Abstract
It is hypothesised that wild plants have the potential to be used as ornamentals. The term ‘wild’ as applied to plant species refers to those that grow spontaneously in self-sustaining populations. The ornamentals encompass a diverse array of herbaceous seasonal flowers, shrubs, semi-shrubs, and woody species. A significant attribute of ornamentals is their aesthetic appeal. The cultivation of plants is driven by a variety of factors, including the presence of specific characteristics such as: flowers, leaves, fragrance, fruit, stem, bark, or due to the presence of particular physiological and morphological characteristics. There is an emerging trend of incorporating novel wild native plants that possess ornamental value with the objective of reducing the financial burden associated with garden maintenance, enhancing the survival rates of plants in unfavourable conditions, and curtailing the propagation of alien floral species to regulate their dispersal. The present study constitutes an inventory of the floristic diversity of native wild ornamental plants of the priority 62CO* Ponto-Sarmatic steppes natural habitat, that have decorative qualities. In the course of the field surveys conducted as part of the 62C0* habitat restoration project, 60 species from 22 families were identified as having the potential to be used as ornamental plants. The majority of these species are classified as perennial herbaceous.