Introductory Evaluation of Species of Ornamental Herbal Lianas in the Conditions of M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of NAS of Ukraine

Abstract

In order to determine the suitability of the use of introduced species of ornamental herbal lianas in the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine in vertical landscaping, we carried out their introductory assessment for economic and biological indicators and determined the prospects for their implementation. The objects of the study were 15 species of ornamental herbal lianas of collection fund of the M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of of Ukraine, which belonging to 6 botanical families. There are Cardiospermum halicacabum L. (Sapindaceae), Coboae scadens Cav. (Polemoniaceae), Ipomoea coccinea, Ipomoea hederaceae (L.) Jacq., Ipomoea quamoclit L., Ipomoea lobata, Ipomoea tricolor Cav., Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth., Ipomoea indica (Burm.) Mevill. (Convolvulaceae), Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims (Thunberginiaceae), Tropaeolum majus L. (Tropaeolaceae), Phaseolus coccineus L., Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet., Lathyrus odoratus, Lathyrus latifolius (Fabaceaae). Among them are the species representing the all 6 floristic kingdoms. As a result of the initial introductory experiment with plants of ornamental herbal lianas, 6 species (I. coccinea, I. hederacea, I. purpurea, I. tricolor, I. indica, T. majus) are considered by us as highly perspective for use in landscaping, and plants of 7 species (C. halicacabum, I. lobata, I. quamoclit, L. purpureus, L. odoratus, P. coccineus, T. alata) are promising. The last 13 species are the most promising for the enrichment of the range of flower garden and ornamental crops suitable for vertical planting in the conditions of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Plants of the two species Coboae scadens Cav., Lathyrus latifolius L. only were assessed by us as unpromising. The reason for this is the fact that plants of the above species lack fruiting in new soil-climatic conditions. Comprehensive comparative study of the results of the investigation showed that the plants of the species of highly promising and perspective categories are representatives of the Holarctic and Neotropic floristic kingdoms. Besides, a lot of species of ornamental herbal lianas which characterized by the stability of ontogenesis, the ability to multiply and resistance to abiotic factors come from here. Consequently, the above data can also serve as the basis for a prognostic assessment and the subsequent introduction of plants of new species of ornamental herbal lianas.