The Whitebeam

Often with a shrubby habit, quite long-lived, the whitebeam (Sorbus aria) finds its optimal growing conditions on well exposed and dry calcareous soils and rocks. It has oval leaves, irregularly serrated, pale underneath.The extremely resistant wood was used to make gears.From the fruit, small reddish-orange edible pomes, a flour was obtained then mixed with others to make bread (hence the common name of farinaccio attributed to the whitebeam); today, they are used to make a sauce for game dishes.[G. Magrini - Alberi, Funghi e Frutti in Valtellina e Valchiavenna - Banca Popolare di Sondrio, pp.41-43][Various Authors - Alberi e Arbusti, guida alle specie spontanee del Piemonte - Blu Ed., 2004, pp.178-179][M. Goldstein, G. Simonetti, M. Watschinger - Alberi d'Europa - Mondadori Ed., 2000, pp.180-181]