Sicily discovery: 500-year-old almond tree with integrated ladder

Botanists have discovered a 500-year-old almond tree in the Sicani Mountains of Sicily, which is believed to be the largest living almond tree ever recorded. Located near Castronovo di Sicilia at an altitude of approximately 910 meters, the tree stands over 10 meters tall with a trunk circumference of 5.2 meters and a branch spread of 15 meters.

Studied by botanists Pasquale Marino and Francesco Maria Raimondo, the tree features a unique spiral-shaped trunk divided into three main branches. A notable feature of the discovery is an old wooden ladder that was nailed to the trunk decades ago; over time, the tree has grown around and integrated the ladder and metal wires into its own structure, making them an inseparable part of the wood.

The findings were published in the scientific journal Quaderni di Botanica Ambientale e Applicata, providing new insights into the longevity and growth patterns of the almond species.