Evaluation of ornamental qualities of the cereal collection of the Amur Branch of Botanical Garden-Institute of the far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Perennial grasses in the collection of the Botanical Garden-Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Blagoveshchensk) are studied. Plants of Spodiopogon sibiricus Trin. enter the generative period in the fi rst year of planting. Leymus arenarius (L.) Hochst. were observed to have the fl owering phase in the same period, regardless of the cultivation method (open ground/container culture). The Festuca glauca Vill. varieties of ‘Varna’ and ‘Sinichka’ do not enter the earing and fl owering phase when cultivated in containers; these plants are weakly resistant to low temperatures of the region. The Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench varieties of ‘Edith Dudzus’ and ‘Heidebraut’ show a late entry into the vegetation phase (growth of the above-ground part) and fl owering. Early fl owering cereals include L. arenarius and Phalaris arundinacea L. cv. ‘Picta’. In comparison with the other cultivars under study, Miscanthus saccharifl orus Maxim (Hack) is characterized by the shortest vegetation period. The longest vegetation period (198 days) was noted in F. glauca Vill., ‘Varna’ and ‘Sinichka’ varieties, as well as in L. arenarius. In the south of the Amur Oblast, reproduction of M. saccharifl orus is mainly vegetative; seeds do not mature. Four species, i.e., Calamagrostis epigeios (Schrad.) DC., L. arenarius, M. saccharifl orus, S. Sibiricus, and three varieties, i.e., M. caerulea cv. ‘Heidebraut’, M. caerulea cv. ‘Edith Dudzus’, and P. arundinacea cv. ‘Picta’, retain ornamental value throughout the growing season, passing through all phases of development and wintering without shelter. These plants can be recommended for introduction into the practice of urban landscaping in both Blagoveshchensk and other cities of the Amur Oblast.