“Botany in Action” could easily be the motto for this place. Welcome to the Biozentrum Klein Flottbek. It is a vital part of Hamburg University’s Department of Biology. Here, teaching and research intertwine.
The Biozentrum Klein Flottbek is more than just classrooms and labs. It’s divided into nine sections. Each one has its own sub-working groups. Think of it as a bustling hub of botanical exploration. It also houses the Botanical Garden of the Department of Biology. This garden has another name. It is also known as Loki-Schmidt-Garten. This dual name acknowledges Loki Schmidt. She was the wife of former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
The garden’s story stretches back. Its institutional roots began in 1821. Then in 1919, it moved to the University of Hamburg. The Loki-Schmidt-Garten we see today opened in 1979. This makes it the Neuer Botanischer Garten or New Botanical Garden. The original site still exists. It is now the Alter Botanischer Garten Hamburg. It houses the garden’s greenhouses.
The land was once part of Caspar Voght’s ornamented farm. It was known as Norderpark or Northern park. Its counterpart, Süderpark, is now Jenisch park.
The Loki-Schmidt-Garten spans about 25 hectares. That’s a lot of ground to cover. You’re welcome to explore it daily without any admission fee.
The garden is thoughtfully arranged. It has three main sections. First, there’s the Systematic garden. It covers about 3.5 hectares. That equals 8.6 acres. Here, 90 beds showcase plants. They are organized by evolutionary relationship. Armen Takhtajan defined this order in 1959.
Next, the Geographical garden awaits. Plants are grouped by their origin. You’ll find areas dedicated to Europe and North America. Southern South America and East Asia also have their place. Within this section, discover an alpine garden, a Japanese garden and a Chinese garden.
Finally, step into the Plant and Man section. It presents five thematic gardens. Explore the Farmer’s Garden and Biblical Garden. Discover crops and a pharmacy garden. A garden of poisonous and medicinal plants awaits.
The Biozentrum Klein Flottbek is deeply involved in research. Scientists here study everything from cocoa fermentation to fungal resistance in maize. They seek to improve chili cultivars for Asia. They even investigate the causes of bitter hazelnuts. The Biozentrum Klein Flottbek also coordinates scientific networks. These focus on biodiversity and desertification. The Herbarium Hamburgense is part of the Biozentrum. It safeguards about 1.8 million plant specimens. These specimens come from all over the world.
The Biocentre Klein Flottbek fosters scientific communication. It plays a crucial role in networking. This extends both nationally and internationally.