Central Botanical Garden offers consumers shade-tolerant varieties of exotic plantsdeveloped by improving original strains that have successfully undergone an introduction process under a manufacturing agreement and/or subcontracting, and is looking for partners to conclude a distribution services agreement.

The cultivation of modern citrus varieties and hybrid gerberas in Belarus has evolved well beyond a mere amateur hobby, becoming a promising avenue for import substitution and scientific-industrial development. The Central Botanical Garden (CBG) of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has achieved a breakthrough in the acclimatization and breeding of these southern crops, making them accessible both for the domestic greenhouse industry and for indoor plant cultivation.

Modern citrus varieties.
Due to harsh winters, growing citrus outdoors in Belarus is not feasible; therefore, the focus is on protected cultivation (orangeries, lemon houses) and indoor growing. In 2025–2026, scientists at the Botanical Garden officially registered unique, self-bred varieties adapted to low-light conditions:
• Lemons: "Meyer Belorussky" (a compact variety that yields two harvests per year), "Narodny," and "Aromatny." Classic varieties such as "Ponderosa" and "Pavlovsky" are also popular.
• Grapefruits and pomelos: The "Orange Dwarf" (Oranzhevy Karlik) grapefruit and the impressive "Bogatyr" pomelo, both of which ripen successfully in Belarusian greenhouses.
• Hybrids and exotics: Mandarins (such as "Pioneer No. 80" and the Unshiu group), calamondins, kumquats, limequats, and the "Buddha’s Hand" citron are also being promoted.

Importance and relevance for Belarus:
1. Import substitution and food security: A state program is aimed at reducing reliance on fruit imports. Experience from a Belarusian "lemonarium" (citrus greenhouse) has demonstrated that growing citrus in industrial greenhouses requires even less energy for climate control than cultivating winter tomatoes or cucumbers.
2. Indoor environment and health: Citrus plants release phytoncides and essential oils that cleanse the air of bacteria, making them an ideal choice for greening kindergartens, schools, and offices across Belarus.

"Gerbera hybrida" (Hybrid Gerbera)
The gerbera is a major commercial crop in both the global and domestic floriculture industries. All modern ornamental varieties are derived from crosses between "Gerbera jamesonii" and "Gerbera viridifolia". In Belarus, they are classified into two primary categories:
• Cut-flower varieties (for bouquets): Large-flowered and double-flowered hybrids with long, sturdy stems (such as modern Dutch cultivars). These can maintain their commercial quality in a vase for up to 15–20 days.
• Potted "mini" varieties (for interiors and patios): Cultivar series such as Garvinea, Cartwheel, or Jaguar. These are compact, prolific-blooming genetic hybrids that adorn outdoor terraces and balconies in Belarus during the summer and can be brought indoors for the winter.

Importance and relevance for Belarus:
1. Economic benefits of a year-round cycle: When grown in a protected environment, gerberas can bloom almost continuously. For Belarusian greenhouse enterprises—including the Minsk Greenhouse Complex and regional landscaping organizations—this represents a high-margin product that serves as a substitute for expensive imported cut flowers.
2. Disease resistance: Modern hybrids exhibit enhanced resistance to root rot and "Fusarium" wilt—common issues when cultivating plants in the temperate, humid climate of Belarus.
3. Trends in urban and interior design: Potted gerberas have emerged as a long-lasting alternative to cut-flower bouquets and are in high demand across the country’s retail chains.

As a result of many years of breeding work, the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Belarus has developed modern varieties of citrus plants and hybrid gerberas, which have since been officially registered by the state.

This information is featured in the catalog "Advanced Developments of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus," 2024, pp. 210–211.(in Russian)

These newly developed varieties have no domestic projects and are on par with the best varieties available internationally.
The citrus varieties were developed by improving upon original cultivars that had been successfully introduced to the region. Their primary advantage is a high degree of adaptability to the climate of Belarus, including resilience to seasonal weather fluctuations, making them ideal for cultivation both in home settings and in greenhouses. Their compact size and high ornamental value make these new citrus varieties well-suited for growth in limited spaces. Furthermore, the fruit’s tendency to remain firmly attached to the plant, combined with enhanced disease resistance, ensures that the plants retain their attractive appearance year-round. The plants also exhibit strong phytoncidal activity, which helps purify the air and improve the indoor environment—a particularly valuable trait for enclosed spaces.

The highly ornamental hybrid Gerbera varieties were developed by crossing popular international cultivars. These new hybrids are characterized by large blooms, unique color patterns, diverse inflorescence types, varying degrees of petal fullness (doubleness), and an extended flowering period. Through selective breeding, the resilience of these Gerbera varieties to environmental conditions and pests has been significantly improved.
Thanks to their unique characteristics and high quality, these domestically bred hybrid Gerbera and citrus varieties possess strong export potential. Additionally, the planting stock for these new varieties is more cost-effective than comparable international alternatives.

At the Central Botanical Garden, a research project was carried out titled "Development and implementation of a technology for the accelerated cultivation of valuable species and varieties of greenhouse plants "Camellia" L., "Citrus" L., and "Rhododendron" L. in pots, as an import-substituting product."
The results were utilized in the development of this technology.

The Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus is the country’s leading and largest center for the conservation of plant biodiversity. It serves as a premier scientific institution specializing in plant introduction, acclimatization, physiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, and ecology. Research and practical efforts in the field of plant introduction have resulted in the creation of a gene pool comprising over 15,000 varieties of ornamental and economically useful introduced plants.

In accordance with its Charter, the primary objective of the Central Botanical Garden is to conduct scientific research in areas including plant introduction, botany, physiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, ecology, landscape architecture, and phytodesign. It also focuses on the sustainable use and conservation of plant resources, as well as the preservation of the gene pool of the world’s flora.

The Central Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical institutions in Belarus. In 1999, by a decision of the Government of the Republic of Belarus, it was granted the status of a scientific site of national heritage. It is designated as a botanical natural monument of national significance and a site of historical and cultural value. Today, it stands as a unique landscape and garden site, serving both as a major landmark in the capital and as a vital center for cultural enrichment, environmental awareness, and education.

Key areas of scientific and technical activity include:
- The effective use, renewal, and conservation of plant resources;
- The identification of physiological and biochemical patterns and mechanisms that determine plant resilience and productivity;
- The development of scientific foundations for plant introduction, protection, and breeding, as well as the management of acclimatization processes and the biological productivity of economically useful plants—utilizing both traditional methods and modern techniques in biotechnology and genetic engineering. - biological monitoring, ecology;
- industrial botany;
- landscape gardening and phytodesign;
- utilization of plant resources in industry, agriculture, and medicine;
- addressing biosafety issues related to biological methods and technologies.

Key areas of focus for the Central Botanical Garden (CBG):
- developing scientific foundations and practical measures for the effective, sustainable use of plant resources within the nation’s economy and social sphere, as well as for the conservation of the gene pool of rare and endangered species and the habitats of the Belarusian flora.
- creating new, competitive varieties of ornamental, medicinal, aromatic, and bioenergy plants, along with original landscape design concepts for various settings, including interior spaces.
- developing efficient methods for the accelerated production of planting stock via *in vitro* culture, as well as techniques for identifying and protecting against bacterial and viral infections to ensure the production of disease-free (healthy) planting material.
- researching the genetic diversity of plants and plant communities, their habitats, and ecosystems, while addressing questions of systematics and taxonomy through both traditional and molecular-genetic approaches.

Official website of the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

Consumers interested in purchasing shade-tolerant varieties of exotic plants developed through the improvement of original cultivars that have successfully undergone an introduction process under a manufacturing agreement and/or subcontracting.

Partners interested in purchasing shade-tolerant varieties of exotic plants developed through the improvement of original cultivars that have successfully undergone an introduction process under a distribution services agreement.