Tread-resistant plants

Take a look around – the Botanical Garden is bursting with life. Plants grow not only in the beds, but also wild in the meadows, on the paths ... and under your feet.

Some plant species have adapted to being walked on by humans and animals and thrive particularly well in the Botanical Garden on the heavily used gravel paths. Most of these are annual species that have adjusted to life in busy locations. They are generally small in size, branch out close to the ground, regenerate quickly and have an elastic yet firm tissue. This enables them to cope with people treading on them and the regular damage this causes. They can also survive in highly compacted soil and soil with little oxygen.

 In places with heavy footfall in the Botanical Garden, you will find the ‘common knotgrass community’. It is often dominated by just one species – the common knotgrass – which also gives the community its name. Other characteristic species include the broadleaf plantain, the annual bluegrass and the dandelion.