In Defense of a Name

After stabilizing the selection of the Checkered Scopattizo carosello variety that I discovered, I was very excited to share my discovery with others. But as many have found about something they feel is exciting and new, not everyone was so enthusiastic about my discovery. One Italian individual was quite concerned not about how I discovered the variety, but about how I went about naming it. To this end, I created a video that explains how I selected the Checkered Scopattizo and how I decided to add "Scopattizo" to the name.

So What does "scopattizo" actually mean? I have asked the experts and I am still waiting to find out. In English, the root "scopa" it is a zoological term that refers to the small brushlike tuft of hairs on some insects on which pollen collects, such as on the leg of a bee. In Italy, scopa refers to a long-handled brush, such as a broom. But no matter what its origin, the origin of the Scopattizo Barese and the Checkered Scopattizo seem to be intertwined.