Hortus Botanicus (Dec 2015)
Genus Malus Mill. in Arboretum collection of Peter the Great Botanic Garden
Abstract
Genus Apples (Malus Mill.) have been known at Peter the Great Botanic Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute Russian Academy of Sciences since the end of the XVIII century, the first exotic species was M. pumila Mill. (M. domestica Borkh.). It is here M. floribunda Siebold ex van Houtte, M. sachalinensis (Kom.) Juz. and M. sieboldii (Regel) Rehd. apparently were firstly introduced into general cultivation. The hardiest is M. baccata (L.) Borkh. which is represented here constantly since 1816. There are 71 specimens in modern collection which belong to 21 taxa. They are mostly small trees, and very seldom - shrubs. Some of them exceed the sizes which they attain in optimal conditions of their natural habitats. Certain trees belong to the largest and the oldest ones in the European gardens. In modern climatic conditions nearly all taxa are winter hardy, though earlier they were considerably bitten by frosts in abnormally ((severe)) winters of the XX century. The most of them produce fruits well. There are certain specimens who may be promising for tests and selection as a fruit trees – they have good and steady crop and produce edible apples of rather good quality. Some species such as M. orthocarpa Lavall., M. x spectabilis (Aiton) Borkh., M. tschonoskii (Maxim.) C.K. Schneid. Maybe recommending for repeated introduction. There are good prospects for primary introduction of species which have never been tested - M. brevipes Rehd., M. rockii Rehd., M. ioensis (Wood) Britt. etc. In connection with the analysis of collections of open-air ground in our Botanical garden, and evaluation and the introduction of different types of groups of plants were analyzed and the data on the genus Malus. Analysis of published lists of seeds – Index ((здесь надо множественное число)) seminum or Delectus ((и здесь)), which our Garden published from 1835, allows us to judge the effectiveness of fruiting grown in the Garden of plant species. Several species of Malus in the Garden fruited not lasting. But those species whose seeds are often included in the exchange lists, says that they are resistant to the climate of St. Petersburg, and can be recommended for urban gardening (M. cerasifera, M. cerasifolia, M. manshurica, M. pallasiana, M. prunifolia, M. sieboldi). Some of the types and forms of species from genus Malus from the collection of the Garden, can be regarded as promising for the needs of green building and modern urbanofloristic. They are also of interest as decorative and suitable for testing as fruit trees, and as a basis for future breeding selection. Many types of freezes earlier species of Malus, in a changing and global warming can be quite promising for breeding now for the conditions of St. Petersburg.
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