Botanical Gardens of Western Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia

About Our Cover change chambers. Other PABG laboratories investigate the effects of air pollutants (mainly

SO2 and particulates) and the cultivation and Botanical Gardens of Western Russia, use of nonsymbiotic, nitrogen-fixing Cyano- bacteria as soil amendments. The region’s Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia soils are acidic (pH 3.5–5) and of poor agricultural quality, thus requiring large amounts of Botanical gardens in the western former decorative fountains, but the plant collections fertilizer and lime. This poor soil quality is Soviet Union (FSU) contain a rich diversity of were immaculately maintained and in excel- exacerbated by the smoke stack and waste horticultural plant germplasm, reflecting a long lent condition. We were encouraged that some water output of aging smelters on the Kola history of botanical interests. In addition, sig- gardens are finding creative and successful Peninsula. Travel to the PABG from Murmansk nificant research continues on the physiology, ways to support themselves. Visiting or com- takes one past a nickel smelter surrounded by genetics, and economic uses of these resources. municating with the staff of these gardens a smoking, reeking wasteland of twisted, We visited many of these gardens and met does not require a thorough knowledge of stunted trees, slag piles, and acrid pools— their directors and specialists during June 1990 Russian. A conversational knowledge would grim testimony to the historic lack of environ- (R.A.B.) and Aug. 1993 (S.H.J.) on trips orga- certainly be helpful, but some employees in all mental concern displayed by rulers seeking nized by the Citizen Ambassador Program of of the gardens speak English. In all gardens industrial output at all costs. People to People International. Gardens and that we visited, the staffs were very open, Contacts: L.M. Lukyanova (director) and arboreta visited included: Kirovsk, Russia helpful, and appeared genuinely interested in Alexander Choorikov (vice director), 84230 (68°N); St. Petersburg, Russia (formerly scientific exchanges and collaborations. Botanical Garden, Kirovsk, Murmansk Re- Leningrad, 60°N); Moscow, Russia (56°N); gion, Russia; phone 011 + 7 + 02-04-75. Minsk, Belarus (54°N); Kiev, Ukraine (51°N); KIROVSK Krasnodar, Russia (45°N); and Tbilisi, Geor- ST. PETERSBURG gia (42°N). The following account describes Polar–Alpine Botanical Garden, Kola the plant resources and research emphases at Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian each location and is organized along a north– Academy of Sciences south transect (see Fig. 1). The Polar–Alpine Botanical Garden Botanical gardens in the FSU have histori- (PABG) is situated near Lake Imandra on a The Komarov Institute Botanic Garden cally been owned, operated, and their public mountainside outside the small industrial and (KIBG) was founded in 1714 as the pharmacy and research activities controlled by the cen- agricultural city of Kirovsk. It is the northern- garden of Peter the Great. The collection ex- tral government. However, since the breakup most botanical garden in the FSU and is lo- panded quickly due to extensive explorations of the union, government control and support cated ≈230 km south of Murmansk (the largest of the flora of Russia and foreign countries. In of the gardens has greatly diminished. Al- city in the Arctic Circle) on the Kola Penin- 1905 more than 27,793 taxa were represented though the gardens are more autonomous than sula. The PABG is a spartan but beautiful 3.5- in the garden, and by 1930, when it was trans- in the past, they are struggling financially. km2 facility, including a main compound at ferred to the Academy of Sciences, it was the Decaying facilities and low morale prevailed 320 m above sea level (ASL), a specimen main botanical garden in the FSU. During the in most institutions we visited in 1990 during garden at 350 m ASL, and a nearby ecophysi- siege of St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) in the peak of “glasnost,” especially in the basic ology research station at 600 m ASL (200 m World War II, most of the greenhouses were research institutions. This was less evident in above timber line). Established in 1931, the destroyed and most of the plants perished those institutions with applied emphases or research activities of the PABG are divided during Winter 1941–42. Only 300 of the origi- where the directors held some sway with party into seven areas: plant introduction (largest of nal 5000 indoor species survived, but heroic figures. These conditions were more wide- the seven), flora and natural resources, plant efforts during and after the war have returned spread and evident at every site visited in physiology, soil and soil microbiology, den- the institute’s conservatory, herbarium, and 1993. Funds do not generally allow for “luxury” drology, landscape architecture/ornamental library to one of the best in Europe. The KIBG projects, such as mowing grass and operating horticulture, and plant pathology and biologi- now covers ≈0.2 km2 and features more than cal control. The activities of the resident re- 12,000 taxa belonging to 313 families, 2245 Received for publication 12 July 1994. Accepted for search staff are augmented by students from genera, and more than 8000 species. publication 20 July 1994. Travel was supported in universities in Petrozavodsk and St. Peters- The outdoor collection of the KIBG occu- part by the Univ. of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (SHJ) burg. pies 0.17 km2 and includes 713 species from and Loyola Univ. of Chicago (RAB). Information in Moving up the mountainside from the main 123 genera and 43 families. Nearly 600 rose this paper was obtained from personal communica- compound, one enters a mixed deciduous/ cultivars are evaluated for ornamental quality tion with botanical garden staff and public informa- ≈ tion literature provided by the respective botanical coniferous forest zone at 310 m ASL. The next and winter hardiness. The KIBG staff ( 700 gardens. We acknowledge the helpful reviews pro- feature, at 350 m ASL, is the specimen garden, people, 400 scientists) channels much of its vided by V. Thiesfeld, R. Freckmann, and E. Gasque, a large cultivated space containing more than effort into plant introductions and the devel- Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. 1320 plantings. Claytonia sibirica var. opment of horticultural cultivars. An exten- The cost of publishing this paper was defrayed in asarifolia L., native to the United States, is sive collection of alpine, subalpine, and other part by the payment of page charges. Under postal prolific and was jokingly referred to as “The plants found on rocky sites contains 2000 regulations, this paper therefore must be hereby American Aggressor” by the garden staff. The species of 433 genera in 93 families, including marked advertisement solely to indicate this fact. increasingly sparse, short alpine tree and shrub several rare and endangered species. More vegetation gives way to the tundra at ≈400 m than 600 species of bulb and corm plants are Front cover: (top left) Entrance to the Polar– ASL. Above 1000 m ASL is polar desert maintained, including a display of 500 species Alpine Botanical Garden, Kirovsk, Russia; (bot- where snow was widespread during late June and cultivars used in landscaping. The tulip tom left) water garden at Moscow State Univ. ≈ Botanical Garden, Moscow, Russia; (right, top to 1990. This elevation receives 2 m of snowfall collection contains more than 100 specimens, bottom) one of the many impressive glasshouses a year and the mountain has no glaciers or many that were first tested here for hardiness at the Komarov Botanical Inst. (KBI), St. Peters- permafrost. above 60°N. Many outdoor plantings are orga- burg, Russia; Victoria amazonica Orb. inside a The main facility is geared toward collec- nized into regional assemblages, which pro- glasshouse at the KBI; variety trials at the Botani- tion, propagation, and cultivation of alpine vides an exceptional opportunity to “travel” to cal Garden of the Belarus Academy of Science, and polar plant species from the region and the many distant and far-off habitats (in Russia Minsk. Photo credits: Top left, top right, and world. The small facility at 600 m ASL con- and foreign countries) that have been largely center right photographed by R.A.B. (1990); lower ducts in situ measurements of CO gas ex- left and lower right photographed by S.H.J. (1993). 2 change in the tundra using closed gas-ex- continued on p. 1105

938 HORTSCIENCE, VOL. 29(9), SEPTEMBER 1994 continued from p. 938 unseen by western botanists, including the mountain regions of Caucasus, Kolyma, and Himalaya; the desolate eastern regions of the FSU; and southeast Asia. There is also a sub- stantial nursery where seeds are produced for exchanges with other institutions. The extensive tropical and subtropical plant collection is maintained in 13 greenhouses totaling 5300 m2 and contains 662 genera in 143 families. Of special interest are collections of palms (100 species), aroids (117 species), bromeliads (112 species), cycads, water lilies, tropical food plants, and economically useful tropical plants. Tropical plants not typi- cally found in botanical gardens include several mangrove genera and all cycad genera, including the rare Cuban species Microcycas calocoma Miq. Large specimens of Cycas FIG. 1, LINE ART circinalis L. and Cycas revoluta Thunb. are more than 100 years old. The orchid collection SHOOT at 100% contains 435 taxa in 108 genera of the family Orchidaceae, including recently collected Viet- namese material. The subtropical plant collec- DROP KEYLINE tion, occupying 3355 m2 of greenhouse space, includes 662 genera in 166 families. The most prized species is Platanus kerrii Gagnepain, first introduced to cultivation at the KIBG. Fern and moss collections are currently being established. The succulent plant collection contains 250 genera in 30 families, including 1000 species of cacti. Among the most valuable specimens are a 115-year-old Euphorbia ingens E.H. Mey. and an 84-year-old Cereus peruvianus L. Contacts: Dimitry Geltmann (assistant director, Herbarium), Prof. Popov Street, 2, St. Petersburg, Russia, or Tatyana R. Kuzmina (executive director), St. Petersburg Associa- tion for International Cooperation, Society for Cultural and Business Contacts, Fontanka, 21, St. Petersburg, 191011, Russia; phone 011 + 7 + 812-311-40-84, fax 011-7-812-311-40-89.

MOSCOW

Main Botanical Gardens of the Russian Academy of Sciences

The Main Botanical Garden (MBG) is one of Europe’s largest, occupying 3.6 km2 inside Moscow’s city limits. Established in 1945 by Stalin, the site is in a picturesque area of the Fig. 1. A portion of the western former Soviet Union. Botanical gardens were visited in all cities indicated. city, adjacent to the Timiryazev Institute of Scale: 1 cm = 200 km. Plant Physiology and traversed by the Yauza, Likhoborka, and Kamenka rivers. The garden’s adjacent to a small pond and swamp. The flora An especially valuable collection of broad- main goals are to preserve the natural Russian of Central Asia are grouped into broad-leaved leaved forest specimens from central Euro- flora, and to improve and propagate the re- forests, juniper groves, spruce forests, forbs, pean Russia is found in the oak grove reserve. gional flora, enriching it with new varieties plants of the highland steppes, Alpine mead- This 0.6-km2 oak grove, closed to the public, is from other areas. The native Russian plant ows, and deserts. Extensive collections of likely the most typical and well-preserved collection is unparalleled, with more than 3000 grasses, Allium, and tamarisks have been Russian oak grove in the region. This oak species. planted. The Siberian plant collection con- grove contains English oaks (Quercus robur Five display areas present the major geo- tains taiga species such as Siberian firs, spruces L.) more than 200 years old, aspen (Populus), graphical and floral zones of the FSU. They and stone pines, larches, and bear’s onion birch (Betula), larch (Larix), maple (Acer), include the European region, Central Asia, (scurvy remedy in Siberia). An artificial hill basswood (Tilia), elm (Ulmus), Polygonum, Siberia, Caucasus, and the Far East. European contains species of the Caucasus. Alpine and mountain ash (Sorbus). The forest appears regional plants include those of forest–steppe meadow and scree plants are found on the to be healthy, with no evidence yet of oak wilt and steppe zones. Plants native to the slopes. The collection occupying the largest or gypsy moth. Carpathians occupy the forest fringe. Flora area in the MBG is that of the Far Eastern The northern part of the MBG, a 0.75-km2 from the mixed forests of the Russian plain are region. arboretum, contains 2000 varieties of woody

HORTSCIENCE, VOL. 29(9), SEPTEMBER 1994 1105 COVER STORY plants. Specimens adapted to the region’s cli- plantings. Ten departments span diverse inter- tion, landscape architecture, and ecology. Eight mate include hornbeam (Carpinus), Japanese ests: Herbarium, Dendrology, Cultivated Flora, laboratories concentrate on the introduction quince (Chaenomeles), late honeysuckle Floriculture, Tropical Flora, Seed Physiology, and selection of decorative plants, introduc- (Lonicera), Cotoneaster horizontalis Decne., Plant Physiology, Plant Protection, Wide Hy- tion and selection of woody plants, natural and yew (Taxus). A cultivated flora region bridization, and Promotion of Scientific resistance, biochemistry and physiology, plant emphasizes the origin and evolution of culti- Achievements. The MBG herbarium contains protection, ecological physiology, microprop- vated plants and contains more than 2200 300,000 specimens and has a library of 170,000 agation, and technical and industrial aspects of species and cultivars, including fruits and veg- botanical books. Researchers are developing a horticulture. Reforestation of Belarus is a high- etables with their wild relatives, medicinal computerized database with useful plants of priority project, but propagation is often by plants, and industrial plants. Selection meth- the tropics and subtropics. cuttings because seed production is scarce. ods, similar to those used to develop modern Contact: Rimma A. Karpisonova, Selection studies concentrate on frost, pest, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) culti- Botanischeskaya ul., 4 Moscow, 127276, Rus- and pollution resistance, and results include vars, are illustrated, as are wide hybridizations sia; phone 011-7-095-218-7213. the development of a mildew-resistant Phlox such as pear–cotoneaster, and pear–mountain variety. ash varieties. Moscow State Univ. Botanical Garden There is considerable activity in the study Most visitors are attracted to the decorative of medicinal properties of plants. Oil from plants section. It contains the largest collection Although the arboretum is small (87,000 mountain ash fruits is used to enhance wound of roses in Europe. More than 2600 cultivars m2), it contains more than 1000 woody species healing. Aralia root extracts are used to en- developed by the MBG include tea hybrids, and forms, encompassing 143 genera in 48 hance the immune system and to reduce ef- floribundas, climbers, perpetuals, and minia- families. The garden was established in 1805, fects of radiation sickness. Interest in radiation tures. The rosarium contains 250 of the most but the first woody plantings were not made sickness remedies is very high here, since beautiful and hardy cultivars that are recom- until 1951. The garden is organized by geo- Minsk received much of the Chernobyl fall- mended for landscaping. An impressive col- graphic zones: European coniferous, mixed, out. Aronia melanocarpa Michx. is being de- lection of 350 lilac cultivars is also found in and highland forests; eastern and western North veloped as a medicinal plant to treat hyperten- this section. Valuable bulb collections include American forests; Central Asian highland for- sion and decrease blood pressure. Ginseng 320 tulip cultivars and 230 Narcissus culti- ests; Siberian forests; Caucasus Mountains; (Panax) is also grown for its medicinal prop- vars, as well as hyacinths, lilies, and crocuses. far eastern Russian forests; Japan; and China. erties. The perennial garden contains 93 species, Efforts continue to expand the collection of This garden appears to be financially stable, grown to provide planting recommendations woody plants through exchanges with foreign mainly because it generates funds through the to the city. It includes 60 Astilbe varieties and gardens. Displays include 33 maple species sale of plant material. It is affiliated with a 0.5- 80 Hemeracalis varieties, including some U.S. (Acer), 34 birch species (Betula), and 34 moun- km2 fruit introduction station, located 250 km imports. The staff continues to study the adapt- tain ash species (Sorbus). Greenhouse collec- west of Minsk, that propagates new varieties ability of the plants they recommend for city tions date to the late 1700s and have been of blueberries, cranberries, and currants. The use, especially their response to pollution, expanded via private donations and exchanges station produces and sells 100 million cuttings water, and other anthropogenic stresses. The with other gardens. Included in these collec- per year to pay for research expenses. Addi- herbaceous perennial collection includes 350 tions are conifers, ferns, succulents, lilies, and tionally, the garden’s tree nursery propagates iris, 558 peony, 950 gladiolus, 300 phlox, and tropical aroideous and begoniaceous species. and sells 150,000 cuttings annually. 300 dahlia cultivars. Rare perennial collec- A valuable collection of palms and cycads Contact: Eugene A. Sidorovitch (direc- tions contain stonecrops, saxifrages, lilies-of- includes 150- to 250-year-old plants. tor), 2a Surganova St., Minsk, 220600, Belarus; the-valley, Astilbe, larkspurs, goldenrods, blue- Pesticides cannot be stored within Mos- phone 011-7-017-39-44-87 or 011-7-017-39- bells, day lilies, and 65 species of fern. cow city limits; therefore, chemical inputs are 52-94. The MBG maintains 6000 m2 under glass, limited and biological control methods, such containing more than 4500 species and forms as pheromone traps, are used. Fertilizer is KIEV of tropical and subtropical plants. On display obtained mostly in the form of manure from are nutritive, industrial, and medicinal plants the Moscow circus and local collective farms. Botanical Garden of the Ukraine Academy collected from various regions of the world. of Sciences Impressive collections of begonia, MINSK Streptocarpus, and African violet also are Founded in 1935, the garden occupies 1.32 maintained. Other unusual specimens include Botanical Garden of the Belarus Academy km2 and contains 12,000 plant varieties. About East Indian pitcher plants (Nepenthes), South of Science 65% of the garden is devoted to native plants American water lily (Victoria cruziana Orb.), of the FSU; the remainder contains cultivated and tree ferns. The extensive orchid collection This garden is 60 years old and covers 0.96 species. The major part of the garden is laid out emphasizes an interest in the collection and km2. The collection contains 10,000 varieties: according to Ukrainian flora: Crimea, maintenance of wild germplasm. 5500 decorative, 1600 tree, and 2500 tropical Carpathian Mountains, forests, and steppes. The MBG collections provide invaluable and subtropical; the remainder are medicinal The garden also has representative species research resources. Most research concentrates and fruit varieties. Geographic regions, such from the FSU, including Caucasus, Central on plant introduction and acclimatization, and as Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia, the Far Asia, and the Far East. the use of plants in the landscape. Another East, and Belarus, are separated by tree-lined An interest in floriculture is obvious, with research area is the propagation and reintro- boulevards radiating from a central garden, extensive selection plots of dahlias and roses. duction of rare and endangered plant species. creating a unique and impressive display. Bou- Shrub and garden roses, rather than those for Special emphasis is put on collection, protec- levard trees include Manchurian walnut cut stems, are the focus of selection efforts. tion, and use of wild relatives of cultivated (Juglans mandshurica Maxim.), silver maple Interestingly, no plant variety protection sys- plants. Wide hybridization studies have re- (Acer saccharinum L.), European white birch tem exists, but efforts are underway to develop sulted in the production of perennial wheat– (Betula pendula Roth), littleleaf linden (Tilia one. An impressive collection of 100 lilac quackgrass hybrids, triticale, and tetraploid cordata Mill.), Norway spruce (Picea abies varieties draws 225,000 visitors daily during rye. Additional research areas include disease L.), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica the spring bloom. A vast collection of 350 and stress tolerance, and the use of plant growth Marsh.), English oak (Quercus robur L.), and medicinal plant varieties is maintained. An- regulators to alter flowering patterns in orna- mulberry (Morus alba L.). The lilac garden other garden priority is to propagate endan- mental and fruit crops. Finally, the MBG is contains 170 German, French, and Belarussian gered species, including endemic orchids, and active in screening cultivars to make recom- varieties. to reintroduce them to their native habitat. The mendations for government and private Research emphasizes new plant introduc- pomology section includes dramatic examples

1106 HORTSCIENCE, VOL. 29(9), SEPTEMBER 1994 of apples and pears pruned and trained into lost during Nazi occupation in World War II, TBILISI bushes, arches, pyramidal forms, and espal- the outdoor gardens include Ginkgo, Magno- Botanical Institute of Tbilisi, Georgian iers. The conifer collection contains 165 vari- lia, Cotoneaster, Quercus, and Pseudotsuga Academy of Sciences eties, including Colorado spruce (Picea menziesii (Mirb.). The greenhouses include pungens Engelm.) from the United States, one building that is 32 meters high and con- The Botanical Institute of Tbilisi (BIT), Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), and juniper tains some tropical plants more than 200 years which includes the botanical gardens, was (Juniperus). The greenhouses contain more old. Most greenhouse collections are from established in 1894. It grew from Tbilisi’s than 1000 varieties of tropical plants. South America, Asia, and Africa. distinguished history as a leading regional Research areas of this facility include den- Contact: Vasiliy V. Kapustjan (manager, center of botanical study. Prince Babushin of drology, floriculture, tropical plants, agro- Botanical Garden), 1, Kominterna Str., Kiev, the royal family described the flora of Geor- nomic and horticultural plants, pomology, 32, Ukraine SSR; phone 011-7-044-224-29- gia, and many Russian and European botanists physiology, ecology, and medicinal plants. 06. collected in Georgia and the Caucasus early in Biochemical research currently focuses on: the 19th century. The present-day BIT is orga- development of nonalcoholic soft drinks with KRASNODAR nized into nine disciplines: systematics; geog- medicinal properties; treatment of abdominal, raphy of plants; phycology; horticulture; plant intestinal, and heart disease; and the produc- Kuban State Univ. Botanical Garden physiology; geobotany of forests, meadows, tion of juices that remove heavy metals from and steppes; plant ecology; plant cartography; the body. Garden researchers have worked Krasnodar, a city of ≈750,000, is located and photography. BIT runs two mountain and with cosmonauts to develop plants that will on the Kuban River 100 km inland from its alpine field stations that separately maintain survive during space travel. One interesting mouth on the eastern shores of the Black Sea. an alpine collection of more than 1000 speci- discussion revealed that, while ground-dwell- The small garden (0.12 km2), established in mens. The BIT herbarium claims a collection ing species of orchids died in space, all epi- 1919, is devoted primarily to the study of the of more than one million specimens, including phytic species survived missions lasting up to flora of the northern Caucasus region and the >1000 type species. The BIT has incorporated 165 days. The need to conserve and use avail- coastal Black Sea habitats. The garden con- many old collections, and a sample of their able resources efficiently was apparent in the tains more than 5000 varieties from 2000 more treasured specimens includes a Trigonella greenhouses. For example, the potting mix species, mostly tropical and subtropical, nearly collected in 1828 and a Fibigia collected in includes waste products from local textile in- all of it maintained outdoors. The university 1844. The Flora of Georgia (both editions) dustries. Apparently, the dyes are not toxic has an herbarium collection numbering 3000 and the Red Book of the Georgian SSR were and some actually seem to enhance plant species and 15,000 specimens. published by the BIT. growth. Mercury lights are suspended in the The university maintains a field station The garden is not organized as a formal orchid house, but the high cost of electricity with a small experimental garden at botanical garden, rather it is maintained in prohibits their use. Lath provides shading over Novorossiysk on the Black Sea. Novorossiysk regional “departments” within a larger, for- the glass. is one of several popular resort towns, includ- ested mountainside preserve. The garden mir- Contact: Tatjana Mikhajlovna Cherevchenko ing Sochi (popular with the country’s rulers), rors the BIT emphasis on Caucasian, middle (director), Timiryazevskaya st. 1, Kiev, along the Black Sea’s eastern shore. Besides Asian, Iranian, and Turkish floras. Nearly 252014, Ukraine SSR; phone 011-7-044-295- basic regional ecological and floristic work, 8000 varieties of 1500 genera are maintained 41-05 or 011-7-044-295-26-27. the university and garden staff maintain a mostly outdoors. Many interesting Caucasian focus on the collection, adaptation, and culti- plants are found in the Dept. of Caucasian Kiev State Univ. Botanical Garden vation of pollution- and anthropogenic-stress- Endemics: Iris caucasica (Hoffmans), tolerant plants for urban landscape use in these Convallaria; Paeonia caucasica L.; hybrids Kiev State Univ. opened this garden in heavily used seaside resorts. Additional re- of Tulipa, Abies Nordmanniana (Steven) (Cau- 1839 for student training. It occupies 0.22 km2 search includes viticulture and floriculture to casian fir), and Abies numidica DeLannoy ex and contains 8000 varieties including 4000 enhance the economic exploitation of the Carrière) (Algerian fir); regional maples; cam- tropical and subtropical varieties, and 300 region’s sub-Mediterranean climate. panulas; and Brunnera macrophylla (Adams). aquatic plant varieties. One emphasis is the Contacts: Vladimir Nagalevsky (dean) or Contacts: Giorgi Nachuzrishvili (director) collection and maintenance of heirloom vari- Sergeeva Balentina (herbarium curator), K. or Zaira Gviniavidze (herbarium curator), eties. The garden also maintains a large collec- Libknecht 149, Krasnodar, 350640, Russia; Georgian Academy of Science, Tbilisi Bo- tion of xerophytes. Although many plants were phone 011-7-33-26-36. tanical Institute, Tbilisi, Georgia.

SHELLEY H. JANSKY and ROBERT A. BELL Dept. of Biology Univ. of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI 54481

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