PLANT COLLECTIONS [back to main page]

Plant Collections:

The plant collections are used in the garden for displays opened for public visitors as well as for research and conservation purposes. Totally the number of plant taxa is now close to ten thousands (exactly 9.902 of plant species and cultivars are listed in the Index Plantarum).
About 3/4 of then are planted outdoor for garden displays located on ca. 28 hectares or indoor on ca. 2.000 m² of greenhouses.
The main collections include:

• Flora of Poland - 584 species with 155 species protected by law and 96 species listed as endangered. There are several displays devoted to the different habitat type of Poland and planted according to plant communities. Presently a big rock garden in under construction, which will show all levels of vegetation of the mountains in the Polish range of Carpathians (Tatra, Pieniny, Beskidy and Bieszczady Mts.).
• Dendrological collections of ornamental trees and shrubs planted as arboretum section of the garden, totally 2.299 taxa. There are three main groups of plants: conifers with the special emphasis to dwarf and slowly growing forms, Ericaceae plants (555 taxa), especially evergreen rhododendrons and azaleas, heath (Erica) and heather (Calluna), with some other genera like Pieris or Kalmia. In arboretum some rare plants are grown like, so called, Franklin tree (Franklinia alatamaha), American endemic tree extinct in the wild in Georgia State at the end of 18th century. Very interesting studies were done thanks to observation in the garden of the growth of mountain pine (Pinus mugo) collected in High Tatra Mts. Among over 3.000 plants the dwarf and very dense forms were selected and later propagated in the nurseries of the garden as new cultivars of mountain pine. Very attractive for visitors is the collection of magnolias (including 62 taxa of species and cultivars) blooming in early spring (April - May).
• Ornamental gardens, totally 2.158 taxa of herbaceous ornamentals. They are displayed as different ornamental gardens devoted to perennials, bulbs with irises and roses. The biggest is collection of perennial ornamentals with 1.034 taxa, including 158 taxa of daylilies (Hemerocallis) and 66 taxa of plantain lilies (Hosta). The second ornamental garden was organised as a display of ornamental bulbs and irises. The collection of Iris species and cultivars represented by 403 taxa is the leading collection in Poland. Among them some rare Iris species were planted like yellow flag iris (I. pseudoacorus), Siberian iris (I. sibirica), stool iris (I. amphylla) or grass iris (I. graminea) - a species extinct in the Poland in the natural habitat. Among bulbs the richest are collections of lilies (121 taxa) and ornamental garlics represented by 87 taxa of Allium. The smaller groups are tulips, gladioluses and dahlias. Two years ago a new ornamental garden - a rose garden was organised. Already 269 taxa of roses were planted. The special emphasis is devoted to old cultivars and so called botanical forms of roses.
• Horticultural economic plants collections contain 1.224 plant taxa: 344 taxa of aromatic and medicinal plants, 213 taxa of rare or less known vegetables and 667 taxa of trees and shrubs with eatable fruits (pomological collection). The most valuable is collection of 261 old cultivars of apple trees, which were cultivated in historical territory of Poland from 17th century till 1930.
• Tropical and subtropical plants grown in the greenhouses on ca. 2.000 m². Among them are tropical epiphytic species, tree ferns and economic plants like Citrus taxa, Arabian coffee or Chinese tee. Very attractive for visitors are rich collections of camellias, bougainvileas and fuchsias. Totally 1.378 taxa of indoor plants are listed in botanical garden collections opened for public visitors. A new modern greenhouse (ca. 1.300 m²) is under construction and will be opened in the year 2003 and it will host rich collections of ferns and succulent plants.

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