Main Botanical Garden, Russian Academy of Sciences

Search again Edit this page
Russian Federation - Moscow

Institution Code: MHA

BGCI Member: Yes

About the Main Botanical Garden, Russian Academy of Sciences

The Russian Academy of Sciences, N.V. Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden (RAS MBG) - the largest botanical garden in Europe - was founded April 14, 1945, part of the Department of Biological Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences.

Construction and development of the Garden is inextricably linked with the name of an outstanding scientist, Academician Tsitsin Nikolai, who was the director of the foundation for 35 years. Over 63 years of its existence Garden has become a leading institute of Experimental Botany, and a major center of education, demonstrating the richness and diversity of vegetation in different regions of the globe. One of the main results of scientific and practical activities of the Main Botanical Garden is to create the richest country in the collections of plants and greenhouse. The taxonomic composition of these collections indicates the degree of efficacy of various methods of selection of the starting material for introduction into the middle zone of European Russia and the methods of cultivation of plants of different origin.

Collections are the primary basis of research in the field of plant introduction, is a unique collection of flora gene pool. Important role they play in conducting basic research in taxonomy, evolution, biochemistry and physiology of plant adaptation to biotic and abiotic environmental factors. In addition, the collections have great practical significance. They serve as the starting material of uterine plants of the various groups of utility, past introductory test.

For information about research quality and quantity of collection funds MBG scientists published a series of reference materials for individual cultures (lilacs, roses, bulbs, etc.), the collections and expositions departments Garden (Flora of Dendrology, tropical and subtropical plants, ornamental plants, cultivated plants), a considerable number of informational articles in periodicals. Methodological and practical significance of these works do not cause any doubts, but when you use them for reference faced with a number of complicating circumstances. The main one - it's time difference the publication summarizing reports and publications reflecting the state of the collection of funds in different years. Since the advent of many of them passed a long time (20 or more years), during which the collections have been significant changes for various reasons (to attract new species to supplement the collections of the attack on the inadequacy of environmental conditions, natural habitats and the introduction of the item, refinement keys plants, culling of plants in the biological and economic characteristics, etc.) In this regard, prepared and published a "Catalogue of plants of the Main Botanical Garden named after NV Tsitsin Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow, 2001).

The main task of MBG is to preserve the gene pool of plants and development of theoretical principles and methods of introduction and acclimatization of plants for the management of the world's plant resources.

Main Address:
Main Botanical Garden, Russian Academy of Sciences
4 Botanicheskaya st.
Russian Federation
Moscow
127276 Russian Federation

Telephone: (499) 9779044, 9779145
Fax: (499) 9779172
URL: www.gbsad.ru
Primary Email: info@gbsad.ru

Staff Details

  • Director's Name: Dr. Vladimir Upelniek, Director
    Curator's Name: Dr. Yuri Gorbunov, Deputy Director and Dr. Alexander Shvetsov, Deputy Director
    Plant Records Officer's Name: Dr. Mikhail Romanov, Head of Tropical and Subtropical Dept.

About the Garden

  • Institution Type: Botanic Garden
  • Status
  • Status: State: Yes
  • Date founded: 1945
  • Physical Data
  • Natural Vegetation Area: Yes
    Natural vegetation area: Size: 340 Hectares
  • Landscaped Area: Yes
  • Total Area: 340 Hectares
    Latitude: 55.7557
    Longitude: 37.6176
    Altitude: 0.00 Metres
  • Locality: Information
  • Locality: Garden Name: Главный ботанический сад им. Н.В. Цицина РАН
  • Local Address:
  • Locality: City:
  • Locality: State:

Features and Facilities

  • Herbarium: Yes
    Arboretum: Yes
    Arboretum Size: 75
  • Micropropagation/ Tissue Culture Facilities: Yes
    Seed Bank: Yes
    Published Plant Catalogue: Yes
    Computer Plant Record System: Yes
  • Open to public: Yes
    Friends society: Yes
    Retail Outlet: Plant Sales: Yes

Plant Collections

  • Special Collections:Native flora of the former USSR, trees and shrubs, ornamental perennials (roses, lilacs, daffodils, tulips, iris, gladioli, peonies etc), tropical and subtropical plants, cacti and succulents. An extensive collection of economic plant resources, including over 300 fruit, berry and nut cultivars, including the following: strawberry (20 species - Fragaria- 325 cultivars and hybrids), plum (c.20 cultivars), gooseberry (60 cultivars), black currant (126 cultivars), red and white currant (32 cultivars), raspberry (54 cultivars), Pyrus (40 cultivars), Malus (161 cultivars), Vaccinum corymbosum (26 cultivars), Lonicera edulis (several cultivars), Corylus (5 cultivars), Schizandra chinensis (a number of threatened varieties), Actinidia kolmikta (several varieties and selections), Hippophae rhamnoides (+20 cultivars), Cerasus tomentosa (37 cultivar), Sorbus (many species and varieties), Rosa (many species and varieties). The economic plant collection includes 2,874 accessions of 887 species and forms and 1987 varieties. 2,288 native plant species are cultivated. About 5,000 taxa are maintained under glass. In the arboretum 1,599 species and 453 cultivars are cultivated. The (outdoor) ornament plant collection includes 928 species and 5,230 cultivars.
  • Plant Collection Policy: Yes

Conservation Programmes

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

Research Programmes

  • Biotechnology: Yes
    Data Management Systems and Information Technology: Yes
    Ecology: Yes
    Education: Yes
    Ethnobotany: Yes
    Floristics: Yes
    Seed/Spore Biology: Yes
    Urban Environments: Yes

Education Programmes

  • Visitor/Education Centre: Yes
    Guided Tours: Yes