Botanischer Garten der Universität Würzburg
Encyclopedia
The Botanischer Garten der Universität Würzburg (9 hectares) is a botanical garden
maintained by the University of Würzburg
. It is located on Mittlerer Dallenbergweg, Würzburg
, Bavaria
, Germany
, and open daily; admission is free.
The garden was first established in 1696 as a medicinal plant garden in what is now the Julius Hospital's park in today's city center. Its first catalog, published in 1722, listed 423 types of plants including 52 from the region, as well as from the Mediterranean (127 varieties), South Africa
(64), Asia
(29), Central
and South America
(26), North America
(21), and Atlantic islands (7). Its first greenhouse
was built in 1722, with three additional greenhouses added in 1739-41; all were replaced by four new greenhouses in 1787-89. During the late 18th century, however, most of the medicinal plant garden was converted to ornamental gardens, and by 1791 only 3000 m² remained for medicinal plants. This space was intensively cultivated, however, and contained over 6000 species.
In 1833 the garden was reorganized by Linnaean taxonomy
, and in 1854 was administratively assigned to the university proper rather than being held jointly with the hospital. As part of this new arrangement, the garden moved in 1854 onto university grounds, then moved again in 1873 to a site near the former Physics Institute, now marked by the X-ray Monument honoring the 1895 discovery of X-ray
s by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen
. Beginning in 1960 the garden moved to its current location in the city's outskirts, with the plant collections relocated in 1968 to a 7.5 hectare garden, opening ceremony in 1971, and in 1978 an addition of a further 1.5 hectares.
Today the garden cultivates about 10,000 documented plant species
, with specialized collections of plants such as tuber
s and onion
s, as well as rare native and exotic plants, and a collection honoring Würzburg naturalist Philipp Franz von Siebold
(1796–1866) who explored the plants of Japan
. The garden contains the following major areas:
The garden's herbarium
contains about 100,000 specimens, with its oldest documents dating to around 1810.
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 Würzburg
University of Würzburg
The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...
. It is located on Mittlerer Dallenbergweg, Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area 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; admission is free.
The garden was first established in 1696 as a medicinal plant garden in what is now the Julius Hospital's park in today's city center. Its first catalog, published in 1722, listed 423 types of plants including 52 from the region, as well as from the Mediterranean (127 varieties), South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
(64), Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
(29), Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
(26), North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(21), and Atlantic islands (7). Its first greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
was built in 1722, with three additional greenhouses added in 1739-41; all were replaced by four new greenhouses in 1787-89. During the late 18th century, however, most of the medicinal plant garden was converted to ornamental gardens, and by 1791 only 3000 m² remained for medicinal plants. This space was intensively cultivated, however, and contained over 6000 species.
In 1833 the garden was reorganized by Linnaean taxonomy
Linnaean taxonomy
Linnaean taxonomy can mean either of two related concepts:# the particular form of biological classification set up by Carl Linnaeus, as set forth in his Systema Naturæ and subsequent works...
, and in 1854 was administratively assigned to the university proper rather than being held jointly with the hospital. As part of this new arrangement, the garden moved in 1854 onto university grounds, then moved again in 1873 to a site near the former Physics Institute, now marked by the X-ray Monument honoring the 1895 discovery of X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
s by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was a German physicist, who, on 8 November 1895, produced and detected electromagnetic radiation in a wavelength range today known as X-rays or Röntgen rays, an achievement that earned him the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901....
. Beginning in 1960 the garden moved to its current location in the city's outskirts, with the plant collections relocated in 1968 to a 7.5 hectare garden, opening ceremony in 1971, and in 1978 an addition of a further 1.5 hectares.
Today the garden cultivates about 10,000 documented 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...
, with specialized collections of plants such as tuber
Tuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
s and onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s, as well as rare native and exotic plants, and a collection honoring Würzburg naturalist Philipp Franz von Siebold
Philipp Franz von Siebold
Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold was a German physician and traveller. He was the first European to teach Western medicine in Japan...
(1796–1866) who explored the plants of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The garden contains the following major areas:
- Julius-von-Sachs-Institute of Plant Sciences
- Tropical greenhouses
- Mediterranean courtyard
- Mediterranean greenhouse
- Mediterranean garden
- Alpine plants and alpine house
- Medicinal plants
- North American prairiePrairiePrairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
plants and winter-hardy cactiCactusA 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... - Tree collection
- East Asian garden
- European forest and meadows
- Pond and marsh plants
- Agricultural crops
- Regional plants
- PeonyPeonyPeony or paeony is a name for plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America...
collection
The garden's herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
contains about 100,000 specimens, with its oldest documents dating to around 1810.