Lazio (Latium) – ‘Il miele del Lazio’
Lazio is Italy’s ninth largest region in land, located centrally on the west, covers a total area of 6,800 square miles with approximately 5 million people. Its countryside stretches from the sea and its Tyrrhenian islands to the Apennine mountains. From the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, and going counterclockwise, it is bordered by the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, The Marshes, Abruzzo, Molise and Campania. It is rich in natural wonders which make it one of the regions with the highest biodiversity in the Italy and a popular tourist destination. The regional capital is Rome, the capital of Italy, home to most of the region’s population and to the Vatican city state.
80 percent of Lazio is hills or mountains rising from the coast. Much of the coast is plains or reclaimed marshland. Volcanic lakes dot the western side, the largest being Bracciano, between Rome and Viterbo, and Bolsena, near the Tuscan border. Rome is located midway in Lazio, about 15 miles inland from the coast, sitting on the Tiber (Tevere) River, the major waterway, which originates along the Umbrian border and continues south through Rome to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
There are over 70 parks, reserves and other protected Areas in the Lazio Park System (English Translation). The park system supports local honey production in the following parks: Monte Rufeno, Veio, Monti Lucretili, Riviera di Ulisse, Monti Simbruini, and RomaNatura. Find honey by park using the Italy Parks Local Honey Locator – Lazio
Product of the Parks in Lazio
A unique program run by the parks region of Lazio is “Nature in the Field (Natura in Campo),” the first project to promote honey (and other foods) of the protected territory of the Lazio Region. Produced by the Regional Parks through its support of agricultural activities carried out with sustainable production methods, provides, amongst other things, the granting of the mark in certified organic and traditional products.
Common Honey:
- Acacia – ‘Miele di acacia’ (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)
- Citrus – Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit – ‘Miele di agrumi’ (Citrus spp.)
- Chestnut – ‘Miele di castagno’ (Castanea sativa Mill)
- Eucalyptus honey of Pontine Plain – ‘Miele monoflora di eucalipto della pianura pontina’ (Eucalyptus spp.)
- Lime Tree (aka Linden or Basswood) – ‘Miele di tiglio’ (Tilia spp.)
- Savory (aka Abruzzi Thyme Honey) – ‘Miele di santoreggia’ (Satureja montana L.) [see Slow Foods]
- Sunflower – ‘Miele di girasole’ (Helianthus annuus L.)
Less Common/Rare or limited production:
- Thyme – ‘Miele di timo’ (Thymus spp.)
- Clover – ‘Miele di trifoglio’ (Trifolium spp.)
- Crimson clover – ‘Trifoglio Incarnato’ (Trifolium incarnatum)
- Tree of Heaven – ‘Miele di alianto’ (Ailanthus altissima)
- Bastard Indigo – Indaco Bastardo’ (Amorpha fruticosa)
- Thistle – ‘Miele di Cardo’ (Carduus sp.)(Carduus ssp.)
- Sainfoin – ‘Miele di lupinella’ (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.)
- Heather Honey – ‘Miele di erica arborea’ (Erica arborea L.)
- Thorn (aka Christ’s Thorn, Jerusalem Thorn) – ‘Miele di marruca’ (Paliurus spina-christi)
- Forest Honeydew – ‘Melata di bosco, Melata di metcalfa’ (Insect: Metcalfa pruinosa (Say)
- Oak Honeydew – ‘Melata di quercia’ (Quercus robur, Q. petraea, Q. pubescens) (Insects: Lachnus iliciphilus, Lachnus roboris, Tuberculatus annulatus,Thelaxes dryophila)
PAT – Honey certified as a Traditional Italian Food.
Honey identified and cataloged by the Arc of Taste (Slow Foods)
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