Rennsteiggarten Oberhof, Alpine botanical garden in Oberhof, Germany.
Rennsteiggarten Oberhof is an Alpine botanical garden spread across seven hectares at 868 meters elevation, displaying around 4,000 plant species from mountainous regions worldwide. The collection includes plants from Europe, Asia, North America, South America, New Zealand, and Arctic regions.
This garden was founded in 1970 on the grounds of a former quarry through cooperation between the Cultural Federation and the University of Jena. Its initial plant collection came from the Botanical Garden in Jena.
The garden features a section dedicated to Thuringian herbs where regional plant species grow that have long been part of the local landscape. Visitors can observe how these plants connect to the natural heritage of central Germany.
The garden is open daily during the warmer months with guided tours and educational programs available. Wear sturdy footwear since the grounds are varied in terrain with pathways leading through different plant zones.
The garden experiences around 150 days of snow coverage each year, providing the exact conditions where Alpine plants like saxifrage, globe primroses, and rock primrose thrive. This extended snowy season allows rare mountain species to grow that would not survive at this lower elevation without such cold winters.
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