Barnaul Arboretum Research Institute of Horticulture of Siberia named after. M. A. Lisavenko is one of the most famous nurseries in Russia. Representatives of local flora are grown here, as well as plants from other climatic zones.
Creating an arboretum
In 1933, under the guidance of biologist Lisavenko M. A., plants began to be planted at the Altai stronghold of the Michurin Research Institute in Oirot-Tur.
And in 1953 M. A. Lisovenko created an arboretum in Barnaul, helped the scientist in this Z. I. Luchnik - the founder of ornamental gardening. The first seedlings were brought from the Altai Mountains.
General characteristics
Currently, the area of this botanical garden is about 10 hectares, on which about 1000 species of trees and shrubs from 130 genera grow. The nursery features plants from European, Asian and North American regions.
The work of the arboretum specialists is as follows:
- Preservation of rare and endangered plants. Their collection includes 71 species, of which 30 are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. For example, Manchurian chircason, Cross-pair microbiota.
- Introduction. When acclimatizing plants from other zones, special attention is paid to their frost resistance.
- Selection. New varieties of tulips, primroses, phloxes, peonies, rhododendrons, Altai blue spruce have been bred.
- Organized excursions for guests of the city, schools and universities. You can visit the arboretum in Barnaul on your own.
- More than 230 species of plants have been collected for the improvement of the regions of South-Western Siberia. There is a large number of herbaceous perennials, as well as flowering shrubs and decorative deciduous trees.
- Sale of fruit, berry and ornamental crops.
- Consultations when working on landscape design: selection of plants and their placement on the site.
- Help in planting greenery in the Altai Territory. More than 4 million seedlings of trees and shrubs, and about 6 million perennial herbaceous plants were allocated for the improvement.
Principles for selecting plants for the arboretum collection
The climate in Siberia is continental and sharply continental. This means that there are not only cold winters here, but also a sharp drop in daily and annual temperatures.
Due to such climatic features, only hardy crops that can withstand short hot summers and long cold winters take root in the nurseries of the Barnaul arboretum.
Each plant in the nursery has its own passport - a document that contains data on its development: germination time, development, acclimatization.
In the photo of the arboretum (Barnaul), presented in the article,you can see a collection of decorative and deciduous perennials.
The plant fund is replenished through special expeditions, as well as through the exchange of seeds and cuttings with other countries: Canada, USA, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, China.
Departments of the Arboretum
The arrangement of plants in the park has a certain order. They are grouped according to features that unite their ecology and geographic location. Departments are formed here:
- Far East.
- Central Asia and Kazakhstan.
- Middle strip of Russia.
- Western Siberia.
- Eastern Siberia.
- North America.
- Japan, China, Korea.
At the entrance to the arboretum in Barnaul there is a flower garden, which includes a dozen varieties of lilac and mock orange, which is colloquially called jasmine. After the flower garden, visitors go to the department of hybrids, forms and varieties. Most of them are related to trees and shrubs.
In the Far Eastern Department grows most of the maple species that are located in the garden. There are 24 varieties in total. The river maple is especially noteworthy, the leaves of which turn bright red in autumn. For this feature, the arboretum workers nicknamed the tree “red light”. Aralia Manchurian also lives here. Because of the thorns, people call it the devil's tree.
The Central Asian department has the least representatives of the flora. This is due to the significant difference in climate between regions.
In the department of central Russia, the dominant trees for this region grow: lindens, oaks, elms and spruces.
Department of Siberia make up the majority of familiar and common species for the Altai Territory. However, new plants can also be found here. For example, a brittle willow with a spherical crown shape.
The North American department includes about 190 species of trees and shrubs. One of the representatives is naked horse chestnut. Its seeds and roots are covered in poisonous thorns.
Plants from Japan, China and Korea are planted in a rocky garden. These are mainly low-growing flowering species with horizontal branches. These include forsythia ovoid, a shrub that is covered with yellow flowers in spring.
Employees of the Institute of Horticulture of Siberia monitor the order and condition of the arboretum in Barnaul. The garden offers guided tours for a small fee.
