The Friendship Tree is a unique

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...

tree, in the Friendship Tree Garden Museum and Subtropical Botanical Garden, in the Tsentralny City District of Sochi, on the east coast of the

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...

in southern

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

. The Friendship Tree grew to prominence from the numerous citrus sprigs

grafted Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...

to it by people of 167 countries from around the world, as symbols of international friendship and living in harmony with nature.GNU VNIITsiSK RAAS.ru—Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops: Friendship Tree in Sochi
. accessed 2.12.2014.

History

The Friendship Tree was planted as a scientific experiment to create a new hybrid of

mandarin orange The mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), also known as the mandarin or mandarine, is a small citrus tree fruit. Treated as a distinct species of orange, it is usually eaten plain or in fruit salads. Tangerines are a group of orange-colou ...

, by FM Zorin in Sochi Agricultural and garden Experiment Station. The tree's experiments became a collection of 45 different types of citrus fruit grafted on it, with more planted in the botanical gardens. In 1940 the arctic explorer and Soviet scientist Otto Yulyevich Schmidt visited the tree and botanical garden. As a token of his love for the nature of his

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

homeland, he grafted a new citrus bud on the crown of the tree. People from various countries, nationalities, professions, and religions later continued the example, creating a tradition. The experimental citrus tree was named the Friendship Tree in 1957, upon the suggestion of Vietnamese doctors. Commemorative grafts have been added onto the Tree of Friendship by many heads of state; prominent public figures and politicians; representatives from the sciences, arts, and culture; as well as astronauts, athletes, military, and religious figures. Among these are the Soviet figure skating Olympic Gold Medalist

Irina Rodnina Irina Konstantinovna Rodnina ( rus, Ирина Константиновна Роднина, p=ɪˈrʲinə kənstɐnˈtʲinəvnə rədʲnʲɪˈna; born 12 September 1949) is a Russian politician and retired figure skater, who is the only pair sk ...

in 1976, and

Secretary-General of the United Nations The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. The role of the secretary-g ...

Ban Ki-moon in 2013. Each graft has a round metal tag attached, with the grafter's name and event's date.

Botanical garden

The Subtropical Botanical Garden is a unique

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

and a natural history museum, and part of the Russian Institute of Floriculture and Subtropical Crops. The garden features the Friendship Tree and Friendship Tree Garden Museum, and also living collections of subtropical fruit, flowering, and subtropical climate ornamental plants. Plants of eighty botanical families are grown and displayed here. The botanical garden also has garden paths, ornamental ponds, and garden sitting lounges.

Museum

The Friendship Tree Garden Museum displays: *history of the Friendship Tree in words and images. *volumes of guest signature books, with thoughts of peace, friendship, and harmony inspired by the Friendship Tree, written by Russian and international visitors. *numerous gifts commemorating the Friendship Tree, representing cultures and traditions around the world.

Gallery

File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 15.JPG, Friendship Tree in the Subtropical Botanical Garden File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 16.JPG, Friendship Tree Garden Museum structure File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 18.JPG, FM Zorin — the founder of the Friendship Tree and Subtropical Botanical Garden File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 22.JPG, Near the entrance to the Subtropical Botanical Garden File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 19.JPG, Entrance kiosk to the Subtropical Botanical Garden File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 01.JPG, Friendship Tree Garden Museum sign on Kurortniy Prospect Street File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 02.JPG, Friendship Tree Garden Museum sign File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 17.JPG,

placing graft on Friendship Tree (1976) File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 13.JPG, Ban Ki-moon graft label (2013) File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 12.JPG, Belarus president

Alexander Lukashenko Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (as transliterated from Russian; also transliterated from Belarusian as Alyaksand(a)r Ryhoravich Lukashenka;, ; rus, Александр Григорьевич Лукашенко, Aleksandr Grigoryevich Luk ...

graft label (1991). File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 09.JPG, Tangerine in the Subtropical Botanical Garden File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 06.JPG, Path in the botanical garden File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 03.JPG, Flower in the botanical garden File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 14.JPG, Bee File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 05.JPG, Path in botanical garden to sitting area File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 04.JPG, Sitting area lounge File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 20.JPG, Visitors sign, terms and conditions File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 21.JPG, Visitors sign, price-list File:Friendship Tree Garden Museum 11.JPG, Sign beside the historic Friendship Tree

References

External links