VUŠA Botanical Garden

Šiauliai, Lithuania

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VUŠA Botanical Garden in Šiauliai, Lithuania, was established in 1958 as part of the Šiauliai Pedagogical Institute, later becoming affiliated with Vilnius University Šiauliai Academy. Initially founded on fertile land near a railroad, the garden began with the planting of various trees, shrubs, and an alpine flower garden, with plants donated from Vilnius Botanical Garden and other institutes.

Over time, it expanded to cover 6.54 hectares and now hosts around 4,400 plant taxa and species, specializing in collections such as aster, heather, alpine plants, medicinal plants, and spices. The garden focuses on plant conservation, education, and research, actively participating in seed exchange programs with over 250 botanical gardens worldwide.

It also supports public education through exhibitions and informational displays, while being part of multiple international botanical garden networks, fostering collaboration and biodiversity preservation.