Sandemetrio’s Botanical Garden: at the very roots of well-being
Inaugurated in 2008, on occasion of the opening of the Medicinal Plants Study Centre, and managed in partnership with the University of Bari, Sandemetrio’s Botanical Garden hosts over 400 different species of medicinal and aromatic plants, as well as cotton, tobacco, aloe vera, natural dyes, such as indigo, and sweetening plants, such as stevia.
In addition to meeting educational goals, the Botanical Garden’s produce is destined to herbal, food and cosmetics industries.
The intuition of entrepreneur Giuseppe Ricchiuto, and the promotion of herbal medicine
In order to meet the needs of teaching and the training of high-level professional figures in the industrial herbalist sector, the entrepreneur Giuseppe Maria Ricchiuto wanted to allocate part of Sandemetrio’s land to experimental activities, and, therefore, created a 5,000 square metre Botanical Garden for medicinal plants, bringing together over 400 herbaceous and arboreal medicinal species.
Every year, the Botanical Garden is visited by students, professional herbalists, pharmacists and other sector professionals. From a research point of view, the Botanical Garden is an extremely precious resource, since it allows for analyses on the growth of new plants on land that has the same characteristics as that used for organic farming at Sandemetrio.
From Sandemetrio’s Botanical Garden to infusions, teas, herbal teas and other wellness care products
In the Sandemetrio Botanical Garden, the natural vegetative cycles of plants are fully respected using organic cultivation techniques, without the use of pesticides, herbicides or chemicals with environmental impacts.
Within the Botanical Garden, each plant is classified taxonomically, botanically, and functionally.
The selected botanical species are grouped according to the effects they have on the human body.
Research activities also focus on new botanical species that are interesting from both a phyto-therapeutic and naturalistic point of view.
Over recent years, various extremely interesting herbaceous species have been cultivated and analysed from different points of view, such as:
Clitoria ternatea: Also known as Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea, Darwin pea, and blue ternate, this extensively studied species contains numerous phytochemicals, of both nutraceutical and pharmaceutical interest, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Clitoria flowers have a bright blue colour, and give infusions and foods a natural bluish shade.
Indigofera tinctoria: Commonly known as indigo, this plant is a widely used to create dyes.
Tanacetum cinerariefolium: Commonly known as the Pyrethrum daisy, this plant is interesting for its content of substances known as Pyrethrins, with biopesticidal properties.
Tanacetum parthenium: Also known as feverfew, this botanical species is useful for the prevention of migraines, especially when combined with other synergistic plants in specially designed herbal formulations.
