess of sexual love and beauty, Aphrodite. An early example of street food, ‘sweet pears for walking’ were sold in the streets in the 18th century after being cooked, caramelised and skewered on a stick.” (text by Rosella Ghedini – IBC via www.tourer.it)
