"Il tartufo Bianco"

For the white truffle “Tuber Magnatum Pico” for example, the soil or terrain has to have some particular characteristics. It is favorable if the terrain is exposed at North, North-West. The woody intensity has to be 50% or less, and the shrubbery almost absent at 20% to 70% turf.

The internal hill areas are the more favorable, because the humidity of the soil is maintained constant by the periodical rains unlike the drier climate of the coast. The best areas are the little valleys protected from the wind, where the terrain remains more humid, longer. The white truffle grows in an altitude not more than 700 meters above sea level. It is very important that the pH of the terrain must be wide-ranging by a minimum of 6.8 to a maximum of 8.5.

As you can understand, the truffle grows when there is harmony among the environmental conditions. For the white truffle, the soil surface has to be lightly humid.  The soil is gifted with limestone, poor of phosphorus and azote, rich of potassium, and close to streams. The common plants that live in symbiosis with white truffle are: different variety of oaks (cerro, rovere, roverella); different variety of willow tree (Salix caprea, salix viminalis, salix alba); poplar white; poplar black; Big-leaf linden (tiglio); black Carpinus; lime; sweet chestnut; and hazelnut. Usually the characteristic colors, flavors and aromas of truffles will be determined by the type of tree that it grows in relation with. For example, the truffle that grows near oak will have a more intense color, while those near lime-trees will be lighter and more aromatic. Their form, on the contrary, will depend on the soil: if the soil is soft the truffle will be smoother and rounder, if the soil is more solid, the truffle will be knotty and pimply.