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Lev SimirenkoFamous Ukrainian gardener-pomologist
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Content:
- Biography of Lev Simirenko
- Early Life and Education
- Contributions to Horticulture
- Imprisonment and Legacy
- Renet Simirenko
Biography of Lev Simirenko
Lev Platonovich Simirenko, a renowned Ukrainian horticulturist and pomologist, was born in the village of Mliev, Cherkasy region, Ukraine, in February 1855. He is considered one of the most influential figures in the development of pomology and fruit growing. Simirenko not only contributed to the advancement of horticultural science but also founded the domestic industrial fruit growing and pomology.
Early Life and Education
Lev Platonovich Simirenko was born into a family of sugar manufacturers and engineers. His ancestors, Andrey and his son Stepan, were Cossacks who refused to swear allegiance to Empress Catherine II, leading to their transformation from well-known Cossacks into serfs of the Vorontsov princes. Lev's father, Fedor Simirenko, managed to buy back his freedom and later established a successful trading business. Lev Simirenko grew up on the family estate in Mliev and received his early education at home. He continued his studies at the private Knerr Gymnasium in Odessa and later attended the universities in Kyiv and Odessa, specializing in natural sciences. He also spent over a year studying at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute before transferring to Kyiv to focus on his passion for horticulture.
Contributions to Horticulture
In 1887, Lev Simirenko established a nursery and garden on the ruins of his family's sugar factory in Novorossiysk region, Ukraine. Within a few years, it became the largest and most prestigious horticultural collection in Russia, with over 3,000 varieties of fruits, berries, and ornamental plants. Simirenko's tireless research involved the study of nearly three thousand different varieties of fruits, berries, and ornamental plants, including 900 apple varieties, 880 pear varieties, and 350 types of roses. His work significantly contributed to the development of fruit growing in Ukraine, Crimea, and many regions of Russia.
Imprisonment and Legacy
During the Red Terror, Simirenko was accused in the case of "Process 193" and was imprisoned in the Mtsensk Penal Colony. After serving his sentence, he was exiled to Siberia, where he reconstructed a city park in Krasnoyarsk and worked in winter gardens and greenhouses. Simirenko was tragically killed in his own home on the night before Christmas 1920. The circumstances surrounding his murder remain mysterious to this day.
Simirenko's contributions to horticulture and his extensive scientific work laid the foundation for the establishment of the first research institutions and horticultural departments in Ukraine. His nursery, the Simirenko Pomological Nursery, became the first national scientific institution in the field of fruit growing. Simirenko's research on the cultivation and exploitation of high-yielding orchards, as well as his innovative techniques for grafting fruit trees, significantly influenced the development of modern fruit growing.
Renet Simirenko
One of Simirenko's most significant achievements was the development of the Renet Simirenko apple variety. This variety, which originated in Simirenko's father's garden, became renowned for its popularity and longevity in industrial orchards in Ukraine and other countries. It remains one of the most esteemed apple varieties in Ukraine and is considered a symbol of Ukrainian horticulture.
The legacy of Lev Simirenko and his family's work in the fields of economics, industry, science, and culture is essential to be treasured and respected by current and future generations. Simirenko's dedication to horticulture and his contributions to fruit growing have left an indelible mark on the field and continue to shape the industry to this day.