Research in Context
Parks and Gardens in Athens
with diverse and climate-resilient species
​I have conducted a tree survey in Athens, recording species that are not commonly used in most boroughs. Since autumn 2023, more than one hundred species have been recorded and mapped, including shrub species that can be trained as small trees.
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The tree survey is ongoing. Observations have been collected from more than twenty boroughs of the metropolitan area of Athens, at various types of public green spaces such as street rows, parks etc.
​Among the large parks that have been surveyed are:
- The National Garden of Athens which is host for many exotic species
- Ancient Agora which is host to native species, rarely found in the urban environment
- Alsos Sygrou
- Alsos Nea Smirni
- NTUA campus​​​​​​​​
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Also some squares and public gardens, although of a smaller scale, have a variety of woody plant species. Many of them are not commonly used and some have been noted for their climate resilient in recent literature:
- Megaron Athens Concert Hall Garden
- Platia Iroon, Dafni-Hymettos
- Nimfon square, Vouliagmeni
- Plyta Square in neighborhood Agios Artemios, city of Athens
Tree row with monumental palm trees Washingtonia filifera at the entrance of the National Garden. Since the mid-19th century, the historical garden has served as a point of entry and testing for many introduced species. Image credit: Aggeliki Christodoulou 2016
Aesculus x carnea
Sapindaceae
Taxonomy
This is an artificial hybrid. The hybrid formula of this artificial cross is A. hippocastanum × A. pavia.
Distribution in Athens. Extremely rare in Athens. Only a few trees at a single site were recorded at the northern borough of Dionysos. Outside a house, on the side of a central highway.
Cities worldwide
Tree inventories in cities around the world.
The parent species Aesculus pavia is found in 22 tree inventories.
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DATABASES
The Global Urban Tree Inventory: A database of the diverse tree flora that inhabits the world’s cities. Global Ecol Biogeography 29:1907-1914. (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13169.
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Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Plants of the World Online | Kew Science. [online] Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org/.
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Trees and Shrubs Online - A modern reference to temperate woody plants.