Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources
We are members of the Working Group for the Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources within the Union of Botanical Gardens. The remit of this group is to safeguard rare plant species and to maintain the biodiversity of our natural heritage. In the background facilities of the botanical garden, we cultivate selected native species that now survive at only a very limited number of localities. In this way, the botanical garden serves as an insurance policy should these species face extinction in the future, making it possible to reintroduce them into the wild if necessary.
Our focus is primarily on endangered plant species of South Moravia, often originating from habitats such as dry grasslands, thermophilous woodland margins, sandy sites, and rocky outcrops. At present, the following critically endangered species are represented in our collections:
- Echium maculatum
- Salvia aethiopis
- Crepis pannonica
- Potentilla sterilis
- Thalictrum simplex
We are currently seeking to obtain additional endangered species for ex situ cultivation, always on the basis of official permits issued by the relevant nature conservation authorities.
In 2026, the reconstruction of the so-called “Frog Pool” is planned in our garden. As part of this project, we intend to restore the exhibition of aquatic and wetland plants, including threatened species addressed within the framework of the Plant Genetic Resources Working Group. At present, our collections include, for example, the following endangered species:
- Nuphar pumila
- Nymphoides peltata
- Nymphaea alba (to be planted in 2026)
- Equisetum variegatum
- Sonchus palustris
- Gladiolus palustris
Further information on the conservation status and biological characteristics of these species can be found in the specialist botanical database Pladias.