Czech botanist Václav Větvička dies, ending a 60‑year career in plant science

Václav Větvička, a leading Czech botanist and former director of the Prague Botanical Garden, has died. Větvička, born in 1938, spent decades revitalising the garden, adding tropical and subtropical greenhouse complexes, and promoting public awareness of trees, including initiating the national Tree Day.

He was also a long‑time patron of Hamzova léčebna’s arboretum in Luž, where he helped plant new specimens, gave talks to visitors and took part in the traditional autumn‑locking ceremony. Director Václav Volejník said the institution will honor Větvička at the upcoming arboretum ceremony. Větvička’s career included senior roles at the Botanical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, directorship of the Charles University Botanical Garden, and leadership of the Štiřín Castle park until 2020. His contributions were recognised with the Vojtěch Náprstek Medal (2004), the Medal of Merit from President Miloš Zeman (2018) and a prize from the Council for Research, Development and Innovation (2019).