Botanischer Garten Oldenburg
Encyclopedia
The Botanischer Garten Oldenburg (3.7 hectares at its public site at Philosophenweg, plus 1.5 nonpublic hectares at Küpkersweg), more formally known as the Botanischer Garten der Carl von Ossietzky-Universität Oldenburg, is a botanical garden
maintained by the University of Oldenburg. Its public gardens are located at Philosophenweg 39, Oldenburg
, Lower Saxony
, Germany
, and open daily without charge.
The garden was established in 1882 as a teaching garden, enhanced in 1913, and in 1916 augmented by a systematic garden (still existing) of 1200 plant species
from Oldenburg
and East Frisia
. Four geographic divisions were created in 1932 for Boreal
, Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pontic
species, with an additional area for species from the Central Mountains. Starting in 1933 the garden was administered by Oldenburg, and in 1951 it was taken up by Lower Saxony
and extended to its current size. Its heath
, marsh
, dune
s, and forest
areas were redesigned in 1966, as well as the medicinal plant garden in 1967, and in 1968 a Department of Central and Southern German plant communities was created. In 1976 the garden was incorporated into the University of Oldenburg, and in 1984 today's nonpublic Küpkersweg site added. Through the 1990s, the alpine garden, Mediterranean collection, and medicinal garden were reorganized, and a new cactus
house built. A new cottage garden
was added in 2000, with heath
, marsh
, and dune
areas again reworked in 2001.
Today the garden is a scientific institution for teaching and research at the university.
It currently cultivates about 4000 taxa
. Current research projects, as of 2009, are as follows:
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
maintained by the University of Oldenburg. Its public gardens are located at Philosophenweg 39, Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
, Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and open daily without charge.
The garden was established in 1882 as a teaching garden, enhanced in 1913, and in 1916 augmented by a systematic garden (still existing) of 1200 plant species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
from Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
and East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
. Four geographic divisions were created in 1932 for Boreal
Boreal Sea
The Boreal Sea was a Mesozoic-era seaway that lay along the northern border of Laurasia....
, Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pontic
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
species, with an additional area for species from the Central Mountains. Starting in 1933 the garden was administered by Oldenburg, and in 1951 it was taken up by Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
and extended to its current size. Its heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
, dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
s, and forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
areas were redesigned in 1966, as well as the medicinal plant garden in 1967, and in 1968 a Department of Central and Southern German plant communities was created. In 1976 the garden was incorporated into the University of Oldenburg, and in 1984 today's nonpublic Küpkersweg site added. Through the 1990s, the alpine garden, Mediterranean collection, and medicinal garden were reorganized, and a new cactus
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
house built. A new cottage garden
Cottage garden
The cottage garden is a distinct style of garden that uses an informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. English in origin, the cottage garden depends on grace and charm rather than grandeur and formal structure...
was added in 2000, with heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
, and dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
areas again reworked in 2001.
Today the garden is a scientific institution for teaching and research at the university.
It currently cultivates about 4000 taxa
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
. Current research projects, as of 2009, are as follows:
- Phylogeny of genus HypericumHypericumHypericum is a genus of about 400 species of flowering plants in the family Hypericaceae ....
- Flora of ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
- Cactaceae