Orchards of Vesuvius

Vesuvian agriculture is characterized by a great agronomic diversity compared to other Mediterranean contexts, especially for the fruit trees; the individual plots are cultivated with different species of fruit trees, which in some cases are found next to each other.

Among the protagonists of this biodiversity there is undoubtedly the apricot, strongly linked to the agricultural tradition of Vesuvius and here represented by the variety “Pellecchiella” already present in this area centuries ago, as reported in some sixteenth-century documents, which together with the Peach and Pomegranate help to restore a strong identity of the local rural culture. In particular, the Pomegranate itself is often represented in frescoes from the Roman era, which reproduced the rooms cultivated in the courtyards of the Pompeian “domus”.
Especially in the mixed family orchards, the presence of aromatic essences is unavoidable, especially those most commonly used for the daily preparation of dishes, such as sage and rosemary.