Ilice Di Carrinu, Historic holm oak in Zafferana Etnea, Italy.
Ilice di Carrinu is a holm oak in Zafferana Etnea with massive proportions and a characteristically broad form. It stands about 18 meters tall, has a trunk circumference of roughly 5 meters, and spreads its branches across a large footprint.
This tree is roughly 700 years old and is the last remaining specimen of an ancient holm oak forest that once covered the eastern slopes of Mount Etna. Its survival shows how vegetation on the volcano's slopes has changed over centuries.
The name comes from Carlo, a former landowner whose local nickname Carrinu became permanently linked to this oak.
The tree sits within Etna Park at about 940 meters elevation and is reachable via marked hiking paths. The most convenient starting point is from the nearby town of Milo, close to Zafferana Etnea.
The extensive branch system of this tree is known among Italian monumental trees for spreading farther than any other documented specimen. This extraordinary horizontal reach makes it a botanical curiosity in the region.
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