Pannonian dry grasslands

The Pannonian east of Austria enjoys warmer and drier summers than the west of the country. In Vienna and its neighbouring provinces, dry grasslands have developed which are home to plant species that have adapted to dry conditions and do not exist further west.

The intensification of agriculture and the abandonment of grazing pastures have led to the loss of most dry grasslands. As a result, many of the plant species native to this environment are now rare and endangered. The Botanical Garden has established what are known as conservation cultures for some of the endangered species in the Flora of Austria group. These cultures ensure the survival of a species if it disappears from its natural habitat.

The dry grasslands in the Flora of Austria group are laid out on different geological substrates, as in their natural habitats. Accordingly, you find plant displays on alkaline rock (limestone and dolomite), on acidic rock (granite), on sand dunes (acidic and neutral to slightly alkaline), on loess and on saline soils. Due to the different soil conditions, a wide variety of plant species grow here.