Members of the Maltese National Commission for UNESCO together with the Commission’s chairman, Professor Henry Frendo, met on Saturday to plant a rare indigenous tree in the Kitchen Garden of Sant’ Anton Palace in Attard.

This was followed by a special tour of the Palace and Gardens led by Brigadier Claude Gaffiero. The tree planted is the Maltese hawthorn, known in Maltese as Zaghrun (Crataegus monogyna).

Professor Henry Frendo stated that the occasion was intended as a lasting gesture by the Commission to instil respect for the Maltese native flora and for the benefit of future generations. In addition the planting of the rare tree will serve as a farewell to the outgoing President, Dr George Abela, who opened the Kitchen Garden and made it accessible to the public, including the many children who now frequented it.

Members of the Commission each added some soil brought from their respective area of residence marking the event with a congenial national quality. Professor Frendo thanked the tree’s donor, Mr Sammy Vella who is the Commission’s executive secretary as well as an agricultural expert.

The members of the UNESCO National Commission were given a tour around the garden by Brigadier Claude Gaffiero who is well familiar with the Sant’ Anton Palace and its surrounding gardens having served as ADC for many years.

Professor Frendo added that for educational purposes a lectern explaining the history and qualities of the Maltese hawthorn will be erected next to the UNESCO plaque identifying the tree, which directly faces the entrance to the Kitchen Garden. (www.unescomalta.org).

The Common Hawthorn is a rare Maltese indigenous tree, which can be found growing wild among the rocks in valleys. It grows up to 10 meters. It is a deciduous tree that sheds all its leaves around November, and hibernates during the cold winter months.

Towards March, the tree comes to life with the first signs of leaves. As spring approaches white fragrant flowers, 2cm in diameter and grouped in bunches, cover the tree. Each flower, fertilised with the help of insect pollinators, changes into a fruit. This resembles a small sweet tasting red apple with a diameter of around 1cm, which is also edible. These appear around July and August and ripen between October and November. The fruit has one single seed inside.

Photocaption 1: The Chairman of the Maltese National Commission for UNESCO Professor Henry Frendo planting the rare Maltese hawthorn tree.

Photocaption 2: Members of the UNESCO National Commission present during the event (from left) Mr Alfred E. Baldacchino, Dr Ruth Bianco, Mr Sammy Vella, Mr Philip Cassar, Professor Henry Frendo, Mr Godfrey Xuereb, Chev. Ray Cassar, Professor Frank Ventura, Ms Mariella Bose, and Ms Christine Pace.

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