Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas

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Lithuania - Kaunas

Institution Code: KAUN

BGCI Member: Yes

National collection of peonies
National collection of peonies

About the Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas

Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas (VMUBG) was founded in 1923 as the centre of botanical sciences that belonged to Lithuanian (later Vytautas Magnus) University. The spacious green area with the old park, picturesque ponds and several buildings of the former estate of Juozapas Godlevskis (Aukštosios Fredos's estate) was provided for establishing VMUBG at that time. Professor Konstantin Regel from Tartu University was invited to direct VMUBG. The detailed project for the VMUBG landscape was made in 1924 by architect Karol Rauth from Hanover. With the help of other Botanical gardens, especially Berlin’s Dahlem, Konigsberg and St. Petersburg’s Kaunas Botanical Garden built up very rapidly. The construction of the Greenhouse was finished in 1938.
Presently, VMUBG occupies the area of 62.5 ha close to the city centre. VMUBG is a multifunctional botanical garden that consists of three departments: Science, Expositions and Collections, and Service and Education. The Science department is comprised of three sectors (Medicinal and Spice Plants, Dendrology and Phytopathology, and Pomology). Department of Expositions and Collections includes sectors of Plant systematics, Floriculture and Greenhouse.
The unique feature of this garden is a peaceful and green environment created by an advantageous combination of cultural and natural heritage. Botanical expositions and collections, the Greenhouse, big landscape park with an interesting pond system – this is not the only place for plant conservation and research but also the area for all modern forms of interactive education, cultural tourism and community use. VMUBG carries out various educational and public engagement activities as well as implements a popular interactive program for informal education and science communication. VMUBG accepts more than 90 thousand visitors per year.

Main Address:
Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas
Ž. E. Žilibero 4
Kaunas
46324 Lithuania

Telephone: +370 37 390033
Fax: +370 37 390133
URL: http://botanika.vdu.lt
Primary Email: botanikos.sodas@vdu.lt

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: Dr. Nerijus Jurkonis
    Curator's Name: Dr. Arunas Balsevicius
    Plant Records Officer's Name: Ricardas Narijauskas
  • Total Staff:
    Horticultural Staff Number: 18
    Educational Staff Number: 3
    Research Staff Number: 8
    Administration Staff Number: 3

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: Private: No
    Status: State: Yes
    Status: Educational: Yes
    Status: Municipal: No
    Status: Satellite: No
    Status: Trust: No
  • Date founded: 1923
  • Physical Data
  • Natural Vegetation Area: Yes
    Natural vegetation area: Size: 10 Hectares
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
    Landscaped Area: Size: 30 Hectares
  • Total Area: 63 Hectares
    Latitude: 54.870484
    Longitude: 23.910185
    Annual Rainfall: 650 mm
    Altitude: 73.00 Metres
    Total area of glasshouses: 800 Metres
  • Locality: Information
  • Locality: Garden Name: Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Botanikos sodas
  • Local Address: Ž. E. Žilibero gatvė 4, LT-46324
  • Locality: City: Kaunas
  • Locality: State: Lietuva

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: Yes
    Herbarium: Number of Specimens: 10000
    Arboretum: Yes
    Arboretum Size: 20
  • Micropropagation/ Tissue Culture Facilities: No
    Seed Bank: No
    Published Plant Catalogue: Yes
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: Yes
    Friends society: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: Yes
  • Number of Visitors: 90000
    Number of Volunteers: 45

Plant Collections

  • Accession Number: 14783
  • Special Collections:Rosa - 1577, Dahlia - 1481, Tulipa - 457, Hemerocallis - 452, Paeonia - 306, Rhododendron - 251, Hosta - 241, Lilium - 228, Astilbe - 194, Aster - 134 collection numbers.
  • Plant Collection Policy: Yes

Conservation Programmes

  • Conservation Programme: Yes
    Medicinal Plant Programme: Yes
    Ex Situ Conservation Programme: Yes

Research Programmes

  • Plant Breeding: Yes
    Conservation - Biology: Yes
    Ecology: Yes
    Ecosystem Conservation: Yes
    Education: Yes
    Floristics: Yes
    Horticulture: Yes
    Invasive Species Biology and Control: Yes
    Seed/Spore Biology: Yes

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: Yes
    Education Signs in Garden: Yes
    Public Lectures/Talks: Yes
    Education Booklets/Leaflets: Yes
    Guided Tours: Yes
    Permanent Public Displays: Yes
    Special Exhibitions: Yes
    Courses for University/College Students: Yes
    Courses for General Public: Yes
    Education Programme: Yes