Milano Vice? Palm trees near Milan's cathedral spark debate

MILAN (AP) — The appearance of an oasis of palm trees opposite Milan's gothic-era Duomo Cathedral has spawned a vibrant public debate.

The head of the anti-migrant Northern League was criticized after writing on Twitter that the scene was only missing "sand, camels and illegal migrants who will feel at home," while one of his colleagues suggested that to accompany the desert scene, the cathedral's famed spires would next be covered with minarets.

The variety he planted, Trachycarpus fortunei, is well-suited to Milan's continental climate, resisting temperatures as low as 15 degrees Celsius below zero (5 degrees Fahrenheit).