Dedicated to the cultivation and study of medicinal plants, the Botanical Garden was established in 1758 by the will of Duke Francesco III d’Este, who reserved part of the Ducal Garden for this purpose. In 1772, with the Great University Reform desired by the same duke, the Botanical Garden came under the jurisdiction of the University. The species kept exceed a thousand (herbaceous, shrub, and tree plants), including 200 native and exotic woody species, of both ancient and recent introduction, representing a broad overview of plant biodiversity enclosed within an area of about 1 hectare and 300 square meters of covered space for housing and exhibition. Like many other botanical gardens with an ancient tradition, the Modena garden features a series of paths where large tree plants alternate with potted species along the walkways, reflecting the different forms that collecting has taken over time. A collection of herbaceous and shrub plants, the main source of seed supply for exchanges, is located in the so-called “System,” structured in flowerbeds. In the garden area called the “Montagnola,” tree and shrub species, both exotic and native and of significant botanical interest, are hosted. In the “educational ditch,” threatened rural biotopes take root, and local interest hydro/hygrophilous species are progressively introduced. The Ducal Greenhouses, built to house specimens of exotic origin, constitute the most significant building complex of the Botanical Garden, which also includes a Succulent Plant Greenhouse and the “Small Greenhouse” with a warm/humid climate for species such as carnivorous plants, orchids, and ferns.
Information about the University Botanical Garden
Viale Caduti in Guerra, 127,
41121 Modena (Modena)
0592056011
ortobot@unimore.it
https://www.ortobot.unimo.it/
Source: MIBACT
