Truffle hunting to discover the earth’s treasure

Truffle hunting has been a popular experience since ancient times, as history testifies.
Truffle hunting also means enjoying a sensory experience.
Truffle hunting offers the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in nature, learn about the world of truffles, and discover wonderful woods.

Finding truffles is no easy feat; this activity requires a great deal of attention. By relying on your senses, you’ll learn to listen to the sounds of nature, smell its scents, and rediscover the wonders of the earth, often forgotten in the daily grind of life.

Knowing nature

Under which trees should you look for truffles?

Truffles grow in specific areas based on soil characteristics and humidity. These “hypogeal” fungi grow underground in symbiosis with the roots of certain plant species. In this symbiotic relationship, the truffle absorbs the plant’s nutrients and, in turn, provides the plant with the mineral salts it needs for growth.

Not all truffles grow in the same type of soil. However, oak is one of the preferred plants for this type of fungus. The oak family includes:

• Oak (Quercus Petraea), this type of oak is the best symbiont for the Tuber Magnatum Pico. More commonly known as the prized white truffle, it is the most valuable truffle species of all, both gastronomically and economically.
As its name suggests, it is a plant that loves well-drained, stony soil. Very similar to the English oak, with which it often hybridizes, giving rise to trees that are difficult to identify, it has a more open crown, with straighter branches.

• Quercus pubescens Willd, the most widespread oak species in Italy, is also excellent for the development of black truffles.
This type of tree is resistant to drought and can adapt even to relatively cold climates.
Compared to other oaks, it is easily recognizable even in winter, as it keeps its dry leaves attached to the branches. Furthermore, the hardiness and plasticity of this plant, combined with the vitality of the stump, have allowed the downy oak to resist destructive human intervention for centuries.

• Quercus Robur, in whose vicinity white and black truffles grow; It is the most widespread oak in Europe and is renowned for its longevity, thanks to its straight, sturdy trunk that broadens at the base as if to strengthen the tree, and its branches that become increasingly thicker over time. This majestic and elegant tree, as a solitary plant, has a spreading, very broad, and irregular crown. However, in the woods, its crown has an elongated, oval shape, with a tall, straight trunk.

• Holm oak (Quercus Ilex), a typical tree for the production of black truffles. Also known as the holm oak, it is a very common plant in the countries of the Mediterranean basin. The holm oak is generally an evergreen tree that can reach up to 20-25 meters!

To make this experience even more special, you can share it with a dear and trusted friend of man!

We will soon publish an article on our website dedicated to truffle dogs.