Bergamot

The bergamot was depicted in Bimbi’s late 17th century paintings with the name “bergamot pear, type of orange”.
Its botanical collocation is uncertain. According to the botanist Chapot (1962) it could be a spontaneous hybrid of the bitter orange and the lime, which appeared in Calabria between the 14th and 16th centuries. Other writers believe that the bergamot is a spontaneous hybrid of the bitter orange and the lemon, and still others claim it is a mutation of the bitter orange.
The development of bergamot cultivation is linked to the invention of Eau de Cologne in Germany by the Italian Giovanni Paolo Feminis, who patented it in about 1700. The basic essence of this perfume was oil obtained from the rind of the bergamot.
In modern Italy the bergamot is grown exclusively in Calabria.
The fairly vigorous tree has large, pointed leaves, with narrow-winged petiole. It produces white flowers, only in spring. The medium sized fruit is rounded and pear-shaped with the remains of the style at the apex. The yellow rind is rich in essential oil and has a marked, distinctive fragrance. The flesh is yellowy-green, bitterish and very sour.
The most widespread cultivars are Femminello, Castagnaro and Fantastico.