Emil Zátopek

About the plant

Plant: Buxus sempervirens 'Globosa'
Botanical name: Buxus sempervirens ‘Globosa’
Planting year: 2011
Planters or representatives: Dana Zátopková

Mature size: 1.5–6.1 m
Flowering: Spring
Lifespan and documented age: A numerical lifespan range is not established by the references used.
Reading these figures: Taxon characteristics; actual size and flowering in the garden depend on conditions.

Buxus sempervirens is perennial and belongs to the Buxaceae family. The NC State species profile lists a height of approximately 1.5–6.1 m.

The listed flowering season is spring. Recorded flower colours include cream/tan, gold/yellow. Local climate and the weather in a particular year affect the timing and intensity of flowering.

Suitable light conditions listed in the profile are full sun, partial shade. Appropriate soil and moisture also matter; individual plants do not all reach the same size. Growth and appearance of the ‘Globosa’ cultivar may differ from the species; species dimensions above are not a precise cultivar measurement. Lifespan: A numerical lifespan range is not established by the references used.

Plant details and related plantings →

The current catalogue gives Globosa, while the 2011 report describes a shared planting with Dana and cultivar Blauer Heinz. The number of rows does not establish the number of specimens.

Historical name in the sources: Buxus sempervirens 'Blauer Heinz'

About the person

Name: Emil Zátopek
Personality type: athlete
Date of birth: 19 September 1922
Place of birth: Kopřivnice
Date of death: 21 November 2000
Place of death: Praha
Notable achievements and career: Four-time Olympic champion in distance running.
Helsinki 1952: gold in the 5,000 m, 10,000 m and marathon.
13 world records over metric distances and five over imperial distances.
People and participants: Dana Zátopková · Emil Zátopek

Emil Zátopek (19 September 1922 – 21 November 2000) was a Czech long-distance runner who won three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He came first in the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres runs before he decided at the last minute to compete in the first marathon of his life, which he also won. Zátopek was nicknamed the “Czech Locomotive”. In 1954, Zátopek was the first runner to break the 29-minute barrier in the 10,000 metres.

Three years earlier in 1951, he had broken the hour for running 20 km. He was considered one of the greatest runners of the 20th century and was also known for his brutally tough training methods. He popularised interval training after World War II. Zátopek is the only person to win the 5,000 metres (24 July 1952), 10,000 metres (20 July 1952) and marathon (27 July 1952) in the same Olympic Games. In February 2013, the editors at Runner’s World selected him as the greatest runner ever.

Emil Zátopek

About the plant

About the person

Sources

Botanical references