F. M. Zorin is the creator of the Friendship Tree Botanical Garden

УДК 58.007

Abstract

Natural monument, cultural heritage site, botanical garden «Tree of Friendship» - department of the Federal Research Center «Subtropical Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences» (FITC SNC RAS). Its history is closely connected with the name of Fyodor Mikhailovich Zorin. In 1933, he was invited to the Sochi zonal Experimental Station to head the breeding department. The scientist was engaged in breeding new varieties of fruit crops, experimented with various methods of inoculation, studied the interaction of rootstocks and grafts. Zorin F. M. bred 5 varieties of tangerines, several varieties of plums, figs, and obtained promising forms of hazel. In 1949, he received the State Prize for his success in breeding. Zorin F. M. is the author of more than 500 publications, he was actively engaged in the popularization of subtropical horticulture, participated in the training of agricultural specialists, paid much attention to young scientists. Fyodor Mikhailovich is known to people from all over the world as the creator of the Friendship Tree. In 1934, he planted a seedling Poncirus trifoliata Raf., on which various citrus varieties and hybrids have been grafted. In 1940, O. Y. Schmidt made grafting of its branches, and in 1957, Vietnamese doctors suggested calling it the Friendship Tree. The tree has become a symbol of friendship between peoples and a call for peace on the planet. Now more than 650 grafting have been carried out on it by representatives of 173 countries of the world. 83 citrus Friendship Trees grow in the garden, 3388 commemorative grafting are recorded in the file, and 72 memory books contain autographs of kings, presidents, cosmonauts, athletes, war veterans, etc. After the death of F. M. Zorin, his student L. M. Dmitrenko became the keeper of the garden. In 1981, a museum was opened, the exhibits of which were gifts from guests from around the world. Over 500 species of fruit, ornamental, relict, endemic and protected plants grow in the garden. The Garden and Museum is a center for intercultural relations, a place for excursions aimed at promoting peace and friendship between countries and peoples, a repository of materials on the history and culture of the peoples of the world and plant genetic resources.