Alpinum of the Central Alps, Botanical Garden, Innsbruck

An alpinum is a special installation, which is supposed to represent the flora of the Alps. It consists to a large extent of rocky terrain. Mountain plants, such as alpine species of bellflowers, carnations, gentians and edelweiss, are cultivated between the stone crevices and gaps. The image shows a part of the alpinum in the Innsbruck Botanical Garden, where this type of garden has a long tradition. In 1864, Professor Anton Kerner produced a manual for The Cultivation of Alpine Plants (Die Cultur der Alpenpflanzen) in Innsbruck. The alpinum there is arranged according to geographical and geological principles. In addition to the flora of the Central Alps (see image), plants from the North American mountains, the Southwest Alps, the Pyrenees, the Caucasus and Asia are showcased in Innsbruck in an area of more than 2000m².

Alpinum – Central Alps, color photography, unknown photographer; source: Courtesy of the Botanical Garden of the University of Innsbruck, Botanical Garden Hötting.