Articles
CONSERVATION, PROPAGATION, DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION OF XEROPHYTIC SPECIES OF THE NATIVE GREEK FLORA TOWARDS COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE
Article number
766_27
Pages
205 – 214
Language
English
Abstract
Plant material originating in wild populations, collected from various areas of Greece, has been maintained at the Laboratory of Conservation and Evaluation of Native and Floricultural Species.
In the frame of the conservation program of the Balkan Botanic Garden of Kroussia (BBGK) the original collections count more than 1700 accession numbers of taxa, 17% from Labiatae family.
Six aromatic species (Thymus plasonii, Th. longicaulis subsp. chaubardii, Th. degenii, Teucrium divaricatum, T. polium, T. chamaedrys) were studied.
Rooting of softwood cuttings was tested for all plants using various concentrations of auxins.
Young individuals produced were transplanted in trays and later in bigger pots until their final transplanting at sea level as well as at 600 meters altitude in ex situ conservation area at BBGK, northern Greece.
Growth and development of the plants were monitored in every stage.
The rooting percentage, the number of roots and the root length were analyzed.
Data were used to provide a propagation protocol for each species.
Growth and development occurred rapidly and plants showed adaptability in dry climatic conditions.
The six species studied, most of them Greek and/or Balkan endemics, not cultivated in other Botanic Gardens (according to Botanic Garden Conservation International database): (a) showed excellent results when propagated by softwood cuttings, (b) present an impressive effect in landscaping due to their inflorescence and/or foliage and (c) show tolerance in low-water regimes; therefore are suggested as suitable for xeriscaping (environmental friendly landscaping – rock gardens).
In the frame of the conservation program of the Balkan Botanic Garden of Kroussia (BBGK) the original collections count more than 1700 accession numbers of taxa, 17% from Labiatae family.
Six aromatic species (Thymus plasonii, Th. longicaulis subsp. chaubardii, Th. degenii, Teucrium divaricatum, T. polium, T. chamaedrys) were studied.
Rooting of softwood cuttings was tested for all plants using various concentrations of auxins.
Young individuals produced were transplanted in trays and later in bigger pots until their final transplanting at sea level as well as at 600 meters altitude in ex situ conservation area at BBGK, northern Greece.
Growth and development of the plants were monitored in every stage.
The rooting percentage, the number of roots and the root length were analyzed.
Data were used to provide a propagation protocol for each species.
Growth and development occurred rapidly and plants showed adaptability in dry climatic conditions.
The six species studied, most of them Greek and/or Balkan endemics, not cultivated in other Botanic Gardens (according to Botanic Garden Conservation International database): (a) showed excellent results when propagated by softwood cuttings, (b) present an impressive effect in landscaping due to their inflorescence and/or foliage and (c) show tolerance in low-water regimes; therefore are suggested as suitable for xeriscaping (environmental friendly landscaping – rock gardens).
Publication
Authors
E. Maloupa, K. Grigoriadou, K. Papanastassi, N. Krigas
Keywords
Thymus, Teucrium, Labiatae, asexual propagation, xeriscaping
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